RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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FORT WALTON BEACH — South Walton's success won't be measured against the Gulf Breezes and Fort Walton Beaches, but by the Florida Highs and Pensacola Catholics.
Even so, that doesn't make the Seahawks' 2-0 start and 85-0 margin of victory any less fun.
Following a 50-0 season-opening win over Gulf Breeze at home, South Walton went into Steve Riggs Stadium Friday night and got two touchdown tosses from JD Brown, a pair of touchdown runs from Max Madden and watched its defense extend its scoreless streak to eight quarters in a 35-0 running-clock win over a Fort Walton Beach program that just hung 41 points on Pensacola High.
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"Our goal is 10-0, that's the plan," linebacker and Rice commit Connor Rooney said. "We played hard and the defense takes pride in those zeros on the scoreboard. We're never going to look past anyone, and our focus shifts to Florida next week."
South Walton's defense time and time again turned away scoring opportunities, including the opening drive where South Walton opted for the fake punt and gave up the ball up at its own 35 yard line. The Vikings pushed the Seahawks back beyond the 40 and forced a turnover on downs. Later, Fort Walton Beach blocked a punt and took over in the red zone. Again, South Walton pushed the Vikings well outside of field goal range and forced a turnover on downs. Fort Walton didn't approach 100 total yards on the night.
"They've earned both of those goose eggs," South Walton coach Phil Tisa said of the defense. "They're playing lights out."
Fort Walton's longest play of the night came on a 27-yard slant over the middle from Lavin McDaniel to Cannon Wilbur. But McDaniel could only do so much amid the collapsing pocket and multiple drops. As for the run game, Eli Donson and Ty Montgomery had no room to run. Fort Walton's backfield barely ending up with positive yardage a week after the same unit rushed for 200 yards with four touchdowns against Pensacola.
"They were more disciplined than we were. They're a great football team, good job to them," Viking coach Josh Pulliam said. "They just executed better than we did. I told you in the beginning we were going to handle some adversity. We got some tonight, and we'll see how we handle it. Hopefully we don't tuck our tails, hopefully we learn from this and we move on because we have a good opportunity next week. We're gonna chew on this tonight, and then we'll be there in the morning for Saturday practice."
While the Vikings prepare for a trip to 0-2 West Florida on Friday, Sept. 4, the Seahawks host Florida High after losing 34-14 to the Seminoles last year. But this won't be a David-Goliath matchup like yesteryear. South Walton has playmakers, and Friday's shutout represented that.
. @JDBrownQB out here slinging it. the @UConnFootball commit finds @TreiyCrenshaw6 for 21-yd TD to give SoWal a 7-0 lead over FWB 6 minutes in. pic.twitter.com/z8N7hZab32
— Seth Stringer (@SethSnwfdn) August 29, 2026 A week after Gabe Parenton ran the rock because Max Madden was injured, Madden returned for two touchdown runs and Connor Rooney shined in the wildcat at the goal line with a 1-yard plunge. Brown, meanwhile, found Treiy Crenshaw on one touchdown and Carter Hawk on another.
"We have weapons," Tisa said. "We'll take whatever you give us and give our playmakers the ball."
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: South Walton football shuts out FWB, improves to 2-0
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