Themes of youth, inexperience and consistently inconsistent play continued for the Wekiva Mustangs during a 65-0 loss to Oviedo on Friday, Sept. 29.

“I wish there was something new to talk about,” Wekiva coach Doug Gabriel said. “However, I can only reiterate what has been previously stated. We are playing as a young and inexperienced team is supposed to. From specific areas to the general, when consistency develops is far from concrete. Tonight the youth and inexperience carried from the previous contest, not consistency.”

Although Wekiva lost its previous contest to another state power, Dr. Phillips, the offense demonstrated progress, creating several scoring threats for the first time this season.

But against Oviedo (3-2), the Mustangs ran only one play from the Lions’ side of the field and gained just 69 yards before the last play of the game, when Landon Jerome ran for 40 yards. Jerome finished with 45 total yards, while Matthew Beacham picked up 42 to lead the Wekiva offense.

“When a team is young and inexperienced, progress and improvement is measured in small amounts as well as subtle,” Gabriel said. “Against the [Dr. Phillips] Panthers, we gave up 35 points and did not score. Progress was made specifically in the area of consistently moving the ball, though. Several scoring threats were created. Then tonight, we couldn’t even move the ball onto the opponent’s side of the field.”

Excellent starting field position for opponents haunting Wekiva throughout the contest remained consistent. Not including the last possession, the Lions’ worst starting field position was the Lions 46-yard line. Eight of Oviedo’s 10 possessions began on Wekiva’s side of the field. Oviedo needed only the first possession of the contest to score enough points for the victory.

The Lion offense moved from Wekiva’s 43-yard line into the end zone on four plays. Brock Joyce covered the last eight yards of the first possession on a rush around the right end. Joyce scored four touchdowns on the night as part of a nine-rush, 101-yard performance. DaShon Febres, Carmari Solomon, and Emiliano Galarza also scored touchdowns on rushes of seven, 25 and 24 yards, respectively. The other touchdowns were scored on a 23-yard pass from Sebastian Galeano to Kyle Olson and Solomon returning an interception 48 yards.

The Lions gained 324 total yards and picked up 16 first downs, compared to only six for the Mustangs. Fifteen seconds into the second quarter, Oviedo fumbled after taking possession at its own 46-yard line, but the momentum shift was only momentary. Wekiva gained only three yards on three rushes after recovering the fumble and was forced to punt.

“Throughout the season, carrying what is learned and repeated during practice has not consistently carried to the games,” Gabriel said. “Perhaps because of homecoming and the inability to adjust to the injuries or at least part of why, the focus needed to improve consistency, let alone win a game, was lacking tonight.”

Injuries have intensified the already daunting challenges facing the Mustangs. Their starting quarterback was on the junior varsity roster the week before and is the fourth different signal-caller the team has had so far this season. Injuries also sidelined both starting running backs during the first half of the first game.

Wekiva gets a much-needed bye this week after a 1-5 start to the season. The Mustangs will next take the field on the road against Evans on Friday, Oct. 10.