The Ocoee Knights protected their home turf in a dominant season-opening win Friday night, shutting out Apopka, 47-0.  

The Knights put on a historic performance, not only beating Apopka for the first time in over 20 seasons but beating them by more points than they ever have before. Ocoee piled up 307 yards of offense, forced three turnovers, and never allowed the Blue Darters inside the red zone as they cruised to one of their most lopsided wins in recent memory. 

Apopka head coach Marcus Neeson didn’t sugarcoat his team’s struggles. 

“We’ve got to execute,” Neeson said after the game. “The play-calling is there, the game plan is there, the blueprint is there, we just didn’t execute in any phase of the game.” 

Beyond the score, the spotlight belonged to senior quarterback Tyson Davison, who transferred to Ocoee over the summer after starting for three seasons at Apopka. Playing his first game against his former team, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound dual-threat QB delivered. The senior passed for 127 yards with three touchdowns, while adding 74 yards on the ground.  

Davison set the tone early. Ocoee’s opening drive went 11 plays, capped by a three-yard touchdown run up the middle from senior running back Nehemiah Burgess. After Apopka’s first possession stalled and led to a punt, Davison rolled out and found senior wide receiver Damar’eon Cawthon in the back of the end zone for a 24-yard score. A minute into the second quarter, Ocoee led 14-0 and seized control of the night. 

After going three and out, Apopka gave the ball to the Knights with great field position but would hold them to a field goal attempt. Looking for a momentum swing, the Blue Darters collapsed the line and blocked the kick, but the ball went out of bounds at the two-yard line.  

With two sacks already on the night, the Ocoee defense put on another huge rush to force a disastrous throw from Apopka’s Cody Owens. The pass landed in the hands of junior defensive back Kymani Fils-Aime, who only had to go five yards for a walk-in pick six with just 1 minute, 30 seconds in the half. 

But Ocoee was not done. After forcing another quick three-and-out, the Knights got the ball with 45 seconds left in the half. Davison wasted no time on a scramble play where he broke loose for 56 yards, getting tripped up by a diving Apopka defender at the 14-yard line. On the very next play, Davison threw a strike to a streaking Christyn Lingard for a touchdown right before the half to go up 28-0. 

The second half brought more of the same, and a running clock would start early. The Knights had constant pressure, forcing two more interceptions, including a 60-yard house call from senior safety Kendric Cidel. Senior running back Jayden Safford powered in a short touchdown late, after Davison’s third passing touchdown of the night via a screen pass to Cawthon for a 50-yard catch-and-run. The score mounted to 47-0 as the clock bled out. 

Davison showed no evidence of nerves against his old teammates. Calm, decisive, and explosive when he needed to be, he was the difference-maker that Apopka once leaned on but couldn’t stop Friday. 

Apopka finished the night with just one first down and 19 total yards. The best ball movement of the night came not from the offense but on special teams, when TJ Frazier returned a punt 16 yards late in the game. 

Neeson said accountability will be a key to his young team’s growth moving forward.  

“We’ve still got some ‘me’ guys on this roster,” Neeson said. “Not everybody’s cut out for football. 
Not everybody’s cut out to be a part of the team. We thought all the ‘me’ guys left, but we still have a few on the squad that they either need to get on the bus or get left behind.” 

When asked where Apopka must improve, Neeson emphasized that it’s across the board. 

“All three phases have to improve,” he said. “The kicking game wasn’t where it needed to be, our offense was nowhere near where it needed to be. We’re giving the ball away when we have opportunities on the field. Defensively, we’re not playing sound football or doing our responsibilities. That’ll get you a 47-0 ballgame. It sucks, but we’ll get better.”  

The Blue Darters (0-1) will have a week to regroup before hitting the road again, traveling to face Evans High School (0-1) in a non-district matchup on Friday, Aug. 30.