Rockledge High came away with a loss Friday in its home football opener against Palm Bay, but the Raiders impressed the head Pirate.

“I knew we were in for a fight,” Palm Bay coach Dan Burke said. “They had that swagger back. They’ve got a great football team.”

Friday, the Raiders play their second of four in a row at McLarty Stadium as St. Cloud visits for a 7:30 p.m. game.

Palm Bay will open its home season against Class 7A No. 6 Fort Pierce Central, which defeated the Pirates 17-14 last season in Fort Pierce.

* MELBOURNE: Carson Jackson had another big game against Satellite High.

Last year, he rushed for 100 yards against the Scorpions in a 31-0 Bulldogs win to open the season. This year, he intercepted two passes and ran for the winning touchdown.

Satellite failed on a two-point conversion attempt in overtime, and Melbourne held on, 14-13.

* TITUSVILLE: Terriers coach Andy Price said his team was more physical in a season-opening 42-0 win over Pine Ridge than it had been in its preseason game.

He also said scoring 42 was “not easy,” and it won’t be easier Friday against a Heritage defense that didn’t give up a point in last week’s 45-0 win at Space Coast or in its preseason game.

This week, the Terriers will “go back to basics,” he said. “(Heritage is) very athletic. We just improve at what we are doing and stay with the plan.”

Last year, the Panthers lost at Titusville, 21-14.

* VIERA: The Hawks on Friday will see a Cocoa Beach offense that can score a lot of points. Second-year coach Kevin Mays played Cody Dentmon at quarterback against Eau Gallie and was able to run the kind of offense that could also put points up.

“Cody came in and we were able to go back and run some of the spread stuff effectively,” he said. “Considering he hasn’t gotten many reps, he did a great job.”