An aggressive offense paired with an iron-clad defense helped propel the Ivanna Eudora Kean High School Devil Rays to claim the Inter-Island Tackle Football Championship title over the Charlotte Amalie High School Chickenhawks, 30-14, at Lionel Roberts Stadium on December 5.
The Rays held a firm defense, allowing the Chickenhawks to only gain 32 rushing yards in the first half. This was the result of the Rays' pressure campaign on the Hawks' key offensive players, according to Rays head coach, Elroy Donovan.
“By putting pressure on these players, we can cut of their offensive threat, forcing the play to utilize less dominant players. This allows us to minimize their opportunity to score,” explained Coach Donovan.
Shirmoy O’Garro, Chickenhawks' quarterback, managed to land a 10-yard pass to receiver Re’Kai Creque, securing a touchdown for the Hawks.
The Chickenhawks tried to emerge from the second half with a renewed offense, but they still fell short, only managing to add eight more points to the scoreboard.
Coming out of halftime, the Rays coaches encouraged the team to play like it was opening kick off, Coach Donovan said. The Devil Rays managed to not only maintain a strong defense, but they also presented an aggressive offense, rushing an astounding 95 yards that resulted in 20 additional points.
The Devil Rays were determined to bring the championship title back to the East, and they did.
