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WEEK 1 SCOREBOARD: Merritt Island Mustangs Make History With 44-19 Victory Over Cocoa Tigers, First Win Over Cocoa Since 2008

By  //  August 22, 2026

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WATCH LIVE: Cocoa Hosts Rival Merritt Island in Week 1 of 2026 High School Football Season

WATCH LIVE: Cocoa Hosts Rival Merritt Island in Week 1 of 2026 High School Football Season

After last season’s dramatic double overtime game, Cocoa and Merritt Island rivalry has renewed. The Mustangs felt like they should have won that game, and have waited entire year to get another shot at the Tigers. Tune in to the Space Coast Daily Youtube and Facebook pages for free live broadcast of the game.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Merritt Island opened the 2026 high school football season with a statement victory Friday night, defeating rival Cocoa 44-19.

The highly anticipated Week 1 showdown began much later than expected after severe weather delayed kickoff for approximately 90 minutes.

The delay started just as the teams were preparing to take the field, but the rainy conditions did little to slow down a dominant Merritt Island rushing attack.

Every offensive touchdown scored by the Mustangs came on the ground Friday night.

Junior Zaylan Chapple rushed for two touchdowns, while seniors DeShaun Thomas and Alain Adams helped Merritt Island control the game against one of the state’s premier programs.

The Mustangs carried a 21-12 advantage into halftime after Adams scored on a 9-yard touchdown run for the final points of the opening half.

Merritt Island continued to pull away after the break.

Thomas scored back-to-back rushing touchdowns to open the second half, extending the Mustangs’ lead and putting Cocoa in a difficult position.

Sophomore Elijah Mitchell then delivered the decisive play, intercepting a pass and returning it 96 yards for a touchdown to put the game away.

Thomas finished with two rushing touchdowns, while Chapple added two more and Adams scored once.

The victory gave Merritt Island a 1-0 start and marked a significant moment in the rivalry, ending Cocoa’s win streak over Merritt Island spanning across 18 years.

Cocoa begins the season 0-1 and will look to rebound when the Tigers host Fort Pierce Central on Aug. 28.

The Mustangs will face another difficult test next week when they travel to take on Melbourne on Aug. 28, who defeated Heritage 35-10 on Friday.