Apopka High School
November 10, 2006
Blue Darters 20, Timber Creek 0

By John Peery
Apopka Chief Staff

Win and advance. That’s the motto of the playoffs and the Apopka Blue Darters took it to heart Friday, November 10, as they overcame four turnovers and 14 penalties to down playoff neophyte Timber Creek 20-0 at Apopka’s Roger Williams Field in a first-round Class 6A playoff contest.

Timber Creek had a pair of crucial turnovers of its own, suffering a lost fumble and an interception in the first half after driving to inside the Apopka 10-yard line. “Turnovers in the red zone for them were a key,” Apopka coach Rick Darlington said.

Once again, the Blue Darters relied on defense and special teams to come up with the victory. Apopka allowed just 64 yards rushing, while the Wolves threw for 163 yards, but it took 37 pass attempts to get the job done.

There are three basic ways to score a touchdown – offense, defense, and special teams – and the Blue Darters took advantage of all three as Apopka scored on a quarterback sneak, a pass interception, and a kickoff return.

Timber Creek, like Apopka, came into the game with a solid reputation on defense. For the most part, that proved to be true as the Darters struggled to move the ball, especially in the second half. The total yardage numbers for the Blue Darters weren’t bad as they rushed for 229 yards, but more than half of that total – 133 yards – came on just three runs, one of them a fake punt.

But, the Apopka defense also held strong over the final two quarters as the Wolves had no serious scoring chances in the second half.

Timber Creek had the first scoring shot after picking off its 30th pass of the season. Apopka’s defense forced a 44-yard field goal try that was no good, but a roughing-the-kicker penalty gave the Wolves new life and they drove to the Apopka 6-yard line before Kyle Wilber recovered a fumble for the Blue Darters to snuff out the scoring threat.

That started a strange sequence in which there were three turnovers in four plays. Immediately following the fumble recovering, Apopka’s Travelle Davis scampered 65 yards, but on the next play, an Apopka fumble gave the ball back to Timber Creek at its own 25. Then, on the next play, Wilber caused another turnover by hitting the arm of quarterback Jonathan Jones as he threw a pass, causing the ball to flutter softly toward the Apopka defense where Jeremy Gallon picked off the pass and easily scored from 32 yards out. Robert Beary’s extra point gave the Darters a 7-0 lead with 5:11 left in the first period.

On Timber Creek’s next possession, the Wolves drove to the Apopka 10, but Derrick L. Clark picked a Jones pass at the 2-yard line. Not only did that interception end the scoring threat for Timber Creek, but it began a one for the Blue Darters. The 98-yard drive ended with a one-yard run by quarterback Andy Summerlin with 6:54 left in the first half and gave Apopka a 14-0 lead after Beary’s extra point.

Two big plays kept Apopka’s drive alive, including a late-hit penalty on Timber Creek on a third down play. That penalty turned a fourth-and-10 into a first down for Apopka, then two plays later, Summerlin connected with E.J. Gilmore on a 39-yard pass play that gave the Darters a first down at the Timber Creek 23.

Late in the first half, Beary was roughed as he was punting and took a helmet to his right (kicking) knee. He already was suffering from a torn MCL in his left knee. Beary did not kick anymore after his right knee was injured, but Ariel Pimenta came on and did a good job punting for the Blue Darters.

With Apopka hoping to get its offense untracked on its first possession of the second half, Reggie Haynes upstaged the offense by returning the second-half kickoff 90 yards for an Apopka touchdown. The extra point failed, but Apopka led 20-0 with just 13 seconds gone in the third period.

Both teams struggled on offense in the second half as the defenses dominated. Apopka had just two first downs in the second half, one of them on a 42-yard run by Gallon on a fake punt and the second was late in the game as Timber Creek began substituting.