Pendergrass Powers Palm Beach Central Past Glades Central in Defensive Battle

By Andres: Brandon “PG” Pendergrass II delivered an MVP performance as Palm Beach Central survived a physical battle with Glades Central.

Palm Beach Central and Glades Central entered Friday night’s matchup ready for a defensive battle, and for much of the night, neither side was willing to give an inch.

But when Palm Beach Central needed a spark, 2029 running back Brandon Pendergrass II — better known as “PG” — took over. Pendergrass rushed for more than 215 yards, scored twice, including an explosive 56-yard touchdown run, and earned Game MVP honors as Palm Beach Central came away with a hard-fought 14-9 victory over Glades Central.

“We were 0-0 to begin the second half, and I knew we needed to get some points on the board,” Pendergrass said. And that’s exactly what PG did.

Defensive Battle Early

Palm Beach Central won the opening coin toss and elected to defer to the second half. Glades Central went three-and-out on each of its first two possessions, while the Broncos also struggled to establish offensive rhythm early.

Special teams gave Glades Central an opportunity after a long punt return, but multiple false-start penalties hurt the Raiders’ ability to capitalize.

The defenses continued to control the game, with the score still 0-0 with 3:32 remaining in the second quarter. Neither offense found the end zone before halftime, sending the teams into the locker room tied at 0-0.

PG Takes Over

The second half belonged to Pendergrass.

The 2029 running back began finding running lanes and consistently producing chunk plays. He finally broke the scoreless tie with a 5-yard touchdown run, giving Palm Beach Central a 7-0 advantage.

Glades Central responded quickly.

Quarterback Yoshi Roux pushed the Raiders down the field before delivering an impressive 19-yard touchdown pass to Juder Joseph, putting Glades Central right back into the game.

After a missed extra point, Palm Beach Central held a narrow 7-6 advantage. Glades Central later grabbed its first lead of the night when the Raiders connected on a 33-yard field goal with 7:53 remaining in the fourth quarter, making it 9-7.

Palm Beach Central was also forced to overcome several costly penalties, including multiple roughing-the-passer calls in the fourth quarter.

But with the game on the line, the Broncos turned back to No. 5. Pendergrass delivered the biggest play of the night, breaking free for a spectacular 56-yard touchdown run to put Palm Beach Central back in front, 14-9.

It was the defining moment of an MVP performance.

Defense Seals It

Glades Central still had an opportunity to answer, but Palm Beach Central’s defense delivered when it mattered most. Benjamin Marius forced a late fumble to seal the victory, putting an exclamation point on a game in which the Broncos’ defense consistently came up with critical stops.

The victory showcased Palm Beach Central’s ability to win a physical, low-scoring game, but Pendergrass isn’t satisfied with simply picking up an early-season win.

PG was happy to celebrate the victory with his teammates, but his focus is already on something much bigger.

The goal is to win a state championship.

If Friday night’s performance was any indication, Palm Beach Central has a young playmaker capable of carrying a heavy load when the game is on the line.

Final: Palm Beach Central 14, Glades Central 9

Game MVP: Brandon “PG” Pendergrass II — 100+ rushing yards, 2 TDs, including a 56-yard game-changing touchdown run.