Game of the Week: Ocoee at West Port
West Port players run onto the field before their game against Vanguard during a football game at West Port High School in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.
Losing its first seven games, West Port only recently notched win number one on Oct. 22. The Wolf Pack bested district rival Evans 20-13 at home.
Hoping that last Friday’s success wasn’t a fluke, the Wolf Pack (1-7 overall, 1-1 in District 8A-3) will host another district rival in Ocoee tonight at 7 p.m., looking for win number two.
The Knights sport a 5-2 overall record and are currently 1-1 in the district. They also beat Evans on Oct. 15 to the tune of 30-23. Their one loss in the district came last Friday to Lake Brantley 36-33 on Oct. 22.
West Port also lost to Lake Brantley 21-14 on Oct. 1.
Among the Wolf Pack’s first seven losses include losses to Jesuit (35-0) on Aug. 27; Vanguard (21-0) on Sept. 3; North Marion (24-0) on Sept. 10; Forest (15-12) on Sept. 17; Hawthorne (52-20) on Sept. 24; and Apopka (44-0) on Oct. 15.
Ocoee won its first four games against Oak Ridge (31-0), Wekiva (14-13), Olympia (34-13) and East Ridge (51-0). It dropped a game to West Orange (28-0) on Oct. 11.
With only two games left in the regular season, West Port could end its 2021 campaign on a high note.
A win against the Knights tonight and a win against the Dunnellon Tigers on Nov. 5 (both games at home) could do a lot to help the Wolf Pack forget those first seven regular season games, while creating a new set of memories any prep football team would be proud to have.
Other prep football games on Oct. 29
Clay at North Marion (5-3) 7 p.m.
Vanguard (8-0) at Springstead 7:30 p.m.
Citrus at Dunnellon (6-2) 7:30 p.m.
Forest (3-5) at Buchholz 7:30 p.m.
Trinity Catholic (5-2) at Yulee 7:30 p.m.
Shorecrest Prep at Ocala Christian Academy (10-0) 7 p.m.
Bye Week
Belleview (7-2)