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NAPLES — In a wild offensive slugfest that included 782 combined rushing yards, 12 touchdowns (six in the fourth quarter) and one spectacular play after another, wouldn’t you know it would all come down to the kicker.

Lely’s Gerry Reyes lined up for a 24-yard field goal with 2.1 seconds left and his team trailing Palmetto Ridge 42-41, having blown a 14-point late fourth-quater lead.

Having come out in full force to honor former Trojans standout Ereck Plancher, who died earlier this year during conditioning drills with the University of Central Florida, the Lely crowd went berserk when Reyes’ kick split the uprights to give the Trojans (2-1) a wild 44-42 home victory on Friday night.

“It was tough but I had to do it,” Reyes said of the game-winning kick. “This was for Ereck.”

The crowd also witnessed two outstanding performances by each team’s running back — Darian Hall for Lely and Gary Jackson for the Bears. Hall carried the ball 23 times for 256 yards and four touchdowns. His biggest runs came in the fourth quarter on touchdown scores of 76 and 56 yards.

Jackson gained 130 yards on 36 carries and had the game’s opening score on a 3-yard run in the second quarter to ignite the offensive fireworks.

As they did after nearly every Palmetto Ridge score, the Trojans answered immediately with a touchdown of their own. Quarterback Dennis Marcelin scampered 59 yards down the right sideline on Lely’s first play after receiving the kickoff. Marcelin would end the night with 84 yards rushing and two scores.

“I didn’t do too good with passing but I picked up my running,” Marcelin said. “On the first touchdown, I told coach (Steve Pricer) that there were only two guys on the opposite side and just let me take the ball.”

It was the first home game for Lely this season, which finally was able to play on its new synthetic turf field.

“This was the best game,” Marcelin said. “It was the first time playing on this field. The crowd was electric. This was all for Ereck. I’m just so happy right now.”

Palmetto Ridge coach Tim Speakman was anything but happy, scolding his players for several minutes after the game. His team fell to 1-2 this season.

“You can’t make that many mistakes and win a football game,” Speakman said. “You can’t fumble the ball five times and can’t make that many defensive mistakes and expect to beat a team like Lely.”

Coming into the game, Speakman was looking for his defense to rebound after a poor showing in a 49-19 loss to Naples last week.

“If we don’t play as a unit,” Speakman said before the game, “it’s going to be a long night because there’s a lot of speed on (Lely).”

And a long night it was as Hall shredded the Bears defense to lift his season rushing total to 706 yards and eight touchdowns. Both lead the county.

“I give the ‘O’ line and receivers all the credit,” Hall said. “I read off them and do what I gotta do.”

Both teams begin district play next week. The Trojans travel to play Golden Gate, while Palmetto Ridge visits Barron Collier.

* * *

LELY 44

PALMETTO RIDGE 42

Palmetto Ridge 0 14 0 28—42

Lely 0 14 14 16—44

SCORING

Second quarter

PR — Gary Jackson 3 run (Josh Pelletier kick good) 10:12

L — Dennis Marcelin 59 run (Gerry Reyes kick good) 9:54

L — Darian Hall 7 run (Reyes kick good) 4:53

PR – Sean Smikle 9 pass from Mike Pinter (Pelletier kick good) 2:20

Third quarter

L — Marcelin 11 run (Reyes kick good) 8:58

L — Hall 13 run (Reyes kick good) 5:59

Fourth quarter

PR — Max Tryfus 9 pass from Pinter (Pelletier kick good) 7:33

L — Hall 76 run (Reyes kick failed) 7:17

PR — Smikle 34 pass from Pinter (Pelletier kick good) 6:26

L — Hall 56 run (Reyes kick good) 5:51

PR — Torrey Campbell 1 run (Pelletier kick blocked) 3:22

PR — Campbell 31 run (Smickle pass from Pinter two point conversion) 3:12

L — Reyes 24 field goal 0:02