In a matchup of contrasting styles Friday, Tohopekaliga used its pass-heavy spread offense to take an early lead, but it was Orlando Christian Prep's clock-churning Wing-T formation run game that dominated the in a 35-28 win.
The matchup came together a couple weeks ago to replace the Tiger's Week 2 game against Fort Meade that a thunderstorm canceled. THS Coach Anthony Paradiso saw positives in how his players battled against a quality team.
"There's a lot of talent over there," he said of OCP. "We had some penalties and things not go our way, but the kids competed the whole way and gave themselves a chance to tie it late. I'm really seeing the change like that, from last year to this year."
The Warriors ranked No. 1 in Class 1M Region 1 in the FHSAA rankings, moved to 7-0. The Tigers, who can still earn a playoff spot and a District 4S-10 title with a win Oct. 27 against Osceola, is 4-2.
THS sophomore quarterback Sabby Meassick, who entered the game leading the state in passing yards and among the top 20 in the nation, was 26-of-45 through the air for a season-low 281 yards. His four touchdown passes accounted for all of Tohopekaliga's scores; three went to Julian Nasco (nine catches, 123 yards).
The game was tied at 14 after the first quarter despite Tohopekaliga's 29 offensive snaps to OCP's five. The Tigers led 14-0 before the Warriors offense touched the ball; Nasco scored on a 6-yard tunnel screen, then Kevin Mendez recovered an onside kick that turned into points when Meassick dropped a pass right in Nasco's hands in stride on a 41-yard scoring strike.
But OCP stormed right back and took the lead thanks to Anderson, who in the span of about 11 minutes of game clock scored on a 38-yard run, returned an interception 50 yards and gave them a 20-14 lead with another 42-yard gallop on a sweep.
Toho took the lead back when Messick dropped another pass into Delvin Pryor's hands for a 46-yard touchdown pass. But the Warriors used the final three minutes of the first half on a 60-yard drive, and OCP took a 26-21 lead into the half after Adryan Marayne scored on an eight-yard run.
OCP pushed the lead to 35-21 into the fourth quarter thanks to their ball-control offense. Nasco pulled in his third scoring catch, a 44-yarder, with 1:57 left, but the Tigers couldn't convert the ensuing onside kick.
The Tigers will look to regroup with a Week 8 Thursday game against Gulf Breeze (2-4).
