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Sep 02, 2023

Week 2 predictions: Who wins Santaluces

Palm Beach County football is delivering again with another appetizing menu of matchups for Week 2. A handful of top area teams are heading out of town. On Thursday, Cardinal Newman heads to western

Palm Beach County football is delivering again with another appetizing menu of matchups for Week 2.

A handful of top area teams are heading out of town. On Thursday, Cardinal Newman heads to western Miami to meet Belen Jesuit. Friday will feature much-anticipated matchups for Palm Beach Gardens at Vero Beach and an under-the-radar shootout between Atlantic and Monarch as the Eagles travel to Coconut Creek.

But there's no shortage of in-county excitement to keep you satisfied until defenses worth drooling over return in Week 3.

Take a look to catch The Post's top picks for where to be and what you may see.

When? Friday, 6:30 p.m.

So after choosing Pahokee against my better judgment last week, I'm sticking with Santaluces as the Class 4M crew prepares to face Boynton Beach in Week 2. The Tigers graduated a number of seniors — two 1,000-yard rushers — from its region semifinal run in 2022, which included a 22-7 regular-season loss to coach Hector Clavijo III and the Chiefs.

Proven by a 200-plus-yard, three-touchdown outing for new QB1 Shyeia Deveaux on Friday, Santaluces fields its best performances when underestimated. For Boynton, this will be the first postseason-caliber team its sophomore-dominant lineup has faced despite heading into this week 2-0 with the home-field advantage.

Prediction: 28-14, Santaluces

What time? 6:30 p.m.

The Post's Team of the Week is taking a road trip to the Cobra pit.

In the first couple of showings this season, highlighted by a 12-7 win over Wellington in Week 1, Vista has shown how defensively sound it can be. Granted, the Crusaders were down their starting quarterback and adjusting to a new offensive coordinator, but the Cobras held Cardinal Newman to a near-shutout in the first half. Senior linebacker Sean Silva and Co. creating havoc for those trenches indicates Jupiter will have a bigger problem than Dwyer this week.

Of course, the Warriors' culture-shifting win over the Panthers following a 23-3 preseason dub over Boca Raton gives some much-needed juice before heading down south, but the offense is going to have to hold to make it three in a row. This could be a close one.

Prediction: 17-7, Jupiter

The scoreboard will tell whether the Blue Devils are on the mend after their Week 1 shocker in Lantana. Class 2M Inlet Grove will host its home opener carrying in a loss to Eastside, a Class 2S region semifinalist.

Neither team is coming in with a win. However, Inlet Grove is coming in with a solid answer at quarterback.

Stepping into the spot of now-Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons, Pahokee sophomore Xavier Mitchell completed 50% of passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, posting negative yardage on the ground. Last week in Gainesville, sophomore IG quarterback Robert Green III stepped in for regular starter Legend Felican and mustered a 76% completion rate (10-for-13) for 135 yards — including one for 25.

If Pahokee can't figure out how to get the ball to Hardley Gilmore and friends downfield, it's going to be up to senior ATH Jenorris Wilcher to move chains on the ground for another week.

Prediction: 28-21, Inlet Grove

The level of competition may leave more to be desired. Still, you can be part of history if you show up at Dr. Joaquín García High this week.

Brandon Walker and the Bulldogs will fight for the program's first win in their first-ever home game on Palm Beach County's only blue turf field. Sophomore safety-wide receiver Jayden Morton scored the school's first touchdown in the Kickoff Classic against Olympic Heights on Aug. 18.

It'll be interesting to see whether heading for blue grass instead of green grass creates any turmoil for Hollywood Hills, making its 2023 debut far from home.

Prediction: 24-21, García

When? 6:30 p.m.

Another team making its debut in Week 2 is Boca — but, barring the postseason, there probably couldn't have been a worse time to catch 2022's final four Broncos.

Since the offseason and into the kickoff of the regular season, Central has had a target on its back for a variety of reasons. That adversity boosted the Broncos to a 55-48 win on the road at Creekside in St. Johns. Should Central's defense lock in before boarding the bus on Thursday, we could see the Broncos restored to their natural form.

But I wouldn't be surprised if Boca comes out swinging since Jupiter denied the Bobcats a Kickoff Classic victory.

Prediction: 35-7, Central

Emilee Smarr is the high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at [email protected].