5 takeaways from Niceville's dominant win over Escambia

Niceville's rushing attack leads the way as the Eagles win in convincing fashion over Escambia.

RB Connor Mathews breaks away for a big gain during the Niceville South Sumter football game at Niceville. / Michael Snyder / USA TODAY NETWORK

In what appeared to be the biggest game on paper in the Florida panhandle on Friday, Niceville proved too much for Escambia winning 42-21. Both sides started off the game with sloppy offensive play, but it was a matter of time before Niceville started to get their rushing attack going. At halftime, Niceville led 21-0, and the Eagles extended that lead to 35-7 late in the third quarter. Escambia was able to capitalize on big plays, but it was too late to comeback as they lost 42-21.

Here are the five takeaways from Niceville's three touchdown win over Escambia:

Johnny Lewis Jr. attempts to outrun the Escambia defender in Niceville's 42-21 win. / Reed Green

Dropped passes tell the story for Escambia's offensive woes

Coming into the game, Escambia had excellent skill players at the receiver position which would cause problems for almost any team in the region. However, their receivers struggled to find their footing early on in the game. In the first quarter, whenever Escambia would have any type of momentum going, their drives would stall because of dropped passes and miscommunication from the quaterback to the receivers. This set the Gators offense back early in the game. This continued throughout the rest of the game, and eventually some of the dropped passes were due to mental frustration as well as the hostile atmosphere they were playing in. The Gators will need to correct this mistake as they enter district play in the coming weeks.

Escambia's big play ability on offense

Even with the dropped passes and miscommunication on offense, the Gators did strike with some big plays late in the second half to make it close. Their first touchdown was a 80-yard touchdown, and their second was a 46-yard pass from Nino Freeman which got the Gators within three touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, the Gators defense intercepted a pass which took them to the Eagles' 11-yard line. They were able to punch it on the following play. They did have lapses on both sides of the ball, but they were able to intercept two passes in the game along with their touchdown passes. They showed they can overcome adversity, and they are able to strike quick which should help them the rest of the season.

Niceville has a four-headed monster in the backfield

Jon Bocchino heads to the end zone for the Eagles first score during the Niceville South Sumter football game at Niceville. / Michael Snyder / USA TODAY NETWORK

At the start of the season, everyone knew about the duo of Connor Mathews and Eddie Love Jr., who both transferred to Niceville in the off-season. Both have been outstanding for the Eagles, but they found two more contributors in the backfield which might make Niceville's rushing attack one of the best in the state. Jon Bocchino and Johnny Lewis Jr. put the entire panhandle on notice as they combined for five touchdowns in the game. Oh, and don't forget about Connor Mathews who added over 100 rushing yards and one touchdown. This is a formidable rushing attack that would cause problems for any defense in the entire state.

Niceville's offense shows resiliency in the first half

Niceville came out of the gates slowly and looked sluggish early on in the game, but they were able to overcome that thanks to good coaching and mental fortitude. When asked about this, Connor Mathews said:

I mean we knew they were going to be a good team. We never look at anyone and settle. We knew starting off slow, we just had to get warmed up. And we know the more we go out there; we just put in the work, we're just going to keep getting fired up and just want to keep on working.

When asked about the mental toughness the Eagles have, Mathews said:

Oh yeah, it definitely played an advantage. We just know we have so many weapons on the team that if we just rely on each other we're like a stronger weapon. That allowed us to go out there and do our thing.

Niceville's home field advantage delivers once again

Playing on the road at any level in any sport is always difficult, and the same can be said for whoever travels to Niceville. Not only is the team always talented and well-coached, but their 12th man always makes it difficult for the opponent. That was once again the case on Friday. You can contribute some of the frustrations that Escambia dealt with on offense to the Eagle faithful who always show up in droves. A Friday night at Niceville is on par with some of the high school atmospheres you see in Texas. They are loud, rambunctious and intimidating no matter who they're playing. They can be a difference between a loss and a win, and they will continue to show their rabid support the rest of the season.