By Marshall Tempest
Reporter
This week the Apopka flag football team overpowered the Mandarin Mustangs, 27-0, in the second round of the state championship tournament.
Last week, Apopka advanced to the Regional Semifinals of the 4A 2025 FHSAA Girls Flag Football State Championship Tournament after shutting out West Port, 41-0, in the quarterfinal round.
After their win over Mandarin, the Blue Darters sit at 15-1, ranked 15th in the state and the nation. Apopka is on a 10-game win streak and needs to extend it by just two more wins to make the state championship game.
The Blue Darters have been dominant in their last 10 games, outscoring their opponents 272-70 and posting five shutouts. Apopka also secured the district title last week with wins over Lake Brantley (34-0) and Ocoee (28-27).
Head coach Tanisha Wilson said the team’s aspirations have grown along with their winning streak.
“We accomplished our first goal for this season, which was winning districts,” Wilson said. “So now the goalpost has moved, and so the goal now is to win regionals and continue to make history. So, we’re really excited, but we’re also remaining humble as we continue.”
Apopka vs. Mandarin
Coming into the game, Mandarin had a 13-5 record and was ranked 62nd in the state and 66th in the nation. The Mustangs were also on a four-game win streak and had outscored their opponents 76-24 in those four wins.
Mandarin is a very strong offensive team, even stronger than Apopka on paper. The Mustangs had tallied over 5,000 passing yards this season coming into their matchup with Apopka.
The Mustangs had three receivers averaging 195.9 yards between them and a running back averaging 50 yards a game. Mandarin was averaging 253 passing yards and 56.7 rushing yards per game. The Blue Darters needed to focus on shutting down the passing game and force Mandarin to win on the ground. They did just that.
Mandarin started with possession and got two first downs quickly. But Jhenelle Francis, a linebacker on defense and Apopka’s quarterback, made a great read in coverage, snagging a pass and returning it for pick-six and the first points of the game. Apopka didn’t convert the extra point but held a 6-0 lead just minutes into the first quarter.
When Mandarin got the ball back, the Apopka defense didn’t give the Mustangs an inch, forcing them to punt deep inside their own territory. The Blue Darters bounced from the run to the pass effectively and made their way into the end zone with ease through the air. After converting the extra point, Apopka was up 13-0 as the first quarter ended.
Mandarin got possession back at the start of the second quarter, but Apopka’s Bria Parsons snagged another pick for the Blue Darters as they once again halted the Mustangs’ drive.
Late in the second quarter, Apopka took the ball and drove all the way to the red zone with ease before finding the back of the endzone. The Blue Darters were up 20-0 after a successful extra point as the first half ended.
In the second half, Apopka kept up its defensive showcase, shutting down more than one Mustang red zone drive and scoring another touchdown to close out the 27-0 win.
Francis facilitated every touchdown for the Blue Darters, whether through the air or on the ground. She was also a key defensive element in the shutout on defense.
Coming into the game, Francis was second in the nation in rushing this season with 1,733 yards, averaging 157.5 a game over 11 games. She also has collected 1,527 passing yards for an average of 138.8 yards per game.
“She’s our heart on both sides,” Wilson said. “She runs our offense, she runs our defense, and she contributes on both ends with picks and big plays. So she’s a field general.”
Apopka vs. West Port
Apopka outscored the West Port Wolves 14-0 in the first quarter and did not slow down, running away with a 41-0 win.
The Blue Darters scored two second-quarter touchdowns to take a 28-0 into the locker room, but they did not take their foot off the gas after the break. Apopka scored seven points in the third quarter and six in the second to win the game 41-0.
Apopka showed no weaknesses in this game, with their offense and defense in perfect rhythm.
Once again, Francis led Apopka to victory. She tallied 173 passing yards and three touchdowns, connecting on 6 out of 10 passing attempts for an average of 28.8 yards per completion. She also collected 172 rushing yards on 17 carries for an average of 10.1 yards a carry.
Kimora Polynice and Anabela Hart brought in the three touchdown passes for Apopka. Hart collected 120 yards on three receptions, two of which went for touchdowns. Polynice grabbed two receptions for 33 yards and a touchdown. Mackenzie Myerer brought in the only other reception for the team, which went for 20 yards.
The stout Apopka defense collected 27 tackles, one sack and one interception. Asia Jones, Francis, Sariyah Spain and Nashielys Vega each made five tackles to lead the defensive effort. Spain also logged one sack for a loss of seven yards.
Apopka’s Mikayla Wiggins collected the sole interception for Apopka but only got two yards before her flag was pulled.
Apopka vs. Spruce Creek
With the win over Mandarin, Apopka advanced to the regional final round of the state championship. The Blue Darters were set to face Spruce Creek High School (Port Orange) on Thursday after press time.
The Spruce Creek Hawks were an undefeated program sporting an 18-0 record ranked 25th in the state and the nation coming into the game. They are an extremely balanced team that has collected 3,208 passing yards and 2,518 rushing yards in 18 games.
They are also very strong on defense, only allowing 3.55 points per game this season. The Hawks are averaging 5.4 sacks per game and 2.4 interceptions.
With a win over Spruce Creek, Apopka’s next game would be on May 9 in Tampa at the Advent Health Training Center in Tampa, where one of the other three regional finalists will await.
Wilson said being two wins away from the state title game is very exciting.
“It feels amazing,” Wilson said. “We haven’t won state since 2004, so it’s almost been 21 years. So, to get back and continue to make history with these young ladies is special. I feel like they’re a special group with 15 seniors on the roster. So, I tell them, ‘Hey, you have an opportunity to, number one, make history as the biggest graduating football class, and then two, to come back and do something that hasn’t been done in 21 years.'”
