Gomez scores 5 TDs in Winter Park win

In a game that showcased sheer speed, it was Winter Park’s Brian Gomez who ran past Apopka defenders for big plays in one of the most frenetic Class 8A playoff games of the year on Friday night.

Gomez caught three touchdown passes and ran for 113 yards and two more scores to lead unbeaten Winter Park (12-0) to a 34-27 comefrom-behind victory over the Blue Darters (8-4) at Showalter Field.

Winter Park returns to the region final a year after losing to Seminole a year ago. The Wildcats, as top seed in the region, will be home again against second seed Wekiva (11-1) next Friday.

The Wildcats trailed 27-20 after Apopka’s Akeem Brown scored on his second TD run on a 2-yard run with 5:06 to go in the third quarter. Gomez scored on a 4-yard TD run and caught a 43-yard TD pass from Cameron LeGree, the latter with 11:10 left, to rally Winter Park.

Winter Park beat Wekiva 10-6 in a home game that was moved up to Thursday in Week 3 of the regular season ahead of Hurricane Irma’s arrival. The Wildcats won on a touchdown pass from LeGree to Gomez on a fourth-down play with 40 seconds to go.

Winter Park’s defense, which was gashed for 295 total yards in the first half while falling behind 20-13, forced two punts and a fumble on Apopka’s final three possessions.

Apopka had 409 total yards, including 377 rushing. Jecoryan Davis-Hamilton ran for a gamehigh 153 yards.

Wekiva has grown accustomed to making history this season. Friday was no different.

Playing in front of a raucous home crowd, the Mustangs rallied to beat Boone 24-20 to advance to the region championship for the first time in program history.

Wekiva (11-1) wrapped up its first district title with a win at Apopka three weeks ago and scored its first playoff victory last week.

The Mustangs will play at Winter Park (12-0) next Friday night in a rematch of Wekiva’s only loss of the year. Winter Park also knocked Wekiva out of the 2016 playoffs.

“We don’t need any extra motivation for next week,” coach Rich Bedesem said. “[Winter Park] has a good football team but I also think we’re a lot better than when we played earlier this season.”

For Wekiva, the region semifinal was a tale of two halves.

Boone (9-3) recorded three firsthalf interceptions — including a 61-yard touchdown return by Jacob Maddox — to ignite the Braves to a 20-7 halftime advantage. Senior Jack Dixson had a second-quarter interception, the 31st of his career, to tie a Central Florida record.

The 13-point deficit marked Wekiva’s largest of the season.

Sparked by senior quarterback Brandon Williams, the Mustangs outscored Boone 14-0 in the third period to seize a one-point advantage. Cayvian Holmes had two second-half interceptions, including one with 1:28 remaining to seal Wekiva’s historic comeback.

Edgewater’s dream football season came to an end as the Eagles fell at home to Fleming Island 23-7 in Friday’s 7A region semifinal.

Fleming Island (10-2) was led by its three-headed rushing attack of Chauncey Garrison (105 yards, one touchdown), Ryan Smenda (94 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Anfernee McCaskill (95 yards).

Fleming Island suffocated the Edgewater offense all night, holding the Eagles (9-3) to 222 yards, with most of the yardage coming late. Isaiah Connelly was a bright spot for Edgewater, rushing for 139 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries.

Edgewater, which was 0-10 last season, won nine games for the first time in eight years.

The Golden Eagles led 9-0 at halftime and looked to be in command after Smenda’s 53-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, but Edgewater (9-3) answered quickly with Connelly’s 36-yard score to cut it to 15-7.

Edgewater’s defense came through with one key stop and looked to have another midway through the fourth quarter as they forced Fleming Island into a fourth-down situation. The Golden Eagles brought the kicker out, but holder Max Michaels took off for 13 yards and a first down, setting up Smenda’s second touchdown to seal the victory.

Fleming Island, the region sixth seed, will play at No. 1 St. John’s Bartram Trail (9-3). The Eagles lost 32-16 vs. Bartram in October.

Before each of Plantation American Heritage’s past two state championships, the Patriots had to get through Bishop Moore at some point in the playoffs.

Heritage, the third-ranked team in the nation, jumped that hurdle again on Friday. The Patriots started fast and held off a Bishop Moore rally to take down the Hornets 56-27 in a 5A game at home.

The Patriots (10-0), winners of 24 consecutive games, will host district rival Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons (11-1) next week.

Bishop Moore trailed 28-0 but a defensive score by senior lineman Kaden Youssef put the Hornets on the board. After a quick stop, Bishop Moore scored again with Zac Suarez running 4 yards for a TD to make it a two-score game in the second quarter. Dale Thomas scored just before the half to cut the deficit 35-21.

For the second straight year, Miami Carol City put an end to Mainland’s season, this time with a 17-10 defensive showcase in a Class 6A game at Municipal Stadium.

The defending state champion Chiefs (8-3) jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead and held on for the right to play Miami Northwestern in next week’s third round.

Mainland, which lost to Carol City 33-7 last year, concluded its season 7-4.