KING’S ACADEMY STUNS AMERICAN HERITAGE-DELRAY IN OT — BUT POSTGAME ALTERCATION OVERSHADOWS WILD FINISH
By Rangeman Films Media | The Cage Sports
WEST PALM BEACH — Friday night at Kahlert Stadium had just about everything: a double-digit comeback, disputed calls, turnovers, a clutch field goal, overtime and a gutsy two-point conversion.
When it was finally over, The King’s Academy had completed a dramatic 25-24 overtime victory over American Heritage-Delray, keeping the Lions undefeated at 6-0 while handing the Stallions their first loss of the season at 5-1.
But the football itself wasn’t the only story to emerge from the Sept. 18 matchup. A confrontation involving members of the American Heritage coaching staff and game officials developed as the officiating crew attempted to leave the field. American Heritage later suspended two coaches following the incident.
Heritage Had Control — Until King’s Refused to Go Away
American Heritage appeared to be in position to put the game away.
After a scoreless first quarter for the Stallions, Heritage took a 7-7 tie into halftime before scoring 10 unanswered points in the third quarter. The Stallions entered the fourth with a 17-14 advantage, while King’s Academy’s offense continued looking for opportunities against a defense that had made things difficult for much of the night.
Then the momentum started to shift.
A critical fourth-quarter turnover gave King’s Academy new life. James Powell III recovered an American Heritage fumble after officials changed the initial ruling that the ballcarrier had been down. That possession helped fuel the Lions’ late comeback.
King’s eventually turned to kicker Lucas DeStefano, who connected on a 30-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining, tying the game at 17 and sending the matchup toward overtime.
Jack Miller Delivers When King’s Needs Him
One of the biggest difference-makers for the Lions was senior receiver Jack Miller.
Miller finished with four receptions for 85 yards and three touchdowns, including a 60-yard scoring play and a diving nine-yard touchdown reception during the comeback.
King’s quarterback DJ Beneby finished 12-of-30 for 135 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. On the ground, Roman Driggers carried 20 times for 86 yards.
American Heritage quarterback Marcus Stracke had a productive night as well, completing 12 of 19 passes for 155 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Running back Zachary Schwartz rushed for 132 yards on 21 carries, while J. Kasten recorded five catches for 108 yards.
Then came overtime.
One Play to Win It
American Heritage struck first in overtime, scoring a touchdown and converting the extra point to go ahead 24-17.
King’s answered with a touchdown of its own.
That left Lions head coach Dan Burack with a decision: kick the extra point and continue playing, or put the game in his offense’s hands and try to win immediately.
King’s went for two.
Beneby kept the football and scrambled into the end zone for the conversion.
25-24, King’s Academy. Ballgame.
Instead of settling for another overtime possession, the Lions put everything on one play — and walked away with their biggest win of the young season.
Penalties Became a Major Part of the Story
The officiating was a source of frustration for American Heritage throughout the night.
According to reporting on the game and its aftermath, Heritage was penalized 17 times for 175 yards, compared with 10 penalties for 100 yards against King’s Academy.
Several calls were particularly consequential.
During a second-quarter scoring drive, Heritage was assessed three consecutive penalties, including one that erased a long Stracke completion to Ty Caldwell. Later, officials determined that Heritage’s Johnathan Cesar touched a punt before King’s recovered it, a ruling disputed by the Stallions’ coaching staff. The fourth-quarter fumble recovered by Powell also became a point of contention after the ruling was changed from down-by-contact to a turnover.
Those calls provide important context for the emotions surrounding the end of the game. They don’t, however, change the final result: King’s Academy completed its comeback and won 25-24.
Postgame Confrontation Leads to Suspensions
After the final whistle, the night took a more serious turn.
The East Coast Football Officials Association (ECFOA) said multiple American Heritage-Delray coaches approached officials as they attempted to leave the field and verbally confronted them about the officiating. According to the association, the officials became concerned that the encounter could become physical. King’s Academy security and local law enforcement intervened.
ECFOA president Jeffrey Geller subsequently contacted American Heritage-Delray and the Sunshine State Athletic Association. The association supplied video and documentation of the incident, and American Heritage proactively suspended two coaches involved in the confrontation, according to Geller. School administrators also apologized, and Geller said those actions resolved the association’s concerns about working future Heritage games.
Heritage head coach Jonathan King acknowledged after reviewing video that the confrontation reflected poorly on the program and said the team would address its mistakes.
A Statement Win for King’s Academy
Strip away everything that happened after the whistle, and King’s Academy still earned a significant football victory.
The Lions faced a 10-point second-half deficit, capitalized when opportunities finally arrived, got a clutch field goal to force overtime and then showed confidence in their offense by attempting the two-point conversion with the game on the line.
King’s moved to 6-0, while American Heritage fell to 5-1.
There will undoubtedly be discussion surrounding the officiating and the confrontation that followed. Those are legitimate parts of the story, particularly given the subsequent suspensions.
But between the lines, King’s Academy did what undefeated teams eventually have to do: find a way to win when the game isn’t going their way.
Down late.
Game tied.
Overtime.
Season on the line.
One play. Two points. 25-24.
King’s Academy survived — and Palm Beach County got one of its most dramatic finishes of the 2026 season.
🎥 Rangeman Films Media | The Cage Sports
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