The bite is worse than the bark. That’s the message the DeLand Bulldogs sent Friday with a key win against a perennial Central Florida power. In a game not lacking excitement, DeLand defeated Daytona Beach Seabreeze 49-48 at home after the Bulldogs’ defense stuffed a two-point conversion attempt that would have given the Sandcrabs the win.
DeLand used its potent running attack to overpower the Sandcrabs' defenders. Shontrelle Johnson scored three times on the ground, and he wasn’t even the highlight.
Deante "Pop" Saunders rushed for 235 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. Meanwhile, Seabreeze senior quarterback Matt Thompson took to the air to match DeLand's powerful running game. Thompson threw for 253 yards and five touchdowns, including a pair of tosses to John Christopher, who finished with 148 receiving yards.
The win kept DeLand undefeated and all but completely erased the memory of the team’s winless 2007 season. That season came prior to the arrival of coach Kevin Pettis, who led the 2008 squad to a respectable season and who now appears to have the 2009 squad ready for postseason play. DeLand entered the game ranked No. 10 in Class 6A in the Associated Press Top 10 football poll.
DeLand defensive back Mark Joyce (22), shown in 2008, helped lead the Bulldogs to a 49-48 win over Daytona Beach Seabreeze on Friday.
File photo by Chad Pilster
Other key Central Florida games included Dr. Phillips’ matchup with Olympia. The Panthers, one of the state's top-ranked teams in the AP poll, won 27-20. Junior running back Demetrius Hart scored twice, and quarterback Nick Patti threw for 152 yards and a score. Patti's development should play a key part in how much success the Panthers enjoy this season. He still has less than three games of varsity football under his belt.
Mainland appears near the top of the heap, too. The Bucs improved their mark to 2-1 with a 32-21 win against Kissimmee Osceola, a team playing a tough schedule. Junior running back Marlin Lane finished with 114 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Mainland. It was Osceola’s second loss in as many weeks. After opening the season with a key victory, the Kowboys were shut out against Dr. Phillips in Week 2.
This time, Osceola’s offense was fine until the second half. In fact, Osceola led 21-0 at the half behind a pair of touchdowns by Akeem Daniels, who returned a punt 72 yards for a score and ran 6 yards for another one. Mainland also appeared to bench quarterback Austin Parker after just three starts. Quinn Bell replaced Parker in the second half, and Bell threw a pair of touchdowns to O.J. Ross. Parker had been ineffective in his three starts.
One of the week’s featured games pitted host Apopka against Edgewater. The Blue Darters (3-0) kept their 2009 season perfect with a 15-6 win. The defensive success is notable considering that Apopka’s defense allowed a slew of points during the 2008 season. Tom Smith provided the offense with 118 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Blue Darters quarterback Keon Brooks added an Apopka score on a 5-yard run. It was Edgewater’s second loss in just three games.
Winter Park delivered Week 3’s biggest surprise. The Wildcats (3-0) pounded Boone, a team that won 23 games over the past two seasons. Winter Park won 59-14. Junior quarterback Sam Richardson played a key role with three scores, including a 50-yard pass to Anthony Jimenez in the opening quarter. Senior running back Patrick Mputu added a pair of touchdowns and rushed for more than 100 yards. Winter Park's schedule remains tough in October. The team plays Timber Creek on Oct. 9 and Edgewater on Oct. 16. With wins in those games, the Wildcats might coast to a perfect regular season.
In other Week 3 action, East Ridge continued its dominance, too, with a 41-12 win against Eustis. Oviedo and Seminole each improved to 2-1. Oviedo defeated Lake Mary 34-14, and Seminole upended Hagerty 41-14. Tavares defeated Mount Dora 24-21, and New Smyrna Beach pounded Deltona 41-3.
