The regular season for Seminole County FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) schools came to an end last weekend, while the SSAA (Sunshine State Athletic Association) schools began their Playoffs.
Due to the FHSAA giving teams an extra week to make up games affected by Hurricane Milton, all local teams will be idle this week, with some waiting to see if they make the playoffs.
Four of the five local SSAA schools were in action on Friday and the county got a split, with The Geneva School (7-4) easing past Geneva Classical Academy (7-4) from Lakeland, 54-28, in the 8-Man 3A Championship Bracket in Casselberry and Lake Mary Prep (6-5) getting blitzed by undefeated Shorecrest Prep (9-0) in the 8-Man State Championship Bracket in St. Petersburg.
Meanwhile, in 11-Man SSAA action, Lighthouse Private Christian Academy (6-5) upset host Orangewood Christian (6-5), 28-8, in Maitland in the 4A Championship Bracket, and host The Master’s Academy (9-1) opened defense of its 2023 State Championship with a 55-14 thrashing of Lake Highland Prep (6-3) at Pennington Field in Oviedo.
Freshman quarterback Jackson Stecher had an amazing game, completing 17-of-21 passes for 315-yards, no interceptions and five touchdowns and carrying the ball six times for 106 yards. Sophomore running back O’Shea Faison was nearly as impressive, carrying the ball 10 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns and also catching two passes for 32 yards and a touchdown.
The Eagles also had a pair of 100-yard receivers in junior Davon Washington (7-receptions, 125-yards) and junior Oakley Foster (6-receptions, 114-yards), who also caught two touchdown passes each.
In FHSAA action:
Host Lake Mary (8-2) overcame a 14-0 deficit after one quarter to whip Bishop Moore (8-2), 34-16, with junior quarterback Noah Grubbs completing 18-of-34 passes for 243-yards and a touchdown and also carrying the ball three times for three yards, but scoring twice.
Isaiah Thomas carried the ball 20 times for 130 yards and a score, while Carson Friedman caught four passes for 120-yards, including a 45-yard touchdown reception.
Oviedo (8-2) went on the road and dismantled host Eustis (1-9), 59-0, with sophomore quarterback Sebastian Galeano completing his only two passing attempts of the night _ which went for touchdowns of 88-yards to sophomore Jordan Donahoo and 41-yards to junior Dashon Feberes _ senior Dylan Edwards carrying the ball 7-times for 107-yards and a touchdown, sophomore Johnnie Cobbs carrying the ball 7-times for 85-yards and two scores, sophomore Carmari Solomon returning a fumble recovery and an interception for touchdowns and senior place-kicker Logan Calder scoring 11 points on a field goal and eight made extra point kicks.
Host Lyman (4-6) won a dramatic 21-14 victory over SAC rival Hagerty (5-5) behind senior quarterback Caleb Nyenkan, who was 10-for-16 passing for 112-yards and two touchdowns _ 24 yards to Kelsie Holmes IV and a game-winning 55 yards to Davarian Jefferson _ and carried the ball four times for 163-yards and a touchdown.
Porter Williams carried the ball 14 rimes for 82 yards and a touchdown for the Huskies, while Gavin Zinnert hit a pair of field goals.
Homestanding Lake Howell (2-8) took out a season of frustrations on Tuskawilla Road rival Winter Springs (5-4), 55-12, with junior Decorie Johnson carrying the ball 16 times for 219-yards and four touchdowns to go along with a 63-yard punt return for his fifth TD of the evening.
Quarterback Luke Barhorst was 7-for-12 passing for 67-yards, including a 29-yard scoring strike to Jayvon Funnye, and also carried the ball 5-times for 79-yards and a touchdown.
Despite the final score, Bears junior quarterback Makiye McBurse had a monster night, completing 12-of-24 passes for 126-yards and a touchdown, and carrying the ball 14-times for 163-yards and two touchdowns.
Here are a couple of box scores:
Lake Mary 34, Bishop Moore 16
First Quarter
BM _ Amare Johnson 10 run (Nicolas Salas kick).
BM _ Bjorn Jurgensen 1 run (Nicolas Salas kick).
Second Quarter
LM _ Emilio Bacardi 30 FG.
LM _ Noah Grubbs 1 run (Emilio Bacardi kick).
LM _ Carson Friedman 45 pass from Noah Grubbs (Emilio Bacardi kick).
LM _ Emilio Bacardi 28 FG.
Third Quarter
LM _ Isaiah Thomas 2 run (Emilio Bacardi kick).
Fourth Quarter
LM _ Noah Grubbs 3 run (Emilio Bacardi kick).
BM _ Safety (LM runner tackled in end zone).
Lyman 21, Hagerty 14
First Quarter
HHS _ Gavin Zinnert 31 FG.
LHS _ Caleb Nyenkan 2 run (Samuel Sargent kick).
Second Quarter
HHS _ Gavin Zinnert 26 FG.
LHS _ Kelsie Holmes IV 24 pass from Caleb Nyenkan (Samuel Sargent kick).
Third Quarter
HHS _ Porter Williams 20 run (Royce Jenkins run).
Fourth Quarter
LHS _ Davarian Jefferson 55 pass from Caleb Nyenkan (Samuel Sargent kick).
Here are the Week 11/12 results and the SSAA Playoff schedule:
WEEK 11/12
Friday, November 1
Lake Brantley High School was off.
Lake Howell High School 55, Winter Springs High School 12.
Lake Mary High School 34, Bishop Moore Catholic High School 16.
Lyman High School 21, Hagerty High School 14.
Oviedo High School 59, Eustis High School 0.
Seminole High School was off.
Trinity Prep was off.
Sunshine State Athletics Association Playoffs
Quarterfinals
8-Man 3A Championship
(1) Hernando Christian Academy 27, (8) Riverside Christian 6.
(4) Four Corners 40, (5) Real Life Christian Academy 34.
(2) Florida School for the Deaf & Blind 48, (7) First Coast Christian 28.
(3) The Geneva School 54, (6) Geneva Classical Academy 28.
8-Man State Championship
(2) Shorecrest Prep 60, (7) Lake Mary Prep 35.
11-Man 1A Championship
(4) Cedar Creek Christian 36, Saint Francis Catholic 8.
11-Man 4A Championship
(3) Lighthouse Private Christian Academy 28, (2) Orangewood Christian 8.
11-Man State Championship
(1) The Master's Academy 55, (4) Lake Highland Prep 14.
(2) Christ's Church Academy 42, (3) Mount Dora Christian Academy 7.
(1) NSU University 42, (4) St. Edward’s 6.
(2) Oasis 19, (3) Westminster Academy 7.
Semifinals
Friday, November 8
(All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted)
8-Man 3A Championship
(4) Four Corners at (1) Hernando Christian Academy.
(3) The Geneva School at (2) St. Augustine-Florida School for the Deaf & Blind.
11-Man 1A Championship
(4) Cedar Creek Christian at (1) Windermere Prep, 2 p.m.
(3) Trinity Prep at (2) Ocoee-Legacy Charter.
11-Man State Championship
(2) Christ's Church Academy vs. (1) The Master's Academy at Pennington Field.
(2) Oasis at (1) NSU University, 6 p.m.
