No stopping Oscar Smith
The No. 1 Tigers allow their first points of the season after four straight shutouts, but it hardly mattered in a 66-6 rout of Indian River.
It’s the sound you expect to hear after a team scores a last-second touchdown to win the game.
Instead, it was Indian River celebrating after quarterback Tyler Allison’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Zakai Minggia against Oscar Smith with 1:09 left in the first half.
The game was already over as the top-ranked Tigers led by 45 points at the time. But what did happen was an opposing team finally scored against Oscar Smith’s vaunted defense.
The top-ranked Tigers had recorded four consecutive shutouts — which tied the 2017 team — and put together 17 quarters without allowing a score.
They had hoped to make it five shutouts.
Instead, the Tigers had to settle for a 66-6 victory, which was their largest winning margin since 2019, when they beat Hickory 76-0.
Oscar Smith, most likely the No. 1 seed, will host a Class 6 Region A semifinal next Friday. The Tigers will find out their next opponent Sunday after the final VHSL power ratings are announced.
Oscar Smith coach Chris Scott said the scoreless streak was something the defense wanted to last.
“There’s weird and unusual streaks that you’re able to control, and this was one of them,” he said. “It became a mantra with them, and I’m glad that it did because it made them take pride in it. They bought into it, and it had become a thing.”
What impressed Scott was how the Tigers responded after the Braves scored.
With 1:08 left in the half, Oscar Smith answered three plays later when Amonte Jones caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Vasko. It was their third touchdown connection of the game.
“As a coach, you want to find ways to maximize their potential every play,” Scott said about how his team responded. “That’s what I’m glad about. And they showed some resiliency.”
Oscar Smith (5-0) clicked on both sides of the ball.
The Tigers put up more than 500 yards of total offense. Their defense held Indian River (3-3) to 110 yards and picked off Allison three times, including two by Tyvon Norfleet.
Jones finished with five receptions for 134 yards and three touchdowns. Vasko completed 11 of 13 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 68 yards and another score.
The Tigers’ “running back by committee” of Norfleet, Devante Cooper and Kevon King totaled more than 200 yards and each scored a touchdown.
Kole Jones also returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown. It was his fifth touchdown return this season.