Port Charlotte Pirates beat Charlotte Tarpons 42-6 in Senior Night rivalry clash
The Pirates extended their winning streak to five games, with Logan Flaherty reaching 100 career touchdowns and Bruce Blanden scoring twice.
By Bianca Herrera ·
Port Charlotte fans celebrated Senior Night as the Pirates defeated the Charlotte Tarpons 42-6 on Friday at Harbor Nissan Stadium. The victory marked the fifth straight win for Port Charlotte in the Peace River Rivalry. During this five-game stretch, the Pirates have outscored the Tarpons 201-27.
Logan Flaherty reached a personal milestone during the game. He ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, bringing his career total to 100 touchdowns. Flaherty passed for 165 yards on nine of 13 attempts. Bruce Blanden added two rushing scores and carried the ball 13 times for 75 yards.
The Pirates established an early lead on a special teams play. Eli Pearl returned a punt 61 yards for a touchdown after Port Charlotte missed a field goal on its opening drive. The margin grew when Blanden recovered a fumbled kickoff and ran 11 yards for a score with 1:42 left in the first quarter.
Charlotte struggled to gain ground, managing only 37 yards of offense in the first half. Nate Wooten missed a 31-yard field goal that was blocked early in the second quarter. Port Charlotte increased the lead to 27-0 at halftime after Flaherty connected with Lee Camel on a 62-yard pass and Dupri Gainer on a 15-yard scoring strike.
The game became a formality after an Anthony Blackwell pooch kick was recovered by Darnell Bennett. Flaherty followed with a short touchdown run and a successful two-point conversion, making the score 35-0. A running clock was forced for the rest of the game. Blanden scored from the one-yard line at the end of the third quarter to put it away at 42-0.
The Tarpons prevented a shutout in the closing seconds. Jack Grimes threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Kam Curliss. Charlotte finished with 61 total yards of offense. Port Charlotte improved to 7-2 after running the table following a 1-2 start. Charlotte dropped to 6-4 after losing four of its last five games.
Coach Jordan Ingman told players to enjoy the moment after the hard work. He noted that the expectation to win can sometimes take away the joy of the achievement. Charlotte coach Kevin Claxton said his team had valuable reps for young players. He expressed confidence that the group will return stronger next year after building on this season.
