PALATKA – Like Old Plank, the Peniel Baptist Academy Warriors are trying to get back to the state championship game again after coming up short 40-27 to Cornerstone in the 6 man state title game last year at Southeastern University.
So far so good for the Warriors who are off to a 5-1 start, despite coming off a two point loss 27-25 to Riverside Christian last week to knock them off the unbeaten list.
Six man football isn’t much different than eight man football really, just much smaller rosters than eight man.
The league consists of Palatka Peniel Baptist, Gainesville Cornerstone Christian, Lakeland Geneva Classical Academy, Trenton Riverside Christian, Gainesville Countryside Christian, Summerfield Village View Christian, Starke Hope Christian, Tampa Hillsborough Baptist, Gainesville Newberry Christian and Tampa Town N Country Christian.
Peniel opened the season with five straight wins with wins over Hillsborough Baptist 36-13, Newberry Christian 44-6, Village View 51-0, Faith Christian 64-12 and Geneva 64-25 to start the season on the right foot.
A big reason for the Warriors success so far under head coach Jonathan Goodwin has been a high powered offense, that is averaging 47 points per game behind the play of quarterback Andrew Dennin (10 of 13 for 162 yards and four touchdowns) and tailbacks Austin Spedden (21 carries, 324 yards, 10 touchdowns), Austin Wallace (36 carries, 341 yards, 7 touchdowns) and David Dennin (24 carries, 197 yards, six touchdowns). Spedden and Dennin also have combined for 9 catches for 155 yards and four touchdowns also.
The defense isn’t to shabby either allowing just 13.8 points per game led by Andrew Dennin (50 tackles, 2 interceptions), Wallace (42 tackles, 1 sack), Spedden (37 tackles, 2 interceptions), David Dennin (37 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 interception) and Jalin Pitts (34 tackles, 7 sacks).
At the halfway point of the season, the Warriors sit near the top of the standings currently. A good spot to be in considering the top eight teams make the playoffs.
Goodwin knows a lot can happen still and it wont be easy getting back to Lakeland and winning the programs first state title, but the Warriors are focused on the goal.
Things get tougher this week traveling to Hernando Christian (2-1), which advanced to the 8 man state semifinals last year before losing to Old Plank.
That’s followed by the rematch a week later Oct. 26 with defending state champion Cornerstone Christian in Gainesville.
Photos courtesy of Charlotte Custead Photography
Six Man Region
Cornerstone 4-0
Riverside 4-1
Peniel 4-1
Geneva 3-1
Countryside 4-2
Village View 2-3
Hope Christian 2-3
Hillsborough Baptist 1-4
Newberry Christian 1-4
Town N Country 0-5
Peniel Baptist Warriors (5-1)
Aug 31 Hillsborough Baptist 36-13 (1-0)
Sept 7 at Newberry Christian 44-6 (2-0)
Sept 21 Village View Christian 51-0 (3-0)
Sept 28 Faith Christian 64-12 (4-0)
Oct 5 Geneva Classical 64-25 (5-0)
Oct 12 at Riverside Christian 25-27 (5-1)
Oct 19 at Hernando Christian
Oct 26 at Cornerstone Christian
Nov 2 Town N Country Christian
Nov 9 Countryside Christian
Nov 16 at Hope Christian
