Boone claims key win

Brandon Bush rushed for 100 yards and three touchdowns and Tommy Verzi threw for a score to lead Boone to a 31-17 win over host Winter Park on Thursday.

Boone (5-3, 2-1 in 8A-3) moved past the Wildcats (4-4, 2-2 ) into second place in the district and with a homefield victory over Colonial next week will be the runner-up.

That would mark the Braves’ 13th playoff appearance in a stretch of 14 seasons.

Jonathan DeLucca’s 27-yard field goal gave Boone a 3-0 lead. Winter Park answered with a 13-play, 80-yard drive capped byquarterback Nick Sproles’ 3-yard run.

The Braves regained the lead with a 67-yard drive, capped by Bush’s 21-yard scoring run late in the first quarter.

Zack Site’s early second-quarter interception of a Sproles pass led to a 14-play, 66-yard drive with Bush scoring from the one.

The Braves added another score with 30 seconds remaining in the period on Verzi’s 37-yard touchdown pass to Nick DeLoach and led 24-10 at the break.

Verzi finished the night 17 of 24 for 280 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

Sproles was 12 of 29 for 149 yards and two interceptions to go along with two rushing touchdowns.

The Braves overcame 142 yards in penalties.

Apopka topples Oak Ridge

Locked in a 14-14 defensive slugfest with Oak Ridge as the fourth quarter began, No. 2 Apopka broke the game open with four TDs in the final period on its way to a 43-14 victory.

The 8-1 Blue Darters got three secondhalf TDs from junior running back DeShawn Massey. He led all rushers with 120 yards on 10 carries.

Apopka also got a punt return for a TD for the second week in a row from Laquan Hicks. His 50-yard runback gave the Darters breathing room at 29-14 less than four minutes into the fourth.

Oak Ridge (6-2) did not allow a first down until the 4:40 mark of the second period.

The Pioneers broke the scoreless tie when D’Andre Weaver hit Kevin Moran on a 26-yard TD pass.

Apopka responded with a 65-yard drive to tie the game at 7-7 with 21 seconds before halftime when Demetri Burch lofted a 9-yard pass to Massey.

In the third quarter, Apopka scored on Massey’s 65-yard run and Oak Ridge on an 18-yard scramble by Weaver, who ended the game 16-of-23 passing for 189 yards.

Prior to this game, Apopka had scored just one touchdown via the pass, but Burch had two in this game, the 9-yarder to Massey and a 31-yarder to David Douglas.

Bill Gronvold

John Peery