What we learned: Five thoughts from Week One

Rain stinks — and so do lightning delays. Both things happened on Friday, but, nevertheless, all eight coverage-area teams got their respective first games of the regular season in the books last weekend. So, without delay (we’ve had enough of those already), here are my five big takeaways from Week One’s results.

Dr. Phillips’ win over Wekiva was impressive

Sure, the Panthers were picked by many to defeat Wekiva. Nonetheless, the Mustangs are an up-and-coming football program, and for Dr. Phillips to go on the road and shut them out on their home field was downright impressive. The Panthers couldn’t have started off the season — and the brutal six-game stretch that precedes their bye week — any better.

Ocoee will improve

Predicting the Knights to have defeated Apopka, last year’s state champion in Class 8A, would have been foolish. Nevertheless, Ocoee is a better football team than it showed in Week One against the Blue Darters and hope a road game against a beatable Lake Nona team will allow the Knights to get on track.

Dual approach could be big for Legacy

We wrote a bit in the preseason about how Legacy Charter, with the transferring in of quarterback Gehrig Chambless, would have a dilemma on its hands choosing between Chambless and Hilton Lamprecht. Maybe we were wrong. The two players complemented each other nicely in a surprising win against CFCA — Chambless is Legacy’s version of Tim Tebow with his running ability, and Lamprecht is an able passer.

Hats off to West Orange’s defense

The Warriors were supposed to beat Foundation Academy, so that in and of itself isn’t impressive. Holding the Lions scoreless, though, was. Despite the difference in roster size and physical size, Foundation has some able skill players on its roster, and the Warriors made plays to keep them out of the end zone — including creating turnovers seemingly every time the Lions got close. That momentum from West Orange’s D will be important as it hosts Winter Park and standout quarterback Nick Sproles this week.

CFCA transfer Dos Santos impressive in Olympia debut

Coming over from CFCA, which would be in Class 2A if it was not in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference, it was hard to say whether Bradley Dos Santos would be able to move up the Class 8A-Titans’ depth chart. He did. Dos Santos made a few nice catches and big plays for Olympia on balls thrown by sophomore quarterback Joe Milton and could very well be a breakout player for the Titans this fall if he keeps it up.

Extra points: As part of the changes coach Kyle Hayes has brought to Olympia, the Titans debuted new matte black helmets for their game against Seminole. It was a good look. … Finally, a big thank you to the Windermere Prep Lakers and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Falcons for providing a thrilling finish on Saturday afternoon. The Lakers may not have won, but some of the inexperienced players on coach Jacob Doss’ roster matured plenty during a valiant comeback attempt.