Ocoee football dominates Apopka in historic season-opening win

Ocoee football's 47-0 win over Class 7A, District 5 rivals Apopka High wasn't just a show of sheer dominance; it was historic, as it marked the first time in more than 20 years that the Knights topped the Blue Darters on the gridiron. 

"This is a great statement win for us, we just made history by beating Apopka for the first time in I don't know how long," said Ocoee coach Buck Gurley following the season-opening win. "Kudos to all the guys, my coaches -- especially my coaches, because of the work they put into making sure these boys were clicking on all cylinders. ... This win means a great deal to us, but we're not going to get ahead of ourselves and we're just going to continue to take this season one game at a time. This game is done, now we're on to the next game."

The Knights offense was led by senior quarterback Tyson Davison, who transferred from Apopka to Ocoee this season; he led the Blue Darters in wins over the Knights the past three seasons. Following the win, Davison echoed his coach's feelings toward the win but understands that their ultimate goal is winning a state championship. 

"It feels great to get this win because there was a lot of talking back and forth behind the scenes all week and all offseason, really," the senior QB said. "It feels great to finally silence it once and for all and move on ... but we're not fully satisfied, yet. There's still a lot more to come, a lot more football to play. Our focus is on just keeping our guys healthy, and remaining locked in mentality by making sure that we're doing the right things on and off the field, so we can play deep into the season. This win gives us a lot of momentum but we have to stay level-headed and understand the season is a slow, steady grind. It's all about staying consistent and doing this week in and week out."

Along with the electric offensive attack, the Knights' defense was excellent on the evening by not only shutting out Apopka, but also catching three interceptions and returning two of them for touchdowns. Leading the way for the stout defense was three-star cornerback Dariyon Gordon, who said the leadership from Davison at QB and the trust that the offense is going to execute fuels the defense to go out and make plays. 

"Having an offense go out and play like this just really builds us up," Gordon said. "We know if we go out there and make a play, these guys are going to come back out on the field and make another one. It just gives us so much momentum to keep going out there and playing hard. ... A lot of that has to do with having Tyson with us; he's a dog. He just works, man. That's what I love about him, he's come in and here and set a standard and become like my brother now. We know anytime we get Tyson the ball, a good play is going to happen for us." 

As the Knights gear up for their Week 2 matchup, the focus from their star players and coaches is clear: Go to Olympia High (0-1) and get the win. Still, the historic Week 1 win has allowed Ocoee to see that 2025 has the potential to be a phenomenal season.  

"We're making history this year," Gordon said. "That's all I'm going to say right now."