Gallon guzzles 'Crabs

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Editor Note -- See Apopka Highlights this WFTV Video. Apopka is discussed at the 4:04 mark.
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By MICHAEL LEWIS
Staff Writer
DAYTONA BEACH -- Preseason games mean next to nothing.

And the team Seabreeze was playing Friday night, Apopka, might be the best squad in the state.

So therefore there wasn't too much concern from Sandcrabs head coach Marc Beach after the Blue Darters and their sensational quarterback, Jeremy Gallon, ran all over his team at Municipal Stadium.

Behind Gallon's 304 rushing yards and three touchdowns, Apopka rolled to a 39-0 victory in three quarters of varsity action.

"I think to stop him you'd have to shoot him," Seabreeze coach Marc Beach said of Gallon. "We knew they were going to be very good, but I don't think I expected this."

Seabreeze is breaking in new starters at all the skill positions in 2008, so understandably things were a little rocky Friday night at Municipal Stadium.

One of the Sandcrabs' best defensive players, safety Jonathan Scott, was among five players who didn't play Friday due to what Beach called "team issues," and linebacker Olajuwon Postell suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter.

Even if they had an all-star team, though, Seabreeze would've had trouble handling Gallon. The Blue Darters' University of Michigan-bound quarterback was unstoppable in the first half. Gallon slithered through the tiniest holes in the Seabreeze defense, and once he was in open space he outraced everyone to the end zone.

Gallon scored on scampers of 14, 49, and 59 in the second quarter to put the game out of reach.

Great things are expected from Apopka this season; the Blue Darters advanced to the Class 6A semifinals in 2007, and they defeated Spruce Creek in the third round along the way. They're ranked No. 2 in the state preseason Class 6A poll.

Offensively, Seabreeze had trouble moving the ball. New starting quarterback, junior Matt Thompson, threw some nice passes for the 'Crabs, but Seabreeze never threatened to score. Thompson finished 3-of-9 for 27 yards.

"I think the big thing was we didn't hit any plays to give our offense some confidence, and then we left our defense on the field too long," Beach said. "We didn't get first downs and in this humidity, your defense is going to get tired."

Seabreeze will open its season Friday night against Spruce Creek at New Smyrna Beach Stadium at 7 p.m.

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Apopka High School - 555 W Martin St - Apopka, FL 32712

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