Tohopekaliga used a run-heavy ball-control offense Friday to win a neighborhood tussle with Gateway, 14-10.
It's the first time the two have met in the regular season since THS opened in 2018.
Quarterback Kam Davis-Roberts scored on a pair of 6-yard TD runs in the first half, and the Tigers got enough big defensive players to prevent a Panthers comeback.
It's the redemption story of the week in Osceola County; the Tigers (1-1) got blown out by Lake Minneola just seven days prior.
"The kids played had and they knew they had to get better after last week," THS Coach Jeff Higgins said. "It's not where we want to be, it's not about today, but tonight our score was the higher one."
Toho employed a one-back, two-tight end set most of the game, with Davis-Roberts often under center. Davis-Roberts (12 carries, 47 yards), Yaniel Ortiz (18-60), Luis Rivera (10-43) and Dillon Harrell (4-30) combined to pound out 180 rushing yards, enough for a win.
"We thought we could wear them down. It wasn't the prettiest, but it got the job done," Higgins said.
After recovering a fumble on the opening possession of the game, the Tigers took the lead when Davis-Roberts ended a six-play, 27-yard drive with his first score.
Tohopekaliga doubled the lead after forcing a Gateway (0-1) punt. Daunte Riggins returned it 50 yards to the Panthers' 20, setting up Davis-Roberts' other TD run.
The Panthers, who managed a safety late in the second quarter on a wayward Toho punt snap, pulled within 14-10 with 48 seconds left in the third quarter on Ishmael Sesay's 19-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion.
In the fourth quarter, with Tohopekaliga driving, Gateway's LaQuavious Pinellas intercepted a pass, and Elijah Simmons recovered a fumble. But the Tiger defense bowed up and kept the Panthers, playing for the first time this year after their Kickoff Classic and season opener against Celebration were canceled due to COVID-19 contact tracing, from getting a go-ahead score.
Next week, Tohopekaliga hosts Osceola, a 22-21 loser at Cocoa Friday, and Gateway hosts Liberty, who sat out Friday due to contact tracing.
