Venice football outlasts Clearwater Academy International in offensive slugfest

The Indians upended the upset-minded Knights to finish 8-2 in the regular season

If the very beginning of the season surfaced a lot of questions around the viability of the Venice Indians, Friday night put to rest any concerns. 

Well, when it comes to the Indians' offense, anyways. 

Venice was able to avoid the fate of teams like Lakeland and rival Sarasota Riverview before them as they held off Clearwater Academy International 53-42 at Powell-Davis Stadium. The Indians finish the regular season at 8-2 and the Knights end at 5-5. 

Coming off a 43-0 rout of IMG Academy White last week, Venice (8-2) would be in for a tougher game against a Clearwater Academy International team that has notched some impressive wins already on the season. 

It wouldn't take long for the Indians to get on the scoreboard as wide receiver Zycarl Lewis ran in from nine yards out to give Venice an early 8-0 lead. The Indians extended their lead out to 15-0 when Colorado commitment Jamarice Wilder scored on a short 1-yard Wildcat formation run. 

At halftime, Venice had a comfortable 21-7 advantage, but no lead is really ever safe when it comes to comeback kids of Clearwater Academy International. 

The Knights battled their way to tie the game up at 21-all on a pair of Antwan Raymond touchdown runs in the third period. Jesse Chinchar's bunch eventually took a 28-21 lead after taking advantage of a Jadyn Glasser interception. 

Venice reclaimed the lead later in the third quarter after a touchdown run by Wilder and a scoring pass by Glasser. After trading scores and only up 47-42 with about a minute to go, the Indians needed a big play turnover. 

They would get it when Florida State commitment Charles Lester intercepted a Joaquin Kavouklis pass and returned it 60 yards for the game-sealing touchdown with 44 seconds remaining.

 

Up 47-42 with under a minute to go, @VeniceIndianFB puts the game away after @cl3slimee picks off CAI and runs it back for a 60-yard touchdown.

Venice leads 53-42 with 44 ticks left. pic.twitter.com/x2Nehv6DSj

— Evan Lepak (@EvanMPLepak) November 4, 2023

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl