By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

While Harmony’s players didn’t play any overtime, they certainly earned some overtime pay during the season opener last week.

After waiting until after 9 p.m. for Citrus High to arrive from Inverness – its bus got lost somewhere south of Lakeland – the Longhorns played deep, deep into the night. By 11:45 p.m., the clock finally ran out on a 15-7 victory that got Coach Jerrad Butler’s coaching tenure off to a positive start.

“I’m just happy we were able to play four quarters,” Butler said. “It was tough on the kids, to warm up and get amped up and then having to bring them back down.

“We went back inside to get them off their feet and we let them, well, just be kids for a little bit.”

When the game finally started, Citrus, 0-1, blocked a second-quarter punt that it fell on in the end zone for a touchdown.

After that, led by its defense and the five turnovers it created, the Longhorns, 1-0, made it their game. Prior to halftime, Glenn Hughes forced a fumble that Tristan Corbett fell on at the Hurricanes’ 30. Three plays later, Michael Santiago took a pitch 13 yards to the end zone to tie it.

As an encore, Santiago took the second-half kickoff 87 yards for another touchdown and a lead that the Longhorns never surrendered.

“It wasn’t all wonderful, but I thought we played real well on defense,” Butler said. “I was proud after their response last week (Kickoff Classic loss to First Academy) and they swarmed to the ball and forced some turnovers.”

Butler said the offense still is a work in progress.

“We moved it in some stretches between the 20s, so it’s getting better,” Butler said.

Harmony hits the road to take on Merritt Island (1-0), who dismantled Port St. Lucie Centennial, 26-9, last week, at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The Mustangs, a Class 5A school, are ranked 10th in the state at that level by FloridaHSFootball.com. They are a traditional power, and that’s no different this year, Butler said.

“They’re a typical Merritt Island team, good skill kids, physical guys up front and speed on defense,” he said. “It’s a good challenge, but our kids will be ready. We had a really good practice on Monday, and that’s saying something for Labor Day.”