Cocoa, Merritt Island Lose Playoff Games

By  //  November 29, 2013

KICKOFF AT 7:30 P.M.

LIVE PREP FOOTBALL GAME COVERAGE: Tune into the Friday Night Locker Room’s live coverage as the Cocoa Tigers take on Booker T. Washington in Miami tonight at 7:30 p.m. Merritt Island is at Lake Wales for a 5A Regional finals game.

MIAMI CENTRAL 54, Heritage 3

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON 49, COCOA 10 (FINAL)

LAKE WALES 34, MERRITT ISLAND 23 (FINAL)

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 29 • Kickoff at 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Traz Powell Stadium, Miami, Florida
WHAT: 4A Sate Semifinals Finals

Booker T. Washington is ranked No. 1 in the nation, has a healthy QB returner in 4-star recruit Treon Harris and have dominated all comers this season.

PREP-FOOTBALL-435-LIVE-STREAM-PLAYOFFS
LIVE PREP FOOTBALL GAME COVERAGE: Tune into the Friday Night Locker Room’s live coverage as the Cocoa Tigers take on Booker T. Washington in Miami tonight at 7:30 p.m.

This team looks unbeatable on paper and on film. Booker T. Washington is well coached and are determined to win a state championship and a possible national championship.

Cocoa is ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, and dealing with injuries in the past two weeks. In what was an already daunting task, Cocoa will be without four starters as they face the No. 1 team in the nation.

Coach Wilkinson will have to figure out the Booker T. Washington puzzle after going 0-2 in the past two seasons. Wilkinson wouldn’t want it any other way as Cocoa lives off being David in these Goliath match ups. Having gone out of state and defeating Abilene Texas, another No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Cocoa knows it can be done.

Will history repeat itself? Will Booker T. Washington continue its dominance over Cocoa? Will Cocoa defeat another No. 1 team when no one in the country gives them a chance? Look for a lot of points to be scored in this one as both teams averaged over 40 points a game this season, but BTW pulls away late in the fourth quarter for the victory.

COCOA KEY PLAYERS: Freddie Booth-Lloyd (Sr. DT), James Folston (Sr. ILB), Chauncey Gardner (So. DB), Jamel Jackson (Sr. DB), Lane Burnett (Sr. DL), Tavares Parks (Sr. DL), Lor’renzo Pratt (Sr. RB), Bruce Judson (Fr. QB)

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON KEY PLAERS: Treon Harris (Sr. QB), Krondis Larry (Sr. RB), Mark Walton (So. RB), Lamar Parker (Sr. WR), Nigel Patten (Sr. DB), Jared Miller (Jr. OL), Osvelt Joseph (Sr. DL), Akeem Jackson (Jr. LB), Terrawn Mcphee (Sr. WR), Deltron Hopkins (Sr. WR), Tevin Evans ( Sr. DE), Deiontae Lynch (Jr. DT), Chad Thomas (Sr. DE)

PREDICTION: Booker T. Washington 40, Cocoa 27

MERRITT ISLAND @ LAKE WALES

Lake Wales 13, Merritt Island 7 2nd quarter

WHERE: Lake Wales, Florida
WHAT: 5A Regional Finals

Merritt Island is having one of its best season since 1979 and has the formula for a perfect season. Great defense, balanced offense and great special teams could lead them to a state championship.

Ty Schwab
Ty Schwab

Standing in the way is a Lake Wales team that was in this position last season in the Regional Finals. This season, Lake Wales hope to use that experience and capitalize on any mistakes thMustangs make.

Look for Lake Wales to try establish a running game in this one. That could be a tough task as Merritt Island has great upfront pressure and some talented LBs that can come up and stop the run. Merritt Island will also try to establish the run to set up pass routes later on down field.

Nick Smith
Nick Smith

Mustang QB Nick Smith will be the key to this game. If he continues to be efficient when called upon, this could give Merritt Island the edge it needs to move on.

The difference-maker in this game could be Railond Garrett. If he can keep Merritt Island out of the box by hitting some passes downfield, that could open up running lanes for its ground game. Look for Lakes Wales to take plenty of shots downfield to Markus Walker, Dedric Drinson and Eddie Joseph.

Merritt Island will use its balanced attack to win a close game and move on to the State Semifinals.

MERRITT ISLAND KEY PLAYERS: Ty Schwab ( Sr. LB), Shaq Jones (Sr. ATH), Nick Smith (Sr. QB), Johnny Batch (Sr. DB), P.J Kellem (Sr. DB), John Batch (Sr. ATH)

LAKE WALES KEY PLAYERS: Railond Garrett (Sr. QB), Darion Staten (Jr. DB), Ernest Hamilton (Jr. RB), Juston Henderson (Jr. RB), Dedric Brinson (Sr. WR), Eddie Joseph (Jr. ATH), Markus Walker (Jr. ATH)

PREDICTION: Merritt Island 28, Lake Wales 24