The First Academy, ranked No. 2 in the Sentinel’s Super 16 Coaches Poll, had national title contender IMG Academy (4-0) on the ropes at halftime Friday night. But the Avengers woke up in the second half, scoring 41 points to win 48-27 and squash the Royals’ upset hopes.
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It was TFA’s first loss of the season. Elsewhere, Daniel Proenza drove No. 5 Seminole to a touchdown with 35 seconds left against Mainland in Daytona Beach to keep the Sanford team unbeaten. No. 4 West Orange, Gateway (Kissimmee), and Innovation also remained unbeaten, while No. 10 Oviedo handed Hagerty its first loss.
Cypress Creek ended the state’s longest winless streak in a big way, shutting out Lake Buena Vista 32-0 to stop the Bears’ skid at 35 consecutive losses.
Pictures: Oviedo at Hagerty Varsity Football
IMG Academy 48, No. 2 The First Academy 27
Freshman Deuce Woods and the Royals burst out of the gates Friday night with a huge upset on their minds, but after jumping out to a 24-7 halftime lead, IMG had other thoughts. The Avengers ramped things up and outscored TFA 41-3 in the second half.
IMG, which plays a national schedule outside the FHSAA playoff system, had pummeled teams from Utah, Texas and Hawaii by a combined score of 159-13 and was ranked No. 1 nationally by the MisterFootball online site that tracks and compiles 13 different polls, including MaxPreps and ESPN, USA Today and Rivals.
Woods had a pair of rushing touchdowns and a touchdown pass to fellow freshman Jaylen Johnson in the first half, but the only thing the Royals could muster otherwise were two Vance Fones field goals, one from 54 yards, the other from 42.
Super 16 Coaches Poll: DeLand unanimous football No. 1; TFA No. 2
“I think we’re able to take that we can play with anybody for two quarters, but football’s a four-quarter game,” TFA coach Jeff Conaway said. “And until we develop more depth, and until we get bigger and faster and stronger, from our smallest guy to our biggest guy, we’re gonna continue to have issues like this where we’re unsatisfied at the end of the game.
“We’re not as close as we wanted to be, but we did prove that we can play with anybody.”
No. 5 Seminole defeated Mainland 27-21
Seminole drove 47 yards in the final two minutes and 39 seconds, and Jamar Buckner scored the game-winning touchdown from 6 yards out with 35 seconds remaining. Luis Ojeda-Robles scored the two-point conversion for the final points.
On the final drive, Seminole quarterback Daniel Proenza connected with Cameron Roberts for two crucial sideline passes. The ‘Noles were aided by three penalties on Mainland, two of the 15-yard variety, to get the ball to the 6-yard line. Buckner took care of the rest.
“Daniel Proenza put together a great drive at the end of the game,” Seminole coach Karl Calhoun said. “I’m very proud of our guys putting it together. We moved the ball down the field. The pass game started hitting good and then the defense came out and made a great stop to finish them off.”
Mainland ran four plays in the final 35 seconds but Seminole ended the game by swarming quarterback PJ Miller for a sack.
Seminole’s swarming defense had seven sacks. King Manley and Jaxon Wade had 12 total tackles apiece and Manley had 2 1/2 sacks. Mason Wills had seven tackles and two sacks.
Proenza was 12-of-17 passing for 170 yards, and he also ran for 55 yards and two touchdowns.
“Oh man, I still have the adrenaline from the game,” said Proenza, who joined the Seminole team after transferring from Spruce Creek this year. “I can’t even describe it. I’m just so grateful to God that we were able to pull this through.”
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Seminole led 13–7 at halftime, but after a lightning delay in the third quarter Mainland came out and scored a quick touchdown to take the lead 14-13. Miller threw a 33-yard TD pass to Jayden Parks on the first play of the fourth quarter to put the Bucs up 21-13.
Then Seminole got the offense going. The ‘Noles went 72 yards on a drive highlighted by a Proenze 31-yard pass to Tyree Howard. Proenza capped it with a 12-yard touchdown run to pull the ‘Noles within 21-19.
“We knew it was gonna be a tough game,” Calhoun said. “It’s a very tough environment. But the guys came through and finished the game strong and I’m very proud of them.”
The victory gave Calhoun his 30th win as Seminoles’ head coach.
No. 4 West Orange 36, No. 8 Lake Mary 13
Quarterback AJ Chung threw for 343 yards and five touchdowns as West Orange won on the road to move to 5-0.
Chung connected three times for TDs with wide receiver Yuto Kawamura-Johnson, including twice in the second half on pass plays of 20 and 88 yards. He found Kawamura-Johnson for the opening score of the game, a 51-yard strike. Running back Jayden Ammons caught the other two TD passes. Lake Mary led 13-9 at halftime.
“We just had to be disciplined,” Chung said. “We have full confidence in our coaching staff and our guys. The best o-line, the receiving corps and best running back in the state.”
No. 10 Oviedo defeated Hagerty 28-7
Oviedo started sluggish but finished strong. Sebastian Galeano had 172 yards passing, with two touchdowns and Ohio State commit Jordan Donahoo caught both TD passes.
Evan Sorkness made key defensive plays in the win, including two pass breakups.
Hagerty quarterback Royce Jenkins passed for over 150 yards and ran for 60.
Gateway defeated Poinciana 17-7
Gateway got a second-straight 200-yard rushing performance from Nydrell Thigpen and plenty of defense to defeat Poinciana (2-2) and move to 4-0 for the first time in the program’s 40-year history.
The Gateway defense was formidable, forcing seven negative plays in the first half, including four sacks, and limited the Eagles to 12 second-half snaps and one first down.
“The kids really put a fence up in that second half,” Gateway coach Marlin Roberts said. “It’s a quiet group for being 4-0, and I hope that’s because they know they have more left in the tank to show. There’s a lot this program hasn’t done.”
Lake Howell defeated No. 16 Lake Brantley 42-31
In a battle of two of the best junior quarterbacks in Central Florida, Brycen Marbrey got the win over Jackson Stecher. Marbrey was 11-of-16 for 226 yards and 4 touchdown passes. Stecher threw 3 touchdown passes and had 345 yards, and also ran for a touchdown in the loss. Brantley turned the ball over three times in the red zone. Lake Howell ended string of 14 straight losses to Brantley.
Elsewhere
No. 1 Deland had its second straight shutout win, 43-0 over Deltona.
Dr. Phillips topped No. 15 Winter Park as the depleted Wildcats went down 19-16.
No. 11 Evans traveled and lost to a tough St. Augustine team 24-20.
No. 6 Bishop Moore rolled past South Lake 42-7.
Innovation (5-0) remained unbeaten with a 52-0 win over Freedom.
WEEK 5 RESULTS
Monday’s results
New Smyrna Beach 42, Winter Springs 8
Viera 40, Lyman 0
Vanguard (Ocala) 49, Leesburg 0
Liberty 12, Discovery 6
Wednesday’s results
Master’s Academy 40, West Oaks 0
Thursday’s results
Forest 17, East Ridge 7
Tavares 42, Lake Minneola 34
New Smyrna Beach 42, Orange City University 3
Friday’s Super 16 results
No. 1 DeLand 43, Deltona 0
IMG Academy 48, No. 2. The First Academy 27
No. 9 Edgewater (3-1) at No. 3 Jones (2-1), ppd. to Oct. 12
No. 4 West Orange 36, No. 8 Lake Mary 13
No. 5 Seminole 27, Mainland 21
No. 6 Bishop Moore 42, South Lake 7
No. 7 Lake Nona 53, Wekiva 16
No. 10 Oviedo 28, Hagerty 7
St. Augustine 24, No. 11 Evans 20
Lake Wales 35, No. 12 Osceola 3
Dr. Phillips 19, No. 15 Winter Park 16
Lake Howell 42, No. 16. Lake Brantley 31
Other Friday games
Innovation 52, Freedom 0
Boone 17, East River 9
Apopka 28, Horizon 7
Cypress Creek 32, Lake Buena Vista 0
Gateway 17, Poinciana 7
Astronaut 31, Eustis 6
Mount Dora Christian (3-1) at Pine Ridge (0-4), ppd, no new date
Cambridge Christian 28, Foundation Academy 14
Lake Highland Prep 31, Cornerstone Charter 21
Orangewood 28, Crescent City 0
Boca Raton Christian 46, Geneva School 21
South Sumter 54, Leesburg 7
Halifax Academy 42, Legacy Charter 0
Winter Springs 14, Lyman 0
Colonial 36, Nova Lakes 20
Windermere 42, Olympia 3
Titusville 46, Harmony 6
Belleview 32, Umatilla 0
University (Orlando) 22, Oak Ridge 8
Bishop McLaughlin 17, Windermere Prep 16
Friday’s 8-man results
Bradenton Christian 60, Lake Mary Prep 12
St. Francis Academy 39, First Academy-Leesburg 7
OPEN DATE: Celebration, CFCA, City of Life Christian, Faith Christian, Mount Dora, Ocoee, Real Life Christian, St. Cloud, Timber Creek, Tohopekaliga, Trinity Prep, Eastland Christian.
Noah Greene, Ken Jackson, Philip Rossman-Reich, BUddy Collings, Steve Gorches contributed to this report.
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Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.