PHOTOS: West Orange falters in 46-14 loss to Wekiva

It was a tale of two halves for West Orange in its 46-14 loss at the hands of Wekiva on Friday, Aug. 30.

The Warriors (1-1) came into Friday night’s game a week after a dominating win over Olympia, looking to keep their season going strong. Unfortunately, the Mustangs (2-0) would have none of it.

After an empty first drive by the Warriors, the Mustangs would drive down the field before being stuffed on a third down at the Warriors’ 18 yard line. The ensuing 28-yard field goal by Wekiva’s Brian Wilson would split the uprights and the Mustangs would take their first lead of the game.

West Orange would answer almost immediately, as about three minutes later the Warriors would take the lead when quarterback Julian Calvez streaked past the Mustangs’ defense for a 30-yard touchdown run down the left side of the field with 4:21 left in the first quarter. The extra point by Riley Boyd would make it 7-3 Warriors. 

Ironically enough, Wekiva’s next scoring opportunity would come following big play by the West Orange defense. A few drives into the second quarter, Warriors were stuffed on fourth down inside West Orange’s 2-yard line — setting the Warriors up with their backs to their own end zone. The Warriors’ offensive line would get run over, and running back Jamari Shaw would be dropped for the safety, making it 7-5.

The Warriors would hold on Wekiva’s follow-up drive, and Tyler Jones would light up the field with the best play of the night, as he speeded down the field for a 67-yard touchdown on a punt return with just 53 seconds left in the half. 

The extra point that would make it 14-3 would be the last scoring the Warriors would see all night, as the Mustangs would reel off 41-unanswered in the second half on their way to the 46-14 win.

While it was a difficult game as a whole, it was made even worse with Calvez went down late in the fourth quarter with an apparent injury to his left knee. Calvez would leave the game in pain — finishing 5-for-18 for 11 yards, while rushing 11 times for 61 yards and one touchdown.

The Warriors will look to rebound and maintain possession of the Orange Crate next Friday, Sept. 6, as they host rivals Dr. Phillips (1-1).