Tiger Sharks claim victory in first home game of season
Opening their 2023 season against rival Liberty County on Friday night, the Port St Joe Tiger Sharks took an early lead, ultimately contributing to a resounding victory over the bulldogs.
A handoff to Corbin Butts early in the first quarter brought the ball to the 10 yard line, where Chance Gainer was able to take it to the end zone a few plays later, scoring the first touchdown of the game.
With less than a minute left in the first quarter, Devin Cuttino ran the ball 60 yards into the end zone to bring the score to 14-0.
Then, a few minutes into the second quarter, Chance Gainer caught a punt on the 30 yard line and ran it into the end zone, giving the Tiger Sharks a significant lead.
Though the Bulldogs were able to score a few touchdowns, they were unable to recuperate their losses early in the game, ultimately giving Port St. Joe a 31-14 victory.
The Tiger Sharks dedicated the game, their first home game of the season, to two of their teammates who were killed in a car accident in May, Andrew Sheppard and T.J. Jenkins. The Sheppar-Raffield and Jenkins families were recognized before the game and presented with framed jerseys. Doves were also released over the field.
The team also celebrated senior night on Friday, recognizing players on the team who are in the school’s senior class, as well as senior cheerleaders, JROTC members and Band of Gold members.
The Tiger Sharks next play at home, taking on the South Walton Seahawks on Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. EDT.
Meet the Editor
David Adlerstein, The Apalachicola Times’ digital editor, started with the news outlet in January 2002 as a reporter.
Prior to then, David Adlerstein began as a newspaperman with a small Boston weekly, after graduating magna cum laude from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He later edited the weekly Bellville Times, and as business reporter for the daily Marion Star, both not far from his hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In 1995, he moved to South Florida, and worked as a business reporter and editor of Medical Business newspaper. In Jan. 2002, he began with the Apalachicola Times, first as reporter and later as editor, and in Oct. 2020, also began editing the Port St. Joe Star.