Inside UCF’s Nicholson Fieldhouse on Monday evening, the Wekiva football program continued its summer development during a 7-on-7 tournament filled with teams from across Florida.  

Although weather altered the schedule and prevented Wekiva from playing its fourth pool-play game, the Mustangs showed flashes of promise throughout the evening behind the play of quarterback Dominick Sanguine and a stout defense led by senior linebacker Jaylyn Noel. 

Teams earned three points for a win and one for a tie. The top four teams from each pool advanced to a 16-team playoff bracket. 

Games were played in a pass-only format on a 40-yard field, with teams given three downs to reach a first down and four more to score. Quarterbacks had four seconds to throw, and touchdowns were worth six points. 

Wekiva opened pool play against Freedom and moved the ball efficiently on its opening drive. Sanguine connected with Givonny Bufford and Deandre Adams before finding Bakary Manley across the middle for 17 yards to set up a goal-line opportunity. The drive stalled inside the 10-yard line, but the Mustangs quickly responded after forcing a defensive stop. 

Sanguine found Manley downfield before connecting with him again for the game’s first touchdown. He then delivered a pass to Bufford in the back of the end zone for the extra-point conversion and a 7-0 lead. 

The Mustang defense made several key plays throughout the contest. Sophomore linebacker Deandre Payne sprinted across the field to break up what appeared to be a sure touchdown, while Noel stepped in front of a crossing route for an interception that energized the sideline. 

After a turnover on downs late in the game, Freedom scored with the clock winding down and converted a two-point attempt from the 10 to steal the victory. Wekiva shook it off and went right into its second game against Oak Ridge. 

The defense wasted little time making an impact as Noel intercepted a pass on Oak Ridge’s opening play. Wekiva capitalized moments later when Sanguine found Dominique Walker for a touchdown and added the extra point for an early advantage. 

After the defense forced multiple stops near the goal line, Sanguine connected with Adams on a deep pass down the sideline before tossing a jump-ball touchdown that Adams came down with in traffic. Walker added the extra-point conversion on a route that shook his defender as Wekiva secured a 14-0 victory. 

Noel’s pair of interceptions highlighted a strong day for the senior linebacker, who has embraced a leadership role on a relatively young roster. 

“I’m just trying to lead by example and motivate the guys to be the best they can be both on and off the field,” Noel said. 

Noel credited preparation and trust in his teammates to his success on defense. 

“Just dropping back knowing my coverage, trusting my guys’ call-outs and trusting in my instincts,” he said. 

Wekiva’s final game came against Eau Gallie. The Mustangs struggled to find offensive rhythm as Eau Gallie capitalized on several explosive plays to earn the victory. Despite the result, the defense continued to battle, with Braylen Bouie breaking up a fade attempt in the end zone and the Mustangs forcing multiple incompletions throughout the contest. 

For head coach Ashton Watts, the biggest takeaway was the progress his team made compared to previous summer outings. 

“We’ve been kind of changing our word for the summer to be urgency,” Watts said. “I feel like the boys kind of answered the call today. We moved around a lot better than we did previously on Monday. So it’s all about progression.” 

Watts believes summer competitions like 7-on-7 events are valuable opportunities for a team continuing to develop chemistry and confidence. 

“These sessions help a lot,” Watts said. “We do a lot of weight room work, but whenever we’re able to get out on the field and kind of jell, 7 on 7 actually helps us. It gives us some camaraderie. It gives our kids a chance to be together, give us a reason to put it all together. So, I think we do a good job of jelling and coming together with these sessions.” 

He also pointed to Noel and senior Avante Scott as leaders who have emerged throughout the offseason. 

“There’s 100% some guys who have stepped up,” Watts said. “Guys like Jaylyn Noel, who had two interceptions today, and Avante Scott, are definitely our leaders on defense. And I feel like the defense has to be the heartbeat of our team. Those two are guys who really stand out for me right now.” 

While the weather-shortened tournament prevented the Mustangs from making a push for the elimination bracket, Wekiva left UCF with signs of progress, emerging leadership and continued growth as preparations for the 2026 season continue.