PHOTOS: Windermere rallies in 25-14 win over Titusville in preseason Kickoff Classic

The rain held off long enough for Windermere High’s varsity football team to complete a confidence-building preseason victory on Friday, Aug. 16.

The Wolverines overcame an early two-touchdown deficit to defeat Titusville 25-14 in its Kickoff Classic at Deputy Scott Pine Community Park. Jordan Dozier had a pair of second-half touchdown runs, Stone Rivers added the go-ahead TD run late in the third quarter and the Windermere defense held the Terriers off the scoreboard for the game’s final 35 minutes.

Austin Gardner’s 47-yard touchdown pass helped Titusville take a 7-0 lead with 1:57 left in the first quarter. The Terriers then went ahead 13-0 on Ricky Davis’ 55-yard TD run during the opening minute of the second quarter.

Windermere’s Will DiSalvo had an interception at the Titusville 34-yard line with 6:59 left before halftime, and just over four minutes later Bertolazzo converted a 40-yard field goal.

The Wolverines erased a 14-3 halftime by outscoring Titusville 22-0 over the final two quarters.

Windermere started its second drive of the third quarter at the Titusville 33-yard line following a 55-yard punt return. Dozier found the end zone on a 19-yard run at the 6:18 mark, and after the Terriers were penalized on back-to-back plays during the point after, Stone Rivers had a successful two-point conversion to bring Windermere within 14-11.

Quarterback Cody Arnold and the Windermere offense regained possession in Titusville territory at the 42 (following a 12-yard punt by the Terriers) shortly thereafter. Dozier ran for eight yards and that set up a 34-yard touchdown run by Rivers, who broke a tackle near the line of scrimmage and went around the left side.

Gabriel Bertolazzo, whose field goal got the Wolverines on the scoreboard late in the first half, kicked the extra point to give Windermere an 18-14 lead with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter.

Titusville fumbled the ball away on a punt return early in the fourth quarter, and Dozier’s 13-yard touchdown run subsequently capped a three-play drive covering 35 yards. Bertolazzo’s point after completed the scoring with 9:22 left.

The Terriers reached the Windermere eight-yard line on their ensuing drive with the help of some defensive penalties by the Wolverines – one of which nullified Amer Amer’s 72-yard interception return for a touchdown – but Titusville eventually turned the ball over on downs at the 16 with 5:38 to go.

Windermere returns home to Scott Pine Community Park next Friday (Aug. 23) to begin the regular season. The Wolverines, who this year make the jump to Class 8A from 7A in the Florida High School Athletic Association, face Cypress Creek in Week 1 for the third consecutive season with kickoff set for 7 p.m.