FRIDAY NIGHT FIVE: Ocoee football's run game saved the day

In a week with only four Friday night games and a Saturday contest, Week Seven of the high school football season in West Orange and Southwest Orange County still produced plenty of interesting notes that piqued the interest of Orange Observer Sports Editor Sam Albuquerque. 

The top observation from the week? The Ocoee Knights' run game is special, but not having sophomore quarterback Onrique Archie and the threat he poses through the air was missed in their overtime win against Hudson High. 

Let's get into it. 

Friday Night Five

No. 1: Ocoee's run game saved the day, Knights missed starting quarterback

On a rare Saturday high school football game, Ocoee High (5-2) defeated the visiting Hudson Cobras (2-5) in overtime, 22-16. The Knights were led by its rushing attack, which ran for 292 total yards, with senior running back Jamarian Robinson gaining 206 rushing yards on 29 carries (7.1 yards a carry) — scoring both of Ocoee's rushing touchdowns. 

Along with its stifling defense — which recorded five tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery — the Ocoee rushing attack was a key factor in snatching this overtime victory from Hudson, but if you take a peek at the box score, you'll see something interesting: The offensive game plan lacked an aerial threat that it has had throughout the season. 

Sophomore quarterback Onrique Archie, who has thrown for 924 yards with nine touchdowns this season, missed the game due to an injury. Overall, the Ocoee offense only threw the ball 22 times compared to its 48 rush attempts. 

Without Archie under center, Ocoee played athletes Josh Guerrier and Nehemiah Ward at the quarterback spot. Though both are capable at the position, with Ward even throwing a touchdown in the game, both are dynamic athletes who play a more dual-threat style — not to mention that when they were playing quarterback, their abilities as receivers were missed.

Archie's threat with his arm, combined with both Guerrier and Ward's addition to the Knights' great receiving corps, stresses defenses in a way that gives the Ocoee offense a lot of options in their approach. 

Ultimately, the Knights' stellar run game was enough to get them past Hudson, but Archie's presence was missed and could be a big factor moving forward for the rest of Ocoee's season. 

No. 2: The First Academy's first 2024 loss brings a lot of moral victories

A loss is a loss. It's not fun, it's not what anyone wants at the end of the day, and as is printed on shirts all around the TFA football program, "No one trains to be second best." 

Despite all of that being true, the Royals' 49-42 loss to Georgia powerhouse Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School provided this young, championship-caliber team with an experience they can learn from as they prepare for a possible deep postseason run. 

As I've said before and will say again, to win a championship, teams need to face championship-level competition, learn how to overcome adversity and find multiple ways to win. Rabun Gap provided the opportunity for The First Academy to do all three: Nationally recognized program, check. Adversity, check. Understanding the need to have multiple strengths to lean on in pursuit of victory, check. 

With high-level college recruits all over the Eagles roster, Rabun Gap is one of the most talented teams TFA faced and will face this season. From the jump, that talent was on full display, putting the Royals in a tough spot early in the game by forcing an opening drive three-and-out that led to an Eagles touchdown. TFA played from behind most of the first half and traded scores with Rabun Gap throughout the night in a back-and-forth, basketball on grass type game.

In the end, the Royals had to find a way to win against a team just as talented and well-coached as they are. They fell short, but it was an experience that they haven't had yet this season. According to TFA coach Jeff Conaway, it's an experience that his team will grow from. 

No. 3: Another heartbreaker for Foundation shows just how close the young team is to breakthrough

For the second time this season, the Foundation Academy Lions fell in last-minute fashion. In Week Two, the visiting Lake Highland Prep Highlanders scored the game-winning TD as time expired to top Foundation, 23-21. In Week Seven, on the road at Eustis High, the Lions lost another heartbreaker as the Panthers scored with 10 seconds left to top Foundation, 14-10. 

Unfortunately, close losses still go in the loss column, but for a young Lions (2-4) team, these two losses, which came by a combined margin of six points, are signs of just how close Foundation is to not only being a 4-2 ball club but to breaking through and becoming the type of team their talent indicates they can be. 

This Foundation team is right there, and with three remaining games on its schedule, it has a real chance to finish the season with momentum and maybe even a winning record. 

No. 4: Ground game vital to Lake Buena Vista Vipers football

This may be an oversimplification, but when the Lake Buena Vista High Vipers run the ball effectively, they win ball games. In the Vipers' Week One makeup game Tuesday, Oct. 1, against Cypress Creek High, they ran the ball for 245 yards and won. In its Week Four win over Oak Ridge High, LBV ran it for 142 yards. 

Obviously, a lot of factors go into each game, but generally speaking, since the beginning of the season, the Vipers have thrown the ball less and run it more as each game passes. 

Knowing a bit about LBV coach Brant Peddy and his overall philosophy, I assume it's safe to say that the Vipers will continue to pound the rock this season — especially if junior running back James Yauger keeps averaging 7.5 yards a carry. 

No. 5: Windermere, Dr. Phillips last remaining undefeated area teams

Following The First Academy's loss to Rabun Gap and West Orange High's early-week loss to Evans in a Week One makeup game, 39-13, the last remaining undefeated teams in the West, Southwest Orange County area are Windermere High and Dr. Phillips High. 

While the Wolverines (6-0) were off in Week Seven, the Panthers — as did West Orange and Lake Buena Vista — played a Week One makeup game against Lake Nona High Tuesday, Oct. 1. DP topped the visiting Lions, 34-7, and moved to 6-0 on the season. 

Both undefeated clubs have four games remaining on their schedule, with Dr. Phillips having the more difficult road to finish the regular season without a loss. The Panthers will host local power Edgewater High (5-2) in Week Nine and rivals West Orange (5-1) in Week 11. 

Windermere, however, will have to do something never before done in school history to complete the perfect regular season, beat its rivals Horizon High (0-6) in the Battle of the Groves come Nov. 1.