When a team wins 34 consecutive regular season games, there are going to be close calls and breaks on the road and on the way to all those victories. The survive and advance mentality takes over.
For a team trying to snap that streak, every missed opportunity stings that much more. The chance to finish the job slipping through their fingers.
Lake Mary was on the doorstep, literally. The Rams had found a way to contain wide receiver Jaquarius Bargnare — no receptions after getting nine for a school-record 210 yards in the week one win over Wekiwa. This had become the Rams’ game to win despite two interceptions from quarterback Charles Peterson.
They just had to punch it in from the three-yard line with bruising running back Marquis Mickens.
Fate had other ideas. The win streak for Class 8A No. 5 Dr. Phillips would live on.
Mickens fumbled the ball on the goal line with the chance to take the lead, allowing Dr. Phillips to recover. After two attempts to get the ball away from the end zone with up-the-gut runs, the air got sucked out of the balloon.
D.J. Charles took his only carry of the game 99 yards up the middle for a game-sealing touchdown as Dr. Phillips (2-0) extended its regular season win streak another week with a 27-17 win over Lake Mary (0-2) at Don T. Reynolds Stadium at Lake Mary High School on Friday.
The Panthers took advantage of that third and final turnover of the game for the Rams. It was simply another missed opportunity for a Lake Mary team trying to repeat the success of the last two seasons and build some positive momentum at the beginning of the year.
It has been a tough go for Lake Mary so far.
Quarterback Charles Peterson was knocked out of last week’s game with a neck injury. He came back admirably in this week’s game to throw for 331 yards on 14-for-31 passing. Seven of his 14 pass completions went for more than 20 yards as he was able to throw deep on the Dr. Phillips secondary.
But that was also part of his undoing. He threw two interceptions and threw into coverage several more times, with Dr. Phillips getting several tips and deflections.
Neither team was particularly clean offensively, but Lake Mary at least had those big plays to keep the team in the game.
The Rams were playing from behind most of the game when they easily could have been leading with the way they could move the ball through the air.
Mickens ended the game with three receptions for 69 yards and 73 yards on 25 attempts. Receiver Lucas Khaalil had four receptions for 93 yards and Alexander Tichonoff had two receptions for 100 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown receptions late in the third quarter that brought Lake Mary back within seven points.
Dr. Phillips though made the plays to keep distance and control the game.
The Panthers opened the scoring in the first quarter with a blocked punt that was returned two yards by Amos Louis. Quarterback Marvin Washington struggled to get the pass game going, but scored on an 18-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and finished with 72 yards on 11 carries. Demaria Washington added 53 yards on 13 carries.
It was the kind of ugly game a team on this kind of win streak has to win to keep it going.
The Panthers were advantageous with their turnovers and struck when they had the opportunities. The Rams let too many go to score the upset.
Elsewhere . . .
Bishop Moore quarterback hurt in win
Class 5A No. 3 Bishop Moore defeated Lyman 24-7, but it came with a major cost.
Quarterback Collin Hartmann suffered a shoulder injury in the second quarter and did not return. The game was relatively in hand by then as Hartmann had already connected with Nick Fries for the first of his two scores.
Bishop Moore continued dominating on the ground with 213 total rushing yards, led by Trilion Coles’ 78 yards on 13 carries.
Apopka pulls away from Edgewater in second half
Class 8A No. 1 Apopka needed a strong second half to finally pull away from Edgewater 46-25. The Blue Darters amassed 322 yards in the second half to gain some distance over the Eagles in the fourth quarter. Apopka led just 30-25 entering the fourth quarter before two touchdowns iced the game away.
Demetri Burton had 171 rushing yards for Apopka and Buck Watson had two touchdowns for Edgewater — a 96-yard kickoff return and an 86-yard reception.
West Orange handles Winter Park
Quarterback Woody Barrett had 104 rushing yards and two touchdowns by halftime as Class 8A No. 7 West Orange defeated Winter Park 42-14 at home.
