Indians and Archer romp over winless Titans

NAPLES - Venice High's undefeated football team rides its 5-foot-6, 150-pound star running back about as hard as the Milwaukee Brewers ride CC Sabathia.

The difference between Dri Archer and the big-league pitcher?

About 13 inches and 140 pounds.

Yet, the Indians gave the ball to their ace on the first play Friday night and were rewarded with a 66-yard touchdown run -- the first of four scores for the pint-sized Archer as visiting Venice all but named its score against winless Golden Gate. For the record, it was 42-3.

It was more fun watching Archer than watching the scoreboard, though.

A zig. A zag. A stop. A spin. And often, a touchdown.

Archer added a highlight-reel, 10-yard run and TD catches of 17 and 47 yards from junior quarterback Trey Burton -- and piled up 308 all-purpose yards, including 220 rushing -- as Venice rolled to its first 5-0 start since winning the Class 5A state championship seven years ago. The Indians led 21-0 in the game's first 5 minutes, 58 seconds and 35-3 at halftime.

"My favorite one was the first (the 66-yarder on the game's first play)," Archer said. "It was the first play of the game and I wasn't touched. All week, we'd been practicing that."

But "45 Counter" wasn't as pretty as something the Indians could have called "1 Spin." With Venice leading 21-3 and threatening again after Josh Boyle's interception at the Golden Gate 18, Archer took a pitchout from Burton, majestically spun away from a tackler at the 11, righted himself after his left hand touched the turf and danced into the end zone.

The senior -- listed at 158 pounds but admittedly closer to 150 -- carried 22 times, and caught four passes for 88 yards. He now has 851 yards on the ground and another 380 on 19 catches, with 12 TDs.

"He bench-presses 260 pounds, can dunk a basketball and is as tough as they come," said Venice coach John Peacock.

Added Burton: "It's all natural instinct. I never know what I'm going to do until I actually do it."

Neither did the Titans (0-5). Kye Rodgers' diving interception on Golden Gate's first play set up a 26-yard pass from Burton to Boyle in the left corner with only 1:58 off the clock. A three-and-out gave the Indians another chance, and Burton ripped off a 28-yard gain on the first play, then caught Burton's bullet over the middle from the 17 for another six.

It didn't help that Golden Gate had ruined the Indians' Homecoming 19-14 last year.

"We haven't won Homecoming in awhile because of that," Burton said. "We had to take it out on (Golden Gate). But they play a hard schedule. I feel bad for them."

Golden Gate's only points came after a 44-yard pass from freshman Kenneth Mouton to wideout Tony Mitchell, as sophomore Jorge Moreno kicked a 38-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

The quick-hitting pass accounted for all but 35 yards of the Titans' offensive production. Venice rushed for 327 and Burton was 7-of-10 for 151 yards and three TDs.

"About the only thing we did was put it on the ground," Peacock said, citing four fumbles (three of them lost).

Burton hit Archer for the 47-yard bomb with 2:26 left in the half, then drove the Indians 87 yards in 13 plays on their only possession of the third quarter, capping it with a 1-yard sneak, before the starters took a seat on the sidelines.