Apopka football powers past Evans in 4M playoff
APOPKA, FLORIDA – Apopka High’s football team knows all about playoff pressure, and the Blue Darters know how to respond.
Making its 23rd consecutive postseason appearance, Apopka (8-3) made big plays in all three phases of the game to pull out a tough 22-13 victory against visiting Evans (5-6) in a Class 4 Metro regional quarterfinal game on Friday night.
Jayden Safford’s 1-yard touchdown run with 4 minutes, 17 seconds left gave Apopka a 22-13 lead and the breathing room it needed after the Trojans gave the defending state runner-up all it could handle for the first three quarters.
It was one of two TD runs by Apopka in the fourth quarter, with quarterback Tyson Davison scoring the other on a 22-yard scamper. Apopka led just 8-7 at halftime.
Apopka quarterback Tyson Davison scored on a 22-yard fourth quarter run to ignite a strong final quarter by the Blue Darters in their 22-13 playoff win over Evans.
Photo by Jeff Gardenour
“We didn’t really execute like we wanted to in the first half,” said Davison, who ran for more than 60 yards. “In the second half, we came out flying in all three phases.”
The schools duked it out, defensively, and traded touchdowns for three quarters before Safford’s score gave the Blue Darters a two-possession lead. With the victory, Apopka advanced to play Seminole next Friday night for a regional semifinal game.
“Evans came to play,” Apopka coach Jeff Rolson said. “We knew they would. They have pride and they play hard. Our kids battled it out and we did what we needed to do.”
Apopka led just 8-7 at halftime, capitalizing on a punt block and recovery in the end zone by linebacker Antwone Robinson with 58 seconds left in the first quarter. Quarterback Chris Peterson scored the first of his two TD runs for Evans in the second quarter on a 14-yard dart around right end.
Apopka linebacker Antwone Robinson blocked and recovered a punt in the end zone to give the Blue Darters an 8-7 halftime lead.
Photo by Jeff Gardenour
After a scoreless third quarter, Evans bungled a punt snap and turned the ball over on downs at its 27-yard line. Three play later, Apopka quarterback Tyson Davison burst up the middle for a 22-yard TD for a 15-7 lead.
Evans countered quickly when Peterson broke loose for a 41-yard TD run four plays later to cut Apopka’ lead to two, 15-13, with 9:26 left. But then the Darters responded with an eight-play, 55-yard drive culminated by Safford’s TD to push them ahead, 22-13.
The Blue Darters’ defense was physical and opportunistic throughout, forcing two fumbles and bottling up Evans’ run game for most of the night.
“We came out and dominated on both sides of the ball,” said Robinson, who also had a fumble recovery, “special teams, especially.”
Blue Darters and Trojans play a wild opening quarter
Special teams and defense kept Apopka in this game, especially in the first quarter.
Evans showed it meant business early on, even after a long touchdown pass was called back on penalty. The Trojans went on a time-consuming, 13-play drive that was squashed at Apopka’s 43-yard line when Peterson fumbled the ball away.
After forcing the Darters to punt, Evans had a punt blocked by Robinson and fell behind 8-0. Apopka ran just three offensive plays in the first 12 minutes.
Peterson rallied the Trojans
Despite its struggles to finish drives, Evans finally got on the scoreboard when Peterson ran 14 yards around right end in the second quarter, breaking multiple tackles down the sideline.
He then showed his breakaway speed again in the fourth quarter on his 41-yard TD run, and finished with more than 80 yards rushing.
One of the best dual-threats quarterbacks in Central Florida, Peterson finished with more than 1,000 yards rushing this year.
Looking ahead
Apopka next takes on Seminole, which beat the Darters during the regular season.
“We just got to look at film and see what we need to improve on,” Robinson said.
