PHOTOS: Ocoee falls to Apopka in opener -- Observer Preps

OCOEE Despite an early and trailing 15-7 after the first quarter, the Ocoee Knights (0-1) were unable to keep pace with the high-powered offense of the Apopka Blue Darters (1-0), as they eventually fell by a final score of 44-7.

With 5:53 remaining in the first quarter, Ocoee forced a turnover on an interception by Jules Hall and returned it to Apopka’s 22-yard-line. Two plays later, Myles Holder connected with Felipe Starling Jr. for a 22-yard touchdown to tie the game up 7-7 with 5:42 to go in the first.

Unfortunately for the Knights, they wouldn’t score again and they were unable to stop the Blue Darters. Apopka went on to score 24-unanswered points in the first half and scored two more times in the third quarter to start the running clock.

Despite the lopsided loss, Ocoee head coach Jason Boltus was proud of his team’s effort.

“At the end of the day they fought their tails off,” Boltus said. “Second quarter got a little away from us, we got tired and out physicalled a little bit, but those things are correctable and like I said, they didn’t quit."

Next week Ocoee faces another big test, as it hits the road to take on the Olympia Titans (1-0).

“Another great football team,” Boltus said of Olympia. “A lot of talent on the field. We just got to come out and execute, do our job, know what we’re doing and make plays. We have the team to do it and the talent to do it we just gotta put all 60 guys together and play together.”