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Apopka defense roughs up Winter Park for region crown

UCF commit Kaven Call and Jeremiah Keaton post two sacks each, and Blue Darters offense solves Wildcats
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APOPKA, FLORIDA – Apopka succeeds because the Blue Darters stay relentless, and they hit their foes in waves.

Kaven Call and Jeremiah Keaton helped Apopka’s defense pressure Winter Park quarterback Aidan Warner, and the Blue Darters rode an improving offense past the Wildcats 28-7 Saturday in a Class 4Metro-Region 1 final.

The Blue Darters (9-3) advanced to their fourth consecutive state final. They will face Lake Mary, which upset Seminole, 12-8, in a Friday Region 1 final. The game is a rematch of a 21-7 Apopka victory in which the Blue Darters had to rally for a touchdown in the final minute.

Apopka running back Zeldrick Roberts ran for two touchdowns in the Blue Darters' 28-7 victory over Winter Park in their Class 4M-Region 1 semifinal Saturday.

Apopka running back Zeldrick Roberts ran for two touchdowns in the Blue Darters' 28-7 victory over Winter Park in their Class 4M-Region 1 semifinal Saturday.

“You enjoy this for a day or two days, then you get to work,” Apopka coach Jeff Rolson said. “Lake Mary’s going to be very good. I think it gives you confidence that we’ve turned the corner on the offensive side of the ball.”

Tyson Davison threw a touchdown out of the spread offense, completing 6 of 7 passes for 49 yards. Backup Kaleb Hicks ran for 118 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries out of the “Dirty Bird” single-wing offense.

Zeldrick Roberts also ran for two 1-yard touchdown runs for the Blue Devils.

“This game was all about adjustments,” Hicks said. “To win the game, we knew we had to adjust well.

“We work best when we can jump in and out of offenses. We go spread, then we go Dirty Birds.”

Winter Park offensive coordinator Kit Hill said the Wildcats faced a daunting challenge trying to stop the Blue Darters.

“We were trying to get some stunts, try to get penetration, trying to counteract what they’ve been doing years, going back to coach (Rick) Darlington when he was here,” said Winter Park offensive coordinator Kit Hill. “That thing is hard to stop, when they get rolling.”

Apopka’s defense made its presence felt from the first series. UCF commitment Kaven Call ended Winter Park’s first series with a sack. Call and Jeremiah Keaton each finished with two sacks, as the Blue Darters sacked Warner four times.

Call said the Blue Darters focused on Warner because of his big-play ability. They also kept an eye on Winter Park running back Amaris Shaw. He lauded Keaton.

“(Jeremiah)’s a dog,” Call said. “He’ll come off and hit someone in the mouth, and that’s what he did.”

Penalties also did in Winter Park. The Wildcats committed five penalties on Apopka’s first drive, including three that gave the Blue Darters first downs. That set up Roberts’ 1-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead.

Hicks set up a Blue Darters touchdown for a 14-0 lead. He followed a Winter Park three-and-out with a 63-yard run to the Winter Park 7. Two plays later, Roberts ran in his second 1-yard touchdown.

Amaris Shaw went sweep right for an 80-yard Winter Park touchdown. Shaw finished with 113 yards on 10 carries for the Wildcats.

However, Warner completed 8 of 21 passes for 79 yards, but was also picked off twice by Malachi Davey.

Rolson credited the coaches’ defensive game plan and his players’ “The secondary did a great job,” Rolson said. “For (Davey) to make those two picks on deep comeback or hitch routes proved he was playing with confidence. He wasn’t trying to bail out. That was great.

“We did have some pressure. Kaven’s a great player. Keaton has been playing on and off. He stepped up and made some great plays tonight.”

The Wildcats spent all their first-half timeouts in hopes of racing for a touchdown. However, Winter Park managed only a three-and-out, then gave possession back to Apopka at the Wildcats 39 with 1:07 left. Davison made the Wildcats pay, tossing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Jenkins with 32 seconds left and a 21-7 lead.

Apopka then gobbled 6:29 off the clock on its second-half-opening drive. Hicks capped that drive with the game’s final score, a 7-yard touchdown run.

Rolson said he wanted his team to keep the ball away from Warner to start the second half. “That was kind of a back-breaker for them, because they can score 21 points in five minutes,” Rolson said. “You just gotta be careful.”

That leaves Winter Park to ponder the contributions of a 25-strong senior class. Hill called them the best group of seniors he’s seen at Winter Park since he arrived in 2008.

He said head coach Tim Shifflet predicted life success for his seniors. He also said that the returnees see what they have to do to succeed at this level.

Apopka is trying to work for its fourth state title. The Blue Darters also have some playoff experience against Lake Mary. The Blue Darters defeated the Rams 8-6 in the 2020 Class 8A region finals – the only time the teams have played in the playoffs.

“We need to come in on Monday and focus on our craft and our work,” Keaton said. “Do it the Darter way all day.”