Billed as the ultimate showdown, last Friday’s District 6A-2 championship game met the hype in terms of drama. Neither team, though, showed much of the offensive fireworks that earned it such prestige over the previous nine weeks. Instead, defense played the biggest role in the outcome, a 21-14 Mainland victory against previously undefeated DeLand.
The Bucs wrapped up a sixth straight win when the Bulldogs fumbled away possession near midfield in the waning seconds at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium, where hundreds of Bulldogs packed the seats just two years removed from DeLand’s winless 2007 season. Mainland (7-2) showed little in the first. DeLand (9-1) dominated the Bucs defense with the Bulldogs’ trademark power running game, and Mainland’s offense failed to score before halftime. 
Quinn Bell, Mainland
File photo by Kevin White
DeLand’s 7-0 halftime margin, however, disappeared quickly in the third quarter. After nearly taking a sack, Mainland quarterback Quinn Bell scrambled to his left and connected downfield with O.J. Ross, who sprinted for a 60-yard touchdown after the DeLand defender, who went for the ball, came up empty. Mainland, which got 147 passing yards from Bell, took the lead 14-7 when it scored again in the third quarter. Then the Bucs forced a fumble and scored on Bell’s second touchdown pass, an 8-yard strike to Amari Williams.
In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs rallied and scored on a 1-yard keeper by quarterback Nick Ciciarelli. Minutes later, though, the signal-caller, who found little success in the passing game against Mainland’s talented defensive backfield, fumbled near midfield with seconds left while scrambling to make it out of bounds. Mainland recovered and ran out the clock.
Bucs running back Marlin Lane rushed for 116 yards on just 13 carries. Deante "Pop" Saunders had 58 rushing yards for DeLand to surpass 1,200 rushing yards for the season.
The win earned Mainland a home game in the first round of the 6A playoffs on Nov. 20 and eliminated one of Central Florida’s two undefeated 6A teams. First, though, the Bucs face Seabreeze in the annual bragging rights matchup between the city’s premier schools. DeLand travels to Orange Park on Nov. 20, and it appears they’ll have a new look. The Bulldogs are expected to play without Ciciarelli. Saunders is expected to start at quarterback.
Perhaps more importantly, the first-round playoff games also lead to a potential second-round rematch. If DeLand defeats Orange Park and Mainland defeats Jacksonville Sandalwood, the two will square in the same stadium for a second time this season. That game would be on Nov. 27. Orange Park, though, is 9-0 and plays at Fleming Island on Friday with a shot at a perfect regular season. Orange Park defeated Sandalwood 40-7 on Oct. 9.
Week 10 Roundup
Mainland and Seabreeze aren’t the only two Daytona teams bound for the playoffs. In fact, the team with the greatest shot at a state title might be Warner Christian. The South Daytona school shut out Florida Air Academy 13-0 Friday to improve to 9-1 and secure the District 1B-3 title. The Eagles played in the Class 1B state title game in 2008 but lost 41-14 to a talented Jupiter Christian team. This season, Warner Christian has balanced its running game, featuring Breon Allen, with a more potent passing game led by quarterback Shelton Willis, who has thrown for 1,600 yards with 19 touchdowns this season. Warner hosts Agape Christian on Nov. 20.
In Orlando, Week 10 featured a big celebration at Dr. Phillips, where the Panthers all but wrapped up the area’s only perfect regular season. DP defeated Freedom 46-10 to improve to 9-0. Robbie Matay and Nick Patti shared the quarterback duties. They combined for 252 passing yards, including seven tosses for 126 to senior Kenny Shaw. The Panthers need only a win this Friday to secure a perfect regular season.
Big O this season stands for more than the school names at Oviedo and Olympia. It also stands for offense, and both schools displayed plenty of it again in Week 10. Behind the remarkable play of Oviedo quarterback Blake Bortles, the Lions cruised through much of the season. Against Winter Springs, though, Oviedo (8-1) turned to running back Stew Butler, who rushed for four scores in a 33-13 victory. Oviedo, the Class 5A-3 champ, has won seven straight games since falling 34-29 to Lake Brantley in mid-September. In only three of the Lions’ nine games have they given up three or more touchdowns.
Friday proved a bit more difficult for Olympia, which defeated East Ridge behind another big game from quarterback Trevor Siemian. Hours before the game, junior running back Jarius Pace was ruled ineligible for two games in which played earlier in the season. With the ruling, the Titans forfeited a pair of district wins. Thus, Olympia needed a victory to secure a post-season berth. Siemian, though, wasn’t about to let a technicality mar his hopes for a deep playoff run. He threw for 300 yards and fourth touchdowns in a 38-20 win. It was the team’s second big win in as many games. A week earlier, Olympia defeated Apopka. Despite losing a district championship due to the ruling, the Titans earned a playoff spot with the win, and Olympia likely also secured a second chance to defeat an unbeaten team. The Titans travel to Dr. Phillips for the first round of the playoffs.
Winter Park also improved to 8-1 and will host Lake Brantley in the first round of the 6A playoffs. The Wildcats defeated Colonial 52-12 behind 21 points from the defense and special teams. Meanwhile, Apopka rebounded from its first loss of the season to defeat Ocoee 66-14. Tom Smith rushed for 152 yards and four touchdowns for the Blue Darters. Apopka hosts Boone in the first round of the playoffs.
Week 11 Preview
With some teams already prepping for next week’s playoffs, football turns to a few rivalry games to end the regular season. Chief among them are crosstown rivalry games in both Orlando and Daytona Beach. Boone, which posted a 10-0 regular season in 2008 but needed a win on Nov. 6 against Cypress Creek to make the playoffs, hosts Edgewater on Friday.
Meanwhile, Mainland plays the visitor against Seabreeze at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium, where both teams play home games. The Sandcrabs, winners of three straight, had two weeks to prepare for the game. Seabreeze (6-3) features quarterback Matt Thompson. He has thrown for 1,883 yards with 19 touchdowns and only five interceptions this season. Mainland features Quinn Bell, who has thrown 14 touchdown passes despite not being the quarterback for the team’s first few games of the season.
Recruiting News
The Daytona Beach News-Journal reports that Thompson is considering options that include Colorado State and Memphis, among other schools. Bell, meanwhile, is considering offers from Ole Miss, Cincinnati, Toledo and Tulane. The Orlando Sentinel reported that Apopka’s Henley Griffon has committed to Memphis and Olympia offensive lineman Parrish Walker is headed to The Citadel. The Orlando Sentinel also says Oviedo defensive lineman Marcus Thomas is considering the University of Central Florida, where teammate Blake Bortles is headed after graduation.
