The Florida Gators, seeded No. 3 in the tournament, advanced to the field of eight for the sixth time in program history and first time since 2005. They defeated the Miami Hurricanes 4-3 in 10 Innings on Saturday night in front of a large crowd of 5,783 at McKethan Stadium in Gainesville.

The Hurricanes committed seven errors in the game, including one in the top of the 10th by right fielder Chris Pelaez, who misplayed a fly ball hit by freshman shortstop Nolan Fontana, out of West Orange High School. Fontana would end up scoring the game-winning run on a RBI double by Austin Maddox.

Lake Brantley High School alum Greg Larson entered the game in the bottom of the 10th with one on base and one out. The sophomore proceeded to catch freshman Michael Broad looking on strikes and then force sophomore Rony Rodriguez to ground out to Fontana at shortstop, who fired a bullet across the diamond to Preston Tucker at first base for the final out. Larson collected his third save and was greeted by teammates as the celebration began.

The Hurricanes made nine errors in their two games of Super Regional play, which as a result denied local kids such as freshman Steve Ewing out of University High School and Ethan Bornstein from Winter Park High School a chance to make it to Omaha. The Gators opened Super Regionals with a 7-2 win on Friday night.

Fontana and Larson join sophomore Ben McMahan and senior Clint Franklin as players from the Central Florida area with spots on the Florida roster. McMahon played his high school ball at Bishop Moore while Franklin played at Timber Creek.

Joining the Gators at the World Series are the Florida State Seminoles, who are making the trip for the 20th time in program history and 14th time under head coach Mike Martin. The Seminoles defeated Vanderbilt 7-6 in the decisive Game 3 of the team’s Super Regional matchup at Dick Howser Stadium in Tallahassee.

FSU, like the Gators, have four players from the Orlando area on its roster including senior outfielder Ohmed Danesh out of Dr. Phillips High School. Junior infielder Stuart Tapley and freshman Corben Madden both played baseball at Boone High School. Junior pitcher John Gast hails from Lake Brantley, where he was a teammate with Florida’s Larson from 2005-07.

For Gast, Tapley, and Danesh, this marks their second trip to Omaha in three years as FSU advanced in 2008, going 0-2 after losing to Stanford and Miami. The Seminoles open play this time around against TCU while Florida takes on No. 6 UCLA. The two state rivals could meet up early on as both are in the same bracket.

– More Local Players In College World Series –

Senior second baseman Mike Freeman out of Edgewater High School and sophomore shortstop Brad Miller from Olympia High School helped Clemson advance to the World Series. The Tigers take on No. 1 Arizona State to start the week’s final round of elimination play. Junior utility player Robert Beary out of Apopka started in 22 games for South Carolina, playing in 41 games on the year. The Gamecocks get underway against Oklahoma.

Winter Park proved that yet again last week when Dr. Phillips paid a visit and were turned away 66-56 even as Rivers missed the entire fourth quarter due to foul trouble. It was his first game back after sitting out two previous outings because of an ankle injury.

Austin Rivers (left) and Shane Larkin

The matchup between arguably the two best teams in the area was a tight one throughout.

Winter Park built a 21-13 lead after the first quarter because of tight defense and opportunistic rebounding. They then carried a 37-30 lead into the halftime break after too many missed opportunities late in the second quarter cost the Panthers.

With a two-point lead heading into the fourth, 49-47, the Wildcats turned more miscues on behalf of Dr. Phillips into points on the other end of the floor to essentially put the game away.

“We stepped it up a little bit on the defensive end,” said Winter Park coach David Bailey. “We forced them into some tough shots and then were able to get the rebound and push the ball in transition to get some easy baskets.”

Slowing down Dr. Phillips standout guard Shane Larkin was no easy task though, as the junior went for a game-high 25 points in the loss. But if anybody else was paying attention to this particular game, then they came away from it realizing that if keying in on Rivers is the game plan that they best be prepared to get familiar with the supporting cast.

Brett Comer (#3) and James Ferrell

Brett Comer, who lost his father to cancer earlier that morning, finished with 16 points to lead Winter Park. Isaac Turner added 15 points to help make up for a frustrating night had by Rivers, who got caught up in foul trouble and had his minutes limited in his return.

In the final quarter it was solid efforts turned in by Comer and Turner, along with John David Swanson, James Ferrell, Adam Jones and Robert Lavaglio which eventually got the job done.

“That’s what you need to be successful,” said Bailey. “You need other guys to step up when it’s their opportunity to shine and those guys are playing with a lot of confidence right now.”

That the Wildcats have proven to be successful without their star player only reassures this team that they can compete with anyone.

“It does a lot for our psyche,” said Bailey. “It shows that we’re a good basketball team when we’re ready to get out there and play, even when one of our guys goes down.”

The entire country will get an up-close look at the Wildcats tonight (Feb. 5) at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 when Winter Park (20-4) takes on Pine Crest (19-2) from Ft. Lauderdale.

– More Winter Park vs. Dr. Phillips –

Video at WFTV

Boone's Lucas Rawlings (Photo by Justin Kane)

Just 16 seconds remained when Rawlings withstood a ferocious rush from the West Seniors at the line of scrimmage and connected on the 32-yard game-winning field goal.

“It was very tense,” said Rawlings of lining up for the attempt. “I was just focused on getting my leg through it and getting the ball through the upright. That’s all I had on my mind.”

The tense part came when Rawlings was given a little extra time to think things over as he was held up by a timeout from the West sideline. Once the ball was snapped a fierce collision took place up front before the kick hit its mark with plenty room to spare, prompting the celebration to get underway.

“It was indescribable,” Rawlings said with a grin while reliving the moment. “I knew right there that it was the game winner.”

The field goal capped off a 13-play drive that began midway through the fourth quarter and drained the remaining five-plus minutes to virtually nothing. Oak Ridge quarterback Baylin Trujillo converted on fourth-and-two during the drive on a keeper up the middle while several others played key roles.

The East got big gains on the ground from Colonial’s Jermaine Broomfield and University’s Curtis Riley, along with a 23-yard pickup on a throw from Pine Castle’s Michael Slack to Orlando Lutheran tight end Faysal Shafaat down the stretch.

Boone's Lucas Rawlings (Photo by Justin Kane)

Slack finished 6-of-9 passing for 126 yards as he delivering precise passes that landed right on target while Broomfield tallied 52 yards on eight carries. Shafaat caught four balls for 66 yards, one of which he kept a hold of even after taking a jarring hit over the middle from an opposing player.

“He told me ‘Great throw. If you would of threw it any higher I would have gotten laid out even worse’,” said Slack of the good-natured encounter they shared in the huddle following the play.

It was Slack’s touchdown toss of 39 yards to Boone’s speedy Denard Lucas, while in stride with 3:27 remaining in the third quarter, that tied the game at 14-14 and breathed new life into an East squad that had little trouble moving the ball. If only they could have turned those yards into points by reaching the end zone earlier.

Lucas was eager to get the call though after already having told a teammate he was bound to score a touchdown. He did so two plays after hauling in a 42-yarder from Trujillo.

“The (defensive backs) were playing man (coverage) and they were trying to bump me, but it wasn’t happening,” said Lucas, who finished with three receptions for 94 yards in the win.

Boone's Lucas Rawlings (Photo by Justin Kane)

Those two scores in the second half by the East were set up by a stingy defensive effort, most notably from defensive lineman Jordan Little from Cypress Creek who was in on two sacks on third downs which resulted in punts the other way.

They came on drives where the West routinely found themselves working for room to run from deep in their own territory as they tried to hang on to a 14-7 lead after returning to the field from the halftime break.

Among the East defenders making it tough on the West were Joseph Jones and Andres Jurado of Cypress Creek, Ryan Moore and Sean Brown from Colonial, Conrad Walko and Josh Kerlin of Pine Castle, along with Timber Creek’s Jacob Wainwright and Winter Park’s Corey Gonslaves.

Those efforts proved to be beneficial after having watched Ocoee’s Chris DeVaughn jump on a Trujillo pass in the flats for an interception which he raced 72 yards along the sideline to paydirt less than three minutes into the night.

But the equalizer was set up when a fumble that Boone’s Tabarie Sullivan landed on in a pile of players was recovered following a muffed punt near midfield. Eleven plays later, which included a fourth-down conversation, the game was tied at 7-7 just a minute into the second period as Riley faked to a running back, swung around wide to the right, and sprinted his way into the end zone past defenders.

“When I took off towards the sideline I seen some people in front of me and I knew I had to put a move on them,” said Riley. He would finish with 53 yards on 10 carries and 29 yards passing nf 2-of-4 attempts.

The West Seniors promptly replied with their best drive of the game two series later. They took the lead with a minute left in the first half when Robbie Matay hooked up with Dr. Phillips teammate Greg Slones in the corner of the end zone from four yards out. Only the momentum wouldn’t carry over into the final two quarters.

In the loss, Dr. Phillips running back Matt Williams had five strong runs for 39 yards and Apopka’s Joe Dennis made big tackles on defense for the West. Other defensive standouts included Matt Hunt and Matt Lambert of Bishop Moore, Delroy Steele (Jones), Jarret Leppert (Apopka), Michael Lewis (Ocoee), Cornelious Sigler (West Orange) and Donnie Bartolomucci (Olympia).

– To nominate athletic performances for inclusion each Wednesday to the Top-5 list of Orlando Sports Central Standouts, send over an email to JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –

1.) Bradley Gallon – Apopka Blue Darters – In a five-overtime high school football game that had more than its fair share of standouts on both the winning and losing teams, Gallon’s interception of Dr. Phillips in the final overtime period was as clutch as it gets. That effort set up a 10-yard touchdown run by quarterback Keon Brooks one play later that secured a 58-52 win for the Blue Darters.

Bruce Miller

2.) Bruce Miller – UCF Knights – The junior defensive end earned his second Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honor following last week’s 34-27 UCF win at UAB. He tallied 2.5 tackles for loss, five tackles in all, and two second-half sacks while also breaking up a pass on UAB’s final drive in the win. Miller entered the weekend seventh in the nation in sacks and 18th in tackles for a loss.

3.) Shane Larkin – Dr. Phillips Panthers – The junior point guard put together an impressive stat line in the season opener for Dr. Phillips at the Hoops Mountain Hoops Feast gathering at West Orange High School last weekend. In a convincing 77-45 win against the defending Class 6A state champion Miami Coral Reef, Larkin drained 12 of 20 shots for 31 points and also chipped in with nine steals, five assists and two blocks in the win.

Dave Diakite

4.) Dave Diakite – UCF Knights – After playing in just five games a year ago, where he went 3-for-13 from the field before suffering an injury, the redshirt freshman scored a career-high 21 points on 7 of 11 shooting last Saturday against Albany. He played a key part in helping wrap up a 76-72 win by grabbing a game-high eight rebounds along with two steals for the Knights.

5.) Stan Van Gundy – Orlando Magic – By guiding the Orlando Magic to a Conference-best 14-4 record in November, Van Gundy was named NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month. He got the nod over nominees that included Atlanta’s Mike Woodson, Boston’s Doc Rivers and Cleveland’s Mike Brown. The Magic earned road wins over both Boston and Atlanta while going 8-2 away from home. They entered December ranked in the top-5 of four different defensive statistical categories. Van Gundy also won the award in January of last season.

More ––

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/25/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/18/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/11/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 11/4/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/28/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/21/09

Orlando Sports Central Standouts – 10/14/09

The two teams combined for over 850 yards of total offense and amazing play after amazing play. Apopka entered the game 10-1 overall and got out to a huge advantage in the first quarter. Dr. Phillips came in unbeaten at 11-0 and relied on a backup quarterback to ignite the late rally in the fourth quarter to help force the extra periods.

Not that anyone had five overtimes in mind when regulation did run out, though. Eventually it was five turnovers by the Panthers that did them in with the most crucial mistake coming on their final offensive play of the game.

While all of this was unfolding, Winter Park was putting the finishing touches on Seminole, the defending 6A state champs, 31-10, to set up tonight’s regional semifinal matchup between the Wildcats and DeLand at Showalter Field. The winner moves on to face the survivor between Apopka and Treasure Coast (in a game being played in Fort Pierce) in the state semifinals next week.

The other local team that kept their season alive was Edgewater in Class 4A as they got a 17-14 win on the road at Lake Gibson in Lakeland. Tonight the Eagles host Tarpon Springs.

But until it all gets figured out and everyone advances, we take a look back at a high school football game for the ages.

On a frigid night the Blue Darters played a spectacular first half in getting out to a 26-14 lead at the break as every point between both teams was put up in the opening quarter. It was four turnovers over those first two quarters for Dr. Phillips that made the comeback that much more difficult for the home team.

– Apopka started the night in their old-school single wing formation and got on the scoreboard less than a minute into the game when Tom Smith took a handoff to the right side and went 74 yards for a score. The points came after he broke a tackle near the line of scrimmage then outran a defender the rest of the way. (7-0 Apopka)

– Dr. Phillips replied after getting a huge kick return from Dee Hart and a big catch from Greg Slones from quarterback Nick Patti. Those plays led to Hart’s 13-yard touchdown run up the middle at the 9:30 mark in what turned out to be just another addition to a school-record 39 all-time touchdowns for the junior. (7-7)

– Apopka charged right back as Blue Darter quarterback Keon Brooks took off through the Panther defense for eight yards, then pitched off to Smith along the sideline. Smith raced the final 25 yards for his 23rd score of the year with 8:13 to play in the quarter. (14-7 Apopka)

– The storyline took it’s first major change when Hart launched an ill-advised throw downfield that was picked off by Apopka’s Jon Beary. It was the first of Beary’s two picks on the night. He would also force a fumble in the first half. Apopka turned that turnover into a 32-yard touchdown run by Quay Barnes with 5:43 to go following a big run from Brooks. But the point-after attempt failed. (20-7 Apopka)

– The Panthers fumbled on the ensuing kickoff. Brooks then picked up another big run to set up another score by Barnes from 10-yards out with 2:57 remaining. The 2-point play was unsuccessful. (26-7 Apopka)

– On the final drive of the first quarter, Dr. Phillips finally got back on track to cut into the deficit. A 27-yard gain by Hart on a catch-and-run led to Patti slipping through the grasp of a defender and reaching the end zone on a 16-yard run with six seconds left on the clock. (26-14 Apopka)

In the second quarter, each team forced turnover-on-downs before Apopka’s Donte Williams recovered a fumble and the second interception on the night by Beary came with 26 seconds left in the half. Yet in a game of momentum shifts, the third quarter instilled new life in Dr. Phillips. The Panthers really got going after snuffing out a 13-play drive on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line with 11 seconds remaining in the period.

– Dr. Phillips opened the fourth quarter with the ball after that huge defensive stand but couldn’t hold their blocks up front as the Blue Darters crashed down on the quarterback to extend their lead with a safety, on a play made by Juan Pimienta. (28-14 Apopka)

– Then after the Blue Darters were forced to punt it back, senior backup quarterback Robbie Matey entered the game and engineered a 78-yard drive that featured a scramble for 17 yards, big catches by Kenny Shaw and Antwan Stepherson, and a 27-yard touchdown run by Marvin Floyd (with 7:06 to play) after he was originally held up at the line of scrimmage. (28-21 Apopka)

– And again, the Blue Darters had to punt once more. And Matey went back to work after Hart returned the kick near midfield. He preceded to connect on passes to Slones and Stepherson, before ending the drive by dropping back, pump-faking, and launching an 18-yard pass to a wide-open Shaw in the corner of the end zone for the game-tying score with 4:03 remaining. (28-28)

The Dr. Phillips defense continued to answer the call, despite the Blue Darters grinding out the final moments of regulation. With five second left the Apopka lined up for a 28-yard field goal attempt by Alex Catron, which ended up bouncing off the arm of Dr. Phillips senior Charles Favors. On to overtime they went with each possession beginning at the 10-yard line.

– Matey started things off with a bullet pass between two defenders over the middle to Shaw for a touchdown on third down. Apopka replied with a third-down score of their own when Brooks took the snap, turned up field and pitched out to Smith who took it in for the score. (35-35)

– Apopka went right back to Smith in the second overtime, then took the lead when Brooks kept the ball and crossed the goal line on second down. Following a penalty on the Darter defense, Stepherson leaped up and made a big catch in the end zone for Dr Phillips to knot things up once again. He would finish with seven catches for 70 yards and a score. (42-42)

– Then it was Shaw’s turn to catch his seventh pass (for 95 yards and three scores) as he again caught a pass over the middle and stretched out for the touchdown while Lo Wood clanged to his backside. Two plays later Brooks sliced his way through the defense to extend things yet again. (49-49)

Both teams nearly let the game get away from them in the fourth overtime (a fumble by Apopka that went out of bounds on third down and a tipped pass on third down that flew out of the back of the end zone by Dr. Phillips) they were both forced to settle for field goals. And that proved to be enough for the visiting team. From there Bradley Gallon picked off the first Dr. Phillips play of the fifth overtime which led to a run right up the middle by Brooks for the game-winning touchdown for the Blue Darters.

Game over. Instant classic.

– More Apopka at Dr. Phillips –

More news and notes at Orlando Sentinel

Bill Buchalter story at Orlando Sentinel

John Peery story at FlaVarstiy

More news and notes at Go Blue Darters

More video footage at WFTV

The Panthers cruised behind an all-around effort by Shane Larkin and a persistent defense that helped hold Alabama-recruit Charles Henderson, Jr. to a quiet 26 points and six rebounds.

Shane Larkin (Photo by Windermere Photography at cdsilveira.smugmug.com)

Larkin hardly looked fazed by a lingering injury to his shooting hand as he shot, attacked and passed his way to 31-points (12-of-20), nine steals, five assists and two blocked shots in the win.

He opened the game with a three-pointer from atop the arc then returned down court on the next possession to drain another from long distance while straddling the baseline.

“When he makes his first couple of shots we really feel like we’re getting in a rhythm,” said Dr. Phillips Coach Anthony Long.

And it never subsided. Larkin defied defenders all game by slashing his way through the lane for buckets one moment then joining teammates for the gritty work expected of them the next.

The Panthers used the inexperience of Coral Reef, who graduated nine contributors to college programs from last year’s title team, to take advantage early and often.

“We wanted to really pressure their guards,” said Long. “We knew Hankerson was going to give us fits but we thought if we could really pressure their guards that we could turn them over some.”

Coral Reef turned the ball over 35 times (seven from Hankerson), which Dr. Phillips turned into 51 points on the other end.

Hankerson’s 23-point outburst in the first half helped get the Barracudas to within eight, 40-32, at the break. But Coral Reef could only muster 13 points in the second half.

The hounding on defense by Dr. Phillips was done by the likes of Pat Ryan (12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, seven assists and five steals) and Chris Thomas (12 points on 6-of-9 shooting, seven rebounds and four blocks), among several others. Keenan Green finished with six rebounds and three steals.

“Not to take nothing away from them because they played well, but we just did it to ourselves,” said Coral Reef Coach Gaston Rodriguez. “We played like the young team that we are.”

And that clearly frustrated Hankerson, who early in the opening quarter routinely attempted to take the game over by himself after Dr. Philips jumped out to a 13-2 advantage. But ultimately, the lanes closed around him in the second half, as he was held to just three points in the final two quarters.

Last season Coral Reef defeated Olympia in the state title game thanks to a 27-point, nine rebound outing from Hankerson. Although Dr. Phillips defeated Olympia in the district tournament, the Panthers fell to the Titans in the regional finals and could only watch the final game from afar.

(note – a condensed version of this story ran on Page 2 of the Nov. 29, 2009 Orlando Sentinel sports section)

– More Dr. Phillips Basketball –

– Team page at DPHoops

– Team page at Panther Zone

– More Hoops Mountain standouts –

In other games, Evans handled Ocala Trinity Catholic, 66-37, as Drekalo Clayton scored 15 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked three shots. Also coming up big was Maurice Turner with 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Mike Paramore and Travius Johnson each had three assists to help the Trojans post 50 points from inside the paint.

West Orange got 10 points and four assists from DeAndre Carter in a 60-50 victory against Miami Dr. Krop while Jaylon Bell added 12 points on 4-of-9 shots from beyond arc for the Warriors. Darius Johnson led the team with six rebounds and Dominic Pierre-Lois had five points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists as West Orange got 28 points in all from off the bench.

Orlando Christian Prep led by a 30-6 score at halftime against Plantation American Heritage before cruising to a 58-32 win. Jordan Montgomery scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and grabbed four rebounds while Adonis Burbage contributed 10 points in the win. Orlando Parker had nine rebounds, six points and three assists and two blocks as OCP turned 28 turnovers into 45 points.

– To nominate athletic performances for inclusion each Wednesday to the Top-5 list of Orlando Sports Central Standouts, send over an email to JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com –

1.) Demetrius “Dee” Hart – Dr. Phillips Panthers – With a chance to take over the No. 1 spot in the state’s Class 6A high school football rankings Dee Hart scored five touchdowns to led the Panthers to a 47-9 triumph on the road over Boone on Friday night. Not only did the junior score four times on just 13 carries but he managed to rush for 244 yards and also score on a 63-yard punt return in the win.

Brooks Bollinger (Photo by Alex Menendez)

2.) Becca Thomas – UCF Knights – The senior midfielder scored a game-winning goal against UTEP on Friday night in a 3-2 win then connected on what would be the game-winner again against Colorado State on Sunday in a 4-1 win. Those efforts helped lead the Top-25 women’s soccer team to their fourth-straight victory. Thomas was then named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week and also named to the Soccer America Team of the Week.

3.) Brooks Bollinger – Florida Tuskers –The former draft pick of the New York Jets brought pro football back to Orlando in a big way on Saturday by leading the Tuskers, of the inaugural United Football League, to a 35-13 win at the Citrus Bowl over the New York Sentinels. Coached by offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, of Arena Football fame, Bollinger threw four touchdowns on 20 of 26 passing for a total of 225 yards.

Taylor Dubins

4.) Matt Prater – Denver Broncos – The former UCF placekicker booted a 41-yard field goal in overtime to help the unbeaten Broncos defeat the New England Patriots on Sunday. Although most remembered by local fans as the scapegoat following an extra-point miss which led to a UCF loss in the 2005 Hawaii Bowl, Prater is in his second year as an NFL starter and has a career-long field goal of 56 yards to his credit.

5.) Taylor Dubins – UCF Knights – Competing with the tennis team at the UNF Fall Invitational in Jacksonville over the weekend, sophomore Taylor Dubins won her first-career title in the Flight C singles bracket after combining to lose just four games in the final two rounds. Dubins coasted to a 6-0, 6-1 win over a player from Samford before cruising past an opponent from Coastal Carolina, 6-3, 6-0, in the finals.

Hart scored four times out of the backfield, and again on a punt return, to help what should be the top-ranked Class 6A team (once the new polls are released) earn a 47-9 District 6 win over the Braves. The Panthers entered the night No. 2 in the state and had also received recognition in national high school football rankings. It was just the third win for Dr. Phillips against Boone over the past nine meetings. DP now leads the all-time series 16-7.

Dr. Phillips running back Dee Hart scored five touchdowns against Boone. (Photo by Justin Kane)

This was the first time the two teams had faced off since Boone knocked the Panthers from the postseason a year ago. And this time it cost Boone their 17-game win streak at home, which ended in front of a Bright House Sports Network Game of the Week audience, despite DP playing without two seniors because of a violation of team rules.

Hart, who entered the game averaging 58.3 yards per game with three touchdowns to his credit, wasted no time in proving why he’ll be playing college football at the highest level after his high school days are behind him.

In the first quarter alone Hart scored on a 23-yard run, 21-yard run and a punt return for 63 yards to put DP up 21-0 with 3:07 to go in the period. Then with 2:07 to go in the second quarter he took a handoff and went 55 yards for a score before going 56 yards with 10:44 to go in the fourth for the final points of the game. He also caught two passes and returned a kickoff 41 yards in the win.

Setting up Hart’s first touchdown was a fumble recovery made by LaQuentin Smith, while the second score followed two successful fourth-down conversions, one of which was a fake-punt pass juggled and caught by Roderick Ryles. Junior Hasean Clinton-Dix then recorded his fourth and fifth sacks of the season, the second of which caused a fumble and led to the punt that Hart took back the other way. Smith also recovered a fumble later in the first half that led to a field goal and Clinton-Dix broke up a pass.

– More Dr. Phillips at Boone Coverage –

– Dee Hart highlight video from Varsity Sports:

– Chris Boyle game DP at Boone recap at Orlando Sentinel

– Game of the Week video footage of DP at Boone at WFTV

– Showdown of the Week footage of DP at Boone at WESH

Timber Creek quarterback Tyler Marincov looks downfield for a receiver.

Following last week’s 24-17 home loss to Oviedo, the Wolves could use some time off. This Friday the Timber Creek football team will sit and watch as local teams are in action while they get some rest during the bye week. That’s critical before heading on the road to face the Wildcats as last week starting running back Isiah Bolden left the game with a head injury after taking 16 carries for 124 yards in the loss.

Timber Creek’s overall mark dropped to 2-2 on the year. They’ve won big over Freedom (0-4), gave away a game to Boone (2-2) in triple overtime, held on for the win late against Wekiva (1-3) and were outdone by an Oviedo (3-1) team led by UCF recruit Blake Bortles at quarterback.

TCHS running back Isiah Bolden pushes forward for more yards.

Winter Park comes off its bye week to face Cypress Creek (3-1) as one of three unbeaten teams in the Metro Conference with a 3-0 mark. The others are Dr. Phillips (4-0) in District 6 and Apopka (4-0) in District 5. None of the three unbeaten teams are scheduled to play each other during the regular season.

Timber Creek vs. Oviedo – By The Numbers

Should Bolden be unable to go against Winter Park a mixture of Joe Haas (5.4 yards per carry on 14 attempts) and Cameron Smith (4.2 yards per carry on 10 attempts) could be in order. Against Oviedo they combined for 45 yards on nine carries while Smith found the end zone for a score. Smith also picked off a pass and had three tackles on defense.

Quarterback Tyler Marincov had his worst game of the young season as he finished 9 of 22 for 133 yards and two interceptions. He also ran for 38 yards and a touchdown, in the third quarter. Kyle Plaugher caught three passes for 63 yards and Jalil Byrd caught two for 29 yards.

Defensively for the Wolves, Colin Brown was in on 13 tackles while Jacob Wainwright totaled 10 tackles and picked off a pass. Michael Puckett recovered a fumble for Timber Creek.

Joe Haas attempts to avoid a tackle last week against Oviedo.

Cameron Smith eyes the end zone last week against Oviedo.

Timber Creek's defense forced three turnovers last week in the loss.

– Find more local high school football coverage and TCHS vs. Oviedo at:

High school football stats at Varsity Sports

High school football district standings at Varsity Sports

Video footage of Timber Creek vs. Oviedo at WFTV

Shannon Owens game recap of TCHS vs. Oviedo at Orlando Sentinel

Heading into a bye week with the biggest game of their district schedule taking place at home in two weeks, against Dr. Phillips (considered by many the cream of the crop in Central Florida), the past week of competing and practicing may have come at no better time.

“We learned that we weren’t as good a team as we thought we were,” said senior defensive back Tabarie Sullivan. “So starting Monday we came out with a lot of intensity and we kept it up everyday knowing that we had to come back out and play another game.”

They did that with relative ease against the Panthers. They did it by getting the big plays on defense and special teams that the Wildcats turned into points against them a week ago. It proved to be a nice change of pace from a three-week season opening schedule that truly tested this team’s mettle.

Before that forgettable night at Winter Park it was an opening week loss at Olympia, followed by a triple-overtime win at home against Timber Creek, that now has this team licking its wounds at 2-2 overall while heading into a game that should eventually decide the District 6 title.

“It helps if you go out there and play good teams before your district schedule,” said senior quarterback Sam Hutsell. “That’s going to help us in the long run now that these games start to count.”

– More Gateway at Boone coverage:

Video highlights at WFTV 9

Short game recap at Orlando Sentinel

District standings at Varsity Sports

Derrick Wood (#72), Ryan Orlando (#35) and Mike McEwan (#61) lead Boone onto the field. (Photo by Justin Kane)