Dr. Phillips and West Orange remain in the playoff hunt

Apparently, both West Orange and Dr. Phillips aren’t ready to hang up the cleats just yet.

With huge victories last week, both the Warriors and Panthers still are alive in their quests for state hardware and will face even tougher tests this week.

In addition, Windermere Prep trounced Bishop McLaughlin Catholic to emerge as SSAA 1A champions. 

LAKERS CLAIM CHAMPIONSHIP

Windermere Prep trudged all the way to the SSAA 1A Championship, where the Lakers met Bishop McLaughlin Catholic. The Lakers previously lost to BMLC 21-10 Friday, Sept. 19, and were out for a little bit of revenge.

In the championship, Windermere Prep was victorious 25-14 over the Hurricanes.

Freshman quarterback Ty Tracy threw for 87 yards during the game and one 65-yard touchdown pass to all-around player Peyton Hollern. Hollern has been Windermere Prep’s leading scorer this season and recorded two touchdowns and 115 rushing yards on 13 carries.  

On the defensive side, the Lakers played the lights out. Senior Trevor Doggett had 11 solo tackles, and sophomore Koren Williams recorded his career-high 15 total tackles. The pair played an important role in holding Bishop McLaughlin to 14 points. 

The team closed out its season on a three-game winning streak and drastically improved its 2-7 record from last year. 

PANTHERS SHOCK JUPITER

As the No. 7 seed in the FHSAA Class 7A Playoffs, Dr. Phillips didn’t care its opponent — the mighty Jupiter High School — was undefeated. The Panthers didn’t care that they were facing a team that had just run roughshod over its opponents on its way to a historic 10-win season.

And that mentality carried the Panthers all the way through to a stunning 24-21 victory against the No. 2 seed Friday, Nov. 14. 

Running back Zion Matthews tallied in the Panthers’ first points. He rushed for 5 yards to find the end zone during the first quarter and recorded his second rushing touchdown in the second half to extend DP’s lead to 14-0. 

The Panther defense held its ground against the Jupiter team that had averaged 32.3 points per game and kept Jupiter from finding the end zone until the end of the first half. 

In the second half, DP kicker and punter Federico Montalvo-Salazar was true on a 42-yard field goal, and the Panthers found the end zone one more time. At the end, its offense was able to hold onto the ball and not give Jupiter another chance to score.

The Panthers (8-3) prepare for another challenging road game at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Central (Ft. Pierce) (10-1). Central averaged 36.4 points per game and 285.6 yards per game. The team scraped by in its Regional Quarterfinal game by one point. 

WEST ORANGE OUT-DUELS PLANT CITY

In a high-scoring affair at Friday, Nov. 14, at home, West Orange was able to outpace visiting Plant City, 45-30, to take one step closer to a state title in the FHSAA Class 7A Playoffs.

It was a familiar scene and opponent. Last year, the teams met in the semifinals, where West Orange defeated Plant City by one.

Running back Jayden Ammons quickly set the tone of the game by his seven-yard rushing touchdown on the Warriors’ first drive. He tallied in a second in the second quarter. The junior has had his most successful season in his three years as a Warrior. He is leading the team with 12 total touchdowns and averaging 57.9 rushing yards per game. 

Plant City capitalized on West Orange’s three turnovers and scored a touchdown off each. West Orange’s outside linebacker Nolan Turner earned himself a pick-six, followed by Nolan Herman causing a strip-sack that led to a second defensive touchdown. 

The team showcased against Plant City that it knows how to successfully apply defensive pressure and run the ball.

Now, West Orange trudges deeper into the bracket and down to No. 1 seed Venice High School. West Orange has lost to Venice in the playoffs for the last two years, and now is the team’s chance to prove the saying, “Third times the charm,” is true. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21