Hagerty wins on Hail Mary pass
Winter Park, Osceola clinch district titles on Friday night
Week 10 of the high school football season concluded Friday night with Winter Park and Osceola claiming district titles, Hagerty winning on a Hail Mary pass, and a slew of special team returns for touchdowns.
Hagerty was down by 5 and running out of time against Spruce Creek when quarterback Anthony Benzija was sacked 3 times in a row to put the Huskies in a fourth-and-goal situation from the Hawks’ 40-yard-line.
Benzija was able to get off one final fling toward the end zone and Ian Miller came down with the ball for the game-winning points in a 22-21 win in Port Orange.
Hagerty, No. 14 in the Sentinel Super 16 rankings, improved to 8-1 and likely locked down a Class 4M playoff bid.
Winning big: No. 3 Jones returned two punt returns and one kick return for touchdowns in a 47-14 home win against Horizon (6-3, 1-2).
With senior quarterback Maxson Jean-Denis out with an injury, Jones (7-2, 3-0) gave opponents in the approaching Class 3M postseason something to think about when game-planning.
Christopher Tooley, also a senior, got the start and gives the Tigers’ added options in the playbook.
“He played well for only having a few days of practice running the offense,” said Jones coach Elijah Williams, who confirmed that keeping out Jean-Denis was more precautionary. “We wanted to get a look at Tooley, and he played well.”
Tooley was a modest but effective
6 of 9 passing for 51 yards and a touchdown throw to Derrick Rogers. He was more effective on the ground with 96 yards and 2 TDs on just 5 carries. He scored on 65- and 27-yard keepers.
Jamauri Sands returned two punts for TDs (62 and 54 yards). James Chenault added a 94-yard kickoff return score. Jayden Gillens scored on a 50-yard TD run.
Hawks coach Dennis Thomas hopes facing Jones helps his squad if they qualify for the postseason.
“Seeing this kind of speed, strength and size should prepare us for anything,” he said.
Horizon senior running back Trei Ginn had 166 yards on 19 carries with 2 TDs, including a 71-yard jaunt that came with 4:51 to go in the first half with the Hawks trailing 40-0.
Jones led 47-7 at halftime to trigger the running clock.
Horizon finishes fourth in a powerhouse district behind
champion Edgewater, Jones and Wekiva. But the Hawks are in position to receive an at-large playoff berth, as is Wekiva.
No. 6 Winter Park completed its domination of 4M District 3 with a 47-3 rout of visiting Timber Creek. That wrapped up the title for the Wildcats (8-1, 4-0).
The defense had 6 sacks and 2 takeaways, including a pick-six touchdown return by Zion Gunn.
Winter Park senior Amaris Shaw ran for 162 yards and 2 touchdowns as the ‘Cats avenged a 9-7 loss to Timber Creek (4-5, 2-2) last season.
“The kids came out and played their butts off, played a great game,” said Winter Park coach Tim Shifflet. “It was 365 days ago that we went over there and went into the game thinking we were the better team. We didn’t get it done. Lost on a last-second field goal.
“It’s really been driving these kids,” Shifflet added. “We played a complete game.”
An interception by senior
Hudson Gibbs set up an 11-yard TD run by Shaw on Winter Park’s first series.
Gunn scored on the 76-yard pick-six and Shaw ran 42 yards for a score. Izaiah Jean-Baptiste scored on an 84-yard punt return.
Winter Park quarterback Aidan Warner threw touchdown passes to Oliver Van Dyke and TJ Shifflet.
Winter Park won its district games by a combined score of 161-3, including last week’s 35-0 thrashing of Hagerty.
No. 4 Osceola won 62-7 vs. Tohopekaliga (5-4) to wrap up its 18th district title since 1982. The Kowboys (6-3, 3-0), who led 49-0 at halftime, are 49-1 in district play since 2011.
No. 10 Oviedo (8-1, 4-0), the 3M District 2 champ, won 55-0 at Winter Springs (0-9, 0-4).
Playoff picture: No. 15 Lake Brantley stopped a three-game losing streak with a 47-24 win against Centennial to aid its bid for a 4M at-large berth. The Patriots are 5-4.
Class 4M District 4 champ Boone (6-3, 4-0) won 43-0 against Oak Ridge (1-8, 0-4) in its third game in nine days.
Eustis (4-4, 2-0) won 49-3 over Mount Dora and can claim the 2S (Suburban) District 10 title with a win at Villages Charter (3-5, 1-1) on Tuesday.
Elsewhere: Cypress Creek (6-3, 2-2) pulled out a 14-13 win against Freedom (3-6, 1-3) in the “South Orlando Classic” rivalry. The Bears equaled the school record for wins, set by a 2004 team that finished 6-5 with a playoff loss.
Bryce Cherry was credited with 21 tackles for First Academy Leesburg (2-7) in its 14-8 win at Berean Christian (1-8) of West Palm Beach.