High school district battles throughout the region heated up Friday with the contentious 8A-2 getting decided with a pair of games.
The end of the season is in site for many teams. And the urgency is increasing as teams get eliminated from the playoff race. The road to the Citrus Bowl for the state championship game is becoming clearer.
Friday was a major separation day in many of the districts, sending some teams onward and some teams home for November.
The extremely competitive District 8A-2 got decided Friday when Lake Brantley defeated Oviedo in a wild 42-41 game at Lake Brantley and University Orange City defeated Lake Mary handily to lock in the two playoff spots in the district.
The Patriots won the district with a 42-41 win over the Lions at home Friday night when Tim Marinan scored from two yards out with less than two minutes left. Lake Brantley then stuffed Oviedo after an 80-yard touchdown drive on the two-point conversion.
It brought Lake Brantley back to the Playoffs after a year absence and a 3-7 season last year, the school’s first sub-.500 season in 17 years. It was a big game offensively for the district rivals with Trace Christian rushing for 192 yards on his own and the teams combining to gain 1,219 yards.
The turnaround for the Patriots has been one of the big stories in this district that has had several really quality teams.
University Orange City locked up the other spot with a 48-7 win over Lake Mary. Lorenzo Lingard and Lawrence Coleman each scored two rushing touchdowns for the run happy Titans and they shut down Charlie Peterson, holding Lake Mary’s potent quarterback to just 136 yards.
The win gives University second place in the district and the school’s first playoff berth.
It is disappointing for strong teams like Seminole, which is at 1-3 in the district having already lost to University and Lake Brantley. But that is the breaks of the district formatting.
Elsewhere in the region, Timber Creek wrapped up 8A-3 with a 38-20 win over Colonial. Boone also clinched a spot in the playoffs after defeating Winter Park 31-17 on Friday. Boone holds a one-game lead over Winter Park entering the final week of the season.
Wekiva’s shocking 16-12 loss to Ocoee does not bode well for the Mustangs entering next week’s big game against West Orange. A game that coudl eliminate one of the regional powers with Apopka set to play cellar-dwelling Boone.
Edgewater’s 49-21 win over East Ridge puts the Eagles sitting pretty at the top of the district. With two district games remaining, they hold a one game lead over Haggerty, whom they play next Friday to decide the district.
Ocoee, who defeated Wekiva this week in non-district play, will have a say for one of the spots too with the district leaders playing each other.
Bishop Moore has dominated the district and picked up a 44-6 win over Bartow on Friday night. The Hornets are the only team in the district with an overall record. They can wrap up the district next week against third place Eustis.
