Legacy shuts out CFCA in battle of Ocoee's Eagles

OCOEE -- There were no points. Central Florida Christian Academy had driven to the Legacy Charter 8-yard-line late in the second quarter.

Two plays later, Legacy scored the game's first touchdown.

An incomplete pass on a fake field goal attempt caused a turnover on downs for CFCA, and a pass behind everybody on the next play led to a 92-yard score.

That play broke open a field position battle attributable to slickness from rain that had ended minutes earlier. Both of Ocoee's Eagles squads in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference already had numerous turnovers: an interception by Legacy's Gabe Chambless; fumbles on both sides; and several turnovers on downs.

"It was tough -- the ball was slippery," Legacy head coach Jarrett Wiggers said. "We didn't have any way to dry anything off. ... The boys adjusted well. I was real proud of how they stuck with it. They had a couple of costly mistakes early on, fumbling the ball around, but they figured out how to make the adjustment."

Just after the first touchdown, on one of many stalled drives, CFCA fumbled while trying to punt. That set up Legacy at the CFCA 30-yard-line.

Quarterback Hilton Lamprecht reeled off consecutive long rushes to put Legacy at the 1-yard-line, where quarterback Gehrig Chambless plowed in for his team's second touchdown in as many possessions.

With less than a minute left in the first half, Visual Russell returned the ensuing kickoff to the Legacy 3-yard-line, where Miles Moyer made a touchdown-saving tackle.

Two runs followed by timeouts left CFCA with one shot to score before halftime. Quarterback Kai Patterson bootlegged to his right, where Zachary Kelley and David Dominguez tackled him at the 1-yard-line to preserve their 14-0 lead.

"That was huge," Wiggers said. "To go into halftime after making that big stand gave our boys the momentum starting in the third quarter."

Drake Dickens' long punt return would have put CFCA in prime scoring position early in the third quarter, but a block in the back negated it, one of many flags on the night. Still, a long reception by Austin Mathis put CFCA in the red zone, where a fourth-down incomplete pass into double coverage became another turnover.

"We had three turnovers -- two interceptions and a fumble -- and we were inside of the 15 four times," CFCA head coach John Davis told his players afterward, noting areas for improvement. "I could count about five dropped balls."

Another drive ended just outside the red zone after CFCA recovered Legacy's fumble late in the third quarter. Legacy followed CFCA's turnover on downs with a long touchdown pass to Brian Carmean, who had found a coverage gap, early in the fourth quarter.

"The (offensive) line was huge," Wiggers said while explaining his offense's success. "It was a collective effort. Across the line, the boys just did not quit. ... It was fun to watch.

CFCA's defense blocked the ensuing PAT to keep it 20-0, the final score.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].