Vero Beach outlasts Treasure Coast to clinch district title in overtime thriller – TCPalm

The Fighting Indians clinched the District 9-8A title and won their 59th consecutive regular season game with their thrilling 31-30 overtime win. Jon Santucci, jon.santucci@tcpalm.com

PORT ST. LUCIE Vero Beach coach Lenny Jankowski likes to prepare his team for every possible scenario, so a few weeks ago, he started having his team practice overtime scenarios.

That decision looks brilliant now.

Vero Beach quarterback Ryan Jankowski completed an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Dawson on 4th-and-goal and Henry Morgan kicked the game-winning extra point in overtime as the Fighting Indians outlasted Treasure Coast 31-30 in a thrilling game on Friday at South County Regional Stadium.

Its the second time this season that Ryan Jankowski has thrown the game-winning touchdown pass on fourth down in the fourth quarter or overtime.

More: Ryan Jankowski making most of his chance to lead Vero Beach offense

I knew Jermaine was going to open and I just stood there, took a shot and delivered a touchdown, the quarterback said. I always want to have the ball last in my hands. I always want to have a chance to win the game.

District win, district champs. This feels great.

With the win, Vero Beach (6-0, 2-0) clinches the District 9-8A championship for the sixth consecutive season and extends its regular-season win streak to 59 games one away from tying Lakelands state record.

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Treasure Coasts Turk Watkins scored an 8-yard touchdown with 3:33 remaining in the fourth quarter to extend the Titans' lead to 24-17, but the Fighting Indians drove down the field and Jaden Meizinger scored the game-tying touchdown with 6 seconds remaining in the game. It was the second touchdown of the game for Meizinger.

It was a great high school game, Lenny Jankowski said. It was a shame someone has to come out on the short end of it. I think it was kind of what we bargained for. I just was so proud of our guys to hang in there and make the plays when we needed to make them.

Week 8 roundup: Centennial's defense comes up big against Central

Treasure Coast (6-1, 1-1) scored five touchdowns Keegan Davis scored three times and Watkins scored twice but were stopped on all five of its two-point conversion attempts.

Watkins scored on a 5-yard run on the Titans' possession in overtime, but his conversion pass fell short.

Were struggling in the kicking department, Treasure Coast coach Irvin Jones said. We went for it the first time, and then when we went for the second time to make up for the first time that we didnt get it. Then all of the sudden the kicker hasnt kicked all night and we kept going for it.

This years district showdown was highly anticipated. Both teams came into the game undefeated. Vero Beach is ranked No. 4 on the states first RPI power rankings; Treasure Coast is No. 11. And after last years thriller, which Vero Beach won 34-31, fans were expecting another instant classic.

They got that and then some. The game featured six lead changes. Davis 15-yard touchdown run in the third quarter gave Treasure Coast an 18-17 lead after the Titans trailed at halftime for the first time this season. The Fighting Indians didnt regain the lead until Morgans overtime extra point.

The Titans had an opportunity to take a two-score lead late in the fourth quarter, but Vero Beach got a key stop on the two-point conversion that kept the lead to seven.

Its starting to seem like these are regular games with us. Jones said.

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Vero Beach outlasts Treasure Coast to clinch district title in overtime thriller - TCPalm

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