Back to Even

In a game that swung back and forth, Venice High School came up just short Friday night, falling to The First Academy 21-14 at home. The Indians, now 2-2 on the season, showed flashes of grit and a strong second-half effort, but couldn’t fully erase an early deficit.

 

The First Academy jumped out fast, putting together scoring drives that built a 21-0 lead by halftime. Their offense struck through both the air and the ground, including a long touchdown pass shortly before the break that put them firmly in control. Venice’s defense battled hard — particularly in the second half — but the early scoring gap proved too large.

 

Venice’s offense did respond after halftime. Two touchdowns brought the home team within one score, and momentum seemed to shift in their favor. But critical stops and a few missed opportunities kept the Indians from completing the comeback. Turnovers and stalled drives in key moments made the difference.

 

Senior running back Asharri “Bam” Charles was a standout, racking up yardage and pushing the offense forward late in the game. On the defensive side, players like Cole Wetherington came through, forcing turnovers and making big plays when Venice needed them most.

 

With this loss, the team’s non-district record remains mixed, and questions linger about consistency and finishing in tight games. But the effort also showed that Venice has fight in them — and if they can tighten up early game execution, they may be dangerous the rest of the season

 

Looking ahead, the Indians will use this as a learning moment. Their next matchup will be against Lehigh, where the focus will be on stronger starts, cleaner play, and capitalizing on home-field momentum.