Treasure Coast (3-2, 1-0) at Vero Beach (6-0, 1-0)
By the numbers
5: Players in this game ranked on the TCPalm Super 11 – Vero Beach linebacker Corvin Moment (No. 3), Treasure Coast linebacker (No. 8), Treasure Coast wide receiver Jonathon Thomas (No. 9), Vero Beach wide receiver Michael Smith (No. 10), Vero Beach linebacker Patrick Moody (No. 11, Colorado State commit)
9.83: Average points Vero Beach allows per game
12.8: Average points Treasure Coast allows per game
14: Touchdown catches for Vero Beach wide receiver Michael Smith, eight short of the area record of 22 set by former Vero Beach star MJ McGriff in 2014
30.2: Average points Treasure Coast scores per game
39.67: Average points Vero Beach scores per game
52: Carries for Treasure Coast quarterback Sean Birchfield in the Titans’ triple-overtime win over Fort Pierce Central on Sept. 30
What’s at stake?
Both teams won their district opener two weeks ago, so the winner will be in the driver’s seat in District 8-8A. Treasure Coast has not won a district title since 2010 – also the last time it beat Vero Beach. The Fighting Indians are riding a 30-game regular season win streak.
Last meeting
Vero Beach won 41-0 in 2015. Fighting Indians quarterback Carson Proctor threw for 243 yards and a touchdown and Vero Beach’s defense limited the Titans to only 93 yards of total offense.
Key for Treasure Coast
Get first downs: The Titans run-heavy, single-wing offense has to stay on the field. That means getting first downs and eating up big chunks of time whenever they have the ball. Treasure Coast had only 84 yards on the ground last year, forcing the defense to spend too much time on the field.
Key for Vero Beach
Force Treasure Coast into 3rd-and-long: While Treasure Coast has playmakers, the offense isn’t designed for big plays. The Titans are at their best when faced with 3rd-and-manageable – and they aren’t afraid to go for it on 4th-and-short. Vero Beach’s defense will look to stop the Titans on first and second down and force them into passing situations.
