West Port loses to Ocoee 37-13 at home

West Port’s Deshawn Scott (4) looks for a way around Ocoee’s Joshua Guerrier (14) during a football game at West Port High School in Ocala, Fla. on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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Posted October 29, 2021 | By James Blevins
james@ocalagazette.com

Host West Port would score the final touchdown with only 31 seconds left on the clock in Friday night’s prep football game against visiting district rival Ocoee on Oct. 29, but it wouldn’t be enough.

The Knights held off the Wolf Pack 37-13 on the latter’s homecoming night. West Port’s record has moved to 1-8 overall and 1-2 in District 8A-3.

In the first quarter, the two teams traded punts for a bit until Wolf Pack senior quarterback Gavin Savino fumbled the football deep in his own territory and Ocoee would recover, already first and goal.

One play later, the Knights scored on a design run play up the middle at 2:24, making it 7-0 at the end of the first 12 minutes.

Ocoee would score on its first possession of the second quarter as well. Knights quarterback Jalen Joiner would connect with wide receiver Jacquez Cooks for the 30-yard reception touchdown at 10:48.

Kicker Ivan Ruiz missed the ensuing extra point, keeping it 13-0.

A little later, Joiner would find Ahlston Ware for a passing touchdown at 3:05 of the second quarter, putting the Knights up 19-0 after Ruiz missed another extra point.

Savino threw an interception on the Wolf Pack’s next possession, which the Knights would once again turn into points.

Joiner handed the ball to running back Charles Pierre, Jr., who ran the ball 25 yards to the house. He also scored the two-point conversion, giving Ocoee the 27-0 lead at the half.

Rain showers added slick conditions to the field before the third quarter started, but it also seemed to cool down a hot Knights team, who suddenly dropped their guard and allowed a desperate Wolf Pack to get some points for the first time in the game.

On its 11^th play of a long series, West Port scored at 4:27 of the third quarter when quarterback Savino danced around defenders on a keeper play, jogging into the endzone with little resistance.

After placekicker Kieran Ball kicked the extra point, the Wolf Pack were finally on the board and within reach of making it a football game, 27-7.

The Knights would possess the ball for the rest of the third frame, draining the clock. But on the first play to open the fourth quarter, Joiner would throw his one and only interception of the game to full safety Nate Rocker, Jr. at 11:51.

West Port would fail to convert the Rocker turnover into any points, though. Instead, Ocoee would score again anyway on its next possession after the Wolf Pack punted their turnover possession away.

Joiner would give the ball to Pierre for another rush touchdown at 8:40 of the fourth quarter. Pierre would also score another two-point conversion, giving the Knights a 35-7 lead.

On the Wolf Pack’s next possession, the Knights would block Savino’s punt, jumping on a loose ball in the end zone, forcing a safety and adding another two points to their commanding lead—37-7.

Korey Coats would score one final touchdown for West Port as time on the game clock trickled down like the misty rain that never truly stopped since halftime, but it was too little, too late for the Wolf Pack.

Ball would miss the extra point as well, leaving the score 37-13 in Ocoee’s favor.

West Port will next face the Dunnellon Tigers (7-2 overall record) in a non-district game—also the Wolf Pack’s season finale—on Nov. 5 at home. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.