Photo by Dana O'Connor
Key Points
- Wekiva’s unbeaten start to the season came to an end with lopsided loss.
- Head coach Ashton Watts cited discipline issues and personnel changes as challenges before the game.
After cruising through its first two games, Wekiva ran into trouble against West Orange on Friday night.
West Orange (3-0) scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and never looked back, handing the Wekiva Mustangs their first loss of the season, 59-6, in Winter Garden.
Wekiva entered the matchup 2-0 after big wins against Cypress Creek, 52-0, and Lake Buena Vista, 56-6, outscoring its first two opponents 108-6.
Head coach Ashton Watts said the Mustangs had to make personnel changes after discipline issues arose during the week.
“We’re going to always be for the program,” Watts said. “Some guys had to sit due to team issues. I’m not using that as an excuse, but that was a bump in the road for us.”
Wekiva won the opening coin toss and deferred, which West Orange immediately used to its advantage.
Running back Jayden Ammons moved West Orange downfield with runs of 24 and 10 yards. Quarterback Andrew Chung then found Jase Gibson for an 8-yard touchdown to put the Warriors ahead 7-0.
Wekiva fumbled on its first possession, giving the ball right back to West Orange. Ammons finished the ensuing drive with a 3-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead.
Wekiva’s next drive stalled, and West Orange only needed one big play to add to the lead. Chung connected with Yuto Kawamura-Johnson down the right sideline for a 61-yard touchdown with 3:37 left in the first quarter.
Freshman quarterback Ty’Rance Cook took a deep shot on Wekiva’s next possession, but West Orange intercepted the pass. Wekiva’s defense held the Warriors to a field goal to make it 24-0.
Wekiva’s turnover problems carried into the second quarter.
Cook fumbled, and junior linebacker Matheus Kaminski Cordeiro recovered at the Wekiva 11-yard line. Senior Keemarien Welch scored on a 2-yard run shortly afterward to make it 31-0.
A botched punt snap on Wekiva’s next possession sailed into the end zone, where Kaminski Cordeiro recovered it for another touchdown and a 38-0 West Orange lead.
Chung and Kawamura-Johnson connected again late in the half, this time for a 42-yard touchdown strike, but West Orange wasn’t finished.
Junior defensive back Corey Glenn picked off senior quarterback Dominick Sanguine and returned it for a touchdown, giving West Orange a 52-0 halftime lead.
The margin triggered a running clock throughout the second half.
Another Wekiva fumble led to a 10-yard touchdown run for West Orange, but the Mustangs finally found the end zone on its ensuing possession. Senior Landon Jerome broke loose for a 41-yard run before Cook connected with senior Reshard Ricketts for an 18-yard gain.
Cook eventually ran in from four yards out for the Mustangs’ only touchdown.
Watts said Wekiva needs to be better prepared when players are unavailable.
“We fought through adversity, and we got to be ready to have the next man up, and that’s kind of our motto,” Watts said. “So I think we just got to do a better job of preparing to have the next man ready to go.”
When asked what he wanted his players to take away from the loss, Watts pointed to one thing.
“Humility,” Watts said. “We just got to buckle down and just do what we do best.”
Next week, Wekiva will travel to Windermere to take on the 1-2 Wolverines at 7 p.m. Thursday.
