If you can’t play perfect football at this point in the high school season, pouncing on the miscues by opponents is clearly the next best thing.
Dr. Phillips, Lake Mary and Apopka each capitalized when they needed to most on Friday in order to advance past the regional quarterfinal round.
Those teams are among 12 programs from the Orlando area still standing in the Florida High School Athletic Association postseason.
“Playoff football is just about running the ball, stopping the run and turnover margin, and whoever can win the special-teams battle,” DP coach Rodney Wells said following a 17-15 win at rival Olympia. “Tonight we did a solid job in all phases of the game.”
The Panthers turned a roughing-the-punter penalty into a 30-yard field goal by Taylor Harris on their first drive. An interception by Orlendy Larosiliere — four plays after DP fumbled away the opening kick of the second half — led to a touchdown run by Cameran Dixon.
Amari Major, who was injured late in the game, put the Panthers in front for good on a 6-yard run in the final seconds of the third quarter.
That came after Olympia failed to convert on a 2-point conversion attempt. The Titans also missed an extra-point try in the first half that was made more difficult due to a penalty.
DP is one of three local teams on the road this week in regional semifinal games vs. out-of-area competition. The Panthers travel to No. 2 seed Tampa Plant.
Bishop Moore plays at Jacksonville Riverside in 2M Region 1.
Leesburg goes to defending state champion Lake Wales in Class 3 Suburban Region 2.
Orange City University and Orlando Christian Prep host playoff games in the second round, but both will be away from their on-campus stadiums, which do not meet FHSAA specifications for the playoffs.
University plays DeLand in a 4S district rematch at New Smyrna Beach Municipal Stadium. DeLand won the first meeting 14-3 on Oct. 20.
OCP faces Jacksonville Providence at a location to be determined. It will be Providence’s second trip to the Orlando area since winning 42-28 at The Master’s Academy on Oct. 13.
Master’s (9-2) claimed the independent Sunshine State Athletic Association championship Saturday night in Lakeland. Nazir McMillian intercepted a pass at the 17-yard line with under two minutes to go to ensure a 34-27 win over Fort Lauderdale’s Westminster Academy (9-2).
Jackson Stretcher, an eighth-grader, passed for four touchdowns and rushed for another for the Eagles. Jake Hormell caught a TD pass just before halftime to snap a 20-20 tie. The game was interrupted in the second half by a lengthy lightning delay.
Lake Mary super sophomore quarterback Noah Grubbs overcame two interceptions and a lost fumble in a 4M Region 1 quarterfinal while rallying from a 17-point deficit at No. 8 seed Boone.
The Rams blocked a field goal attempt midway through the fourth quarter and Dylan Wilson intercepted a pass with one minute to spare to close out a wild 42-38 win.
Grubbs ended the night 30-of-49 passing for 510 yards with 5 TDs and one rushing touchdown. He connected with Carson Hinshaw on a 14-yard completion for the game-winner with 1:43 to go.
“I’m proud of my guys for fighting the entire game and never giving up until we took the lead,” Lake Mary coach Scott Perry said afterward. “We earned an advance to next week, so I’m happy about that. We’ve got to get better so we can earn another one.”
Grubbs enters Friday’s game at home vs. Jacksonville Mandarin with 49 passing TDs in 2023, which ties current Crawfordville Wakulla senior Haden Klees for the third-most total in a single season in Florida high school history alongside Cocoa’s Blake Boda (2022), Wellington’s Shannon Patrick (2014) and Miami Northwestern’s Jacory Harris (2007).
Klees’ team is 11-0 and still alive in Class 2S.
Lake Nona’s Tucker Israel and Tampa Jefferson’s Quentin Williams each passed for 56 TDs during the 2014 season. Aaron Murray threw 51 TD passes in 2007 for Tampa Plant.
Lake Mary defeated Mandarin 34-16 on Sept. 29. A win for the Rams would mean another home game in the regional final round vs. Apopka or Sanford Seminole.
The Blue Darters, state runners-up in three of the past four years, needed big plays on defense and two fourth-quarter touchdowns to outpace Evans for a 22-13 win.
“It felt like we came out and dominated on both sides of the ball, and special teams especially,” said Apopka’s Antwone Robinson, who blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. “Momentum was high at the beginning of the game. We’ve just got to continue to have the momentum like we had in the first quarter.”
Apopka plays at Seminole and undefeated Edgewater is home against Jones in enticing local district rivalries that have produced head-turning outcomes in recent years.
Lake Minneola is home as the No. 2 seed in 4S Region 2 vs. Wiregrass Ranch out of Wesley Chapel.
Tickets for regional tournament games are available for $10 at the GoFan website.
Friday’s schedule for regions involving Orlando area teams includes team seeding based on FHSAA playoff power rankings and, in parentheses, win-loss records:
Class 4M Region 1
No. 5 Jacksonville Mandarin (8-3) at No. 1 Lake Mary (10-1), 7:30
No. 3 Apopka (8-3) at No. 2 Sanford Seminole (9-2), 7
Class 4M Region 2
No. 5 Plant City Durant (9-2) at No. 1 Riverview Sumner (10-1), 7:30
No. 6 Dr. Phillips (7-4) at No. 2 Tampa Plant (9-2), 7:30
Class 3M Region 1
No. 4 Jones (8-3) at No. 1 Edgewater (11-0), 7:30
No. 3 Tampa Bay Tech (9-2) at No. 2 Seffner Armwood (10-1), 7:30
Class 2M Region 1
No. 4 Jacksonville Bolles (6-5) at No. 1 Jacksonville Raines (10-1), 6:30
No. 3 Bishop Moore (8-3) at No. 2 Jacksonville Riverside (9-2), 6:30
Class 1M Region 1
No. 4 Jacksonville University (5-5) at No. 1 Jacksonville Trinity Christian (7-3), 7
No. 3 Jacksonville Providence (7-3) at No. 2 Orlando Christian Prep (9-1), 7:30#
Class 4S Region 2
No. 5 Bartow (7-4) at No. 1 Lakeland (8-3), 7:30
No. 3 Wesley Chapel Wiregrass Ranch (9-2) at No. 2 Lake Minneola (8-3), 7:30
Class 4S Region 3
No. 4 Vero Beach (9-2) at No. 1 Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast (8-2), 7:30
No. 3 DeLand (9-2) at No. 2 Orange City University (10-1), 7:30#
Class 3S Region 2
No. 4 Zephyrhills (8-3) at No. 1 Ocala Vanguard (9-2), 7:30
No. 3 Leesburg (10-1) at No. 2 Lake Wales (11-0), 7:30
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
