Closing surge boosts No. 6 Wolves towin
Timber Creek came from behind to score a 22-21road win over Oviedo in Friday night high school football.
The Wolves, 5-0 and ranked No. 6 in the Sentinel Super 16, entered the fourth quarter trailing by two touchdowns against the Lions (3-3).
Timber Creek’s Jonathan Cabral scored twice on short passes from quarterback Tanner Stevens in the final minutes and the Wolves converted a game-winning two-point conversion with 1:06 to go.
“Just keep playing,” Timber Creek coach Jim Buckridge said when asked what the message to his team was entering the fourth quarter. “We didn’t play very well and they came out and hit us in the mouth.”
The Wolves drove 50 yards in less than aminute to cut Oviedo’s 21-7 lead in half with a 9-yard TD reception by Cabral.
Timber Creek’s defense forced a three-and-out to regain possession with 2:39 remaining. The Wolves converted a fourth-down play to set up a 4-yard touchdown by Cabral with 1:06 remaining. They went for a twopoint conversion and succeeded to take the lead.
Oviedo’s defense had control for most of the game, making two fourthdown stops and forcing two fumbles, including one on their 3-yard line with 5:05 remaining in the first half.
Oviedo quarterback Luke Rucker threw two touchdowns, the first a 20-yard pass midway in the first quarter to Alex Saunders. Rucker then connected with Sebastian Vargas on a 25-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter, giving the Lions their 21-7 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Oviedo recovered a Timber Creek fumble. A few plays later Timber Creek’s Joshua Sink picked off Rucker with 1:29 to go in the third quarter.
“We got a couple of breaks and the defense finally got a hold and held them,” Buckridge said.
“Our kids have got to learn we need to play every down and we didn’t show up tonight. Obviously the outcome was nice.”
The Wolves’ win snapped a streak that had seen the home team win seven straight games in the series dating to 2013.
Entering thegame, Timber Creek had only allowed 13 total points, but Buckridge knew Oviedo would be a challenge.
“Thiswas really our first test. No knock on the four teams we’ve played, butwe had a running clock against the first four teams,” Buckridge said. “Thiswas a good test. They did a good job.”