Apopka High School
Oct 19, 2007
Blue Darters 48, Olympia 22

By John Peery
Apopka Chief Staff

Rushing for a season-high 429 yards, the Apopka Blue Darters on Friday, October 19, took another step closer to a district championship in recording coach Rick Darlington’s 100th career victory, a 48-22 win over the Olympia Titans.

Apopka (7-1 overall, 3-0 Dist. 6A-4) outscored Olympia 27-7 in the second half in handing Darlington his 100th career victory in 141 games.

“I wouldn’t want to be the coach anywhere else,” Darlington said after the game. “They’ve been real sweet wins.” With the coaches and fans gathered around the team on the Olympia field after the game, Apopka High Principal Bill Floyd presented Darlington with a game ball to commemorate the milestone victory.

“I’m ecstatic and happy he’s at our school,” Floyd said about Darlington after the presentation. “He’s the complete package. Rick does it while doing what’s best for our kids on and off the field.”

On the field, the Blue Darters started slowly, but another outstanding performance by junior quarterback Jeremy Gallon led the way for Apopka, rushing for 193 and three touchdowns on 25 carries. He also had a momentum-shifting 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and added a 9-yard touchdown pass to Carmeiras Stewart for good measure.

“He’s been running the ball well for us all year,” Darlington said.
With just 46 yards this week against East Ridge, Gallon will break the 1,000-yard barrier. Over the past four games, he has led a resurgent Apopka rushing attack. Over those four games, Gallon has rushed for 675 yards and 12 touchdowns, three in each game.

As a team, the Darters have gained 1,500 in the past four games.
Apopka had a great chance to get on the board early when Derrick Clark picked off an Olympia pass on the first play of the game, giving Apopka the ball on the Olympia 36. But Olympia’s defense and a critical Apopka penalty forced the Darters to punt.

On its second possession, however, Apopka got on the board, driving 54 yards in 11 plays. The scoring drive featured two fourth-down conversions, including a fake punt on which Gallon ran for 17 yards to the Olympia 15. Three plays later, Jeremy Rouse, sprung by a great block by wideout Caleb Nelson, scampered 11 yards for the touchdown. Travelle Davis ran in the 2-point conversion, giving Apopka an 8-0 lead with 16 seconds remaining in the first period.

Olympia tied the game midway through the second period when sophomore quarterback Trevor Siemian found junior receiver Tony Grandison in the back of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown on third-and-8. Siemian ran the ball in to tie the game at 8-8 with 6:04 left in the second period.

But, that would be the last time that Olympia was even with the Blue Darters as Gallon fielded the kickoff at the 5-yard line, found a huge hole up the middle, then cut left and outran the Olympia kickoff team to the end zone. The 2-point conversion try failed and Apopka led, 14-8, with 5:49 left in the second period.

A second interception by Clark set up the next Apopka score, as the Darters quickly drove 71 yards. The drive ended with Gallon’s 9-yard pass to a leaping Stewart. Jon Beary’s extra point gave the Darters a 21-8 lead with 1:55 left in the second period.

Apopka looked to add to its lead with the first possession of the third quarter, but a successful onside kick to open the second half led to Olympia tightening the game when Mike Bridges ran 10 yards for the score. The extra point made things a little uneasy on the Apopka sideline as the Darter lead was now 21-15 with 8:17 left in the third period.

But the Apopka offense began putting up some big numbers on the ground, driving 70 yards in 10 plays to score. Gallon ran 24 yards for the score and Beary’s extra point gave the Darters a 28-15 lead with 3:25 left in the third period.

Apopka’s defense gave up a couple of first downs, but then forced a turnover on downs, giving the Apopka offense the ball at the Blue Darter 33. Again, Gallon ended the drive with a scoring run, this time of 25 yards. Beary added the extra point and Apopka led, 35-15, with 10:31 left in the fourth period.

Olympia turned an Apopka fumble into a touchdown when Siemian hit junior tight end Ryan Hall on a 4-yard pass for a touchdown. The extra point pulled the Titans to within 35-22 with 8:23 left in the fourth quarter.

The Darters turned the tables on the Titans when defensive lineman Deiontae Payne sacked Siemian, forcing a fumble that Steve Dorn recovered and returned to the Olympia 42. Three plays later, Gallon scored his third rushing touchdown of the game. The extra point was no good and Apopka had breathing room with a 41-22 lead with 4:35 left in the fourth.

Davis got Apopka’s final score of the game with 2:18 left in the contest on a 12-yard run. Beary’s extra point provided the final margin of 48-22.

Darlinton is second in wins total in 75 years of Apopka football. His record is 53-15 at Apopka. He is in his sixth season as Apopka’s coach.

First on the Apopka wins list is Chip Gierke, who coached the Blue Darters from 1978 to 1994. He was 128-56 at Apopka High. Gierke is now the defensive coordinator for Apopka rival Edgewater, his alma mater.