FULL STORY: Mistakes derail Thunder

LAKEWOOD RANCH — It was not the start The Out-of-Door Academy expected.

ODA entered its district rivalry game versus Fort Myers Evangelical Christian School Sept. 30 filled with momentum, as the host Thunder looked to avenge last season’s 28-24 loss to the Sentinels.

But before the ODA offense even took the field, the Thunder found itself trailing by three touchdowns less than five minutes into the first quarter. Those three touchdowns, along with four turnovers and nearly a dozen penalties, proved to be too much for ODA to overcome as the Thunder fell to the Sentinels 35-14.
With its second straight loss, the Thunder fell to 2-2 in Class 2A-District 6 and now is tied with First Baptist Academy and Moore Haven for third place with three district games remaining.

But ODA coach Brett Timmons is optimistic his players will overcome last Friday’s setback.

“We’ll respond,” Timmons said. “We know that we’ve got to win every game from here on out. Hopefully, if we take care of business, we will see them in the second round, and it’ll be a different outcome.”

After watching Evangelical Christian cap off a seven play, 70-yard drive with a 35-yard touchdown reception on its opening possession, ODA’s offense eagerly awaited its chance to take the field.

But it would be another two minutes before the Thunder offense would get its opportunity. Following the opening touchdown, the Sentinels recovered a long onside kick on the ODA 19-yard line. Three plays later, Sentinels quarterback Tyler Viens connected with Jordan Phillips for a 22-yard touchdown.

Evangelical Christian lined up for another long onside kick. Once again the Sentinels recovered — this time at the ODA 29. Two plays later, Viens connected with Phillips for a 25-yard score on the same exact route, extending Evangelical Christian’s lead to 20-0 with 7:26 remaining in the first quarter.

“That’s the story of the game right there — mistakes,” Timmons said. “They live off of big plays, and that’s what we kept giving them. Guys are caught up in the moment, hyped up and not focusing.

“We put so much on it,” Timmons said. “I don’t know if guys were too hyped and trying to make the play.”

But ODA’s problems didn’t end with the onside kicks. Late in the second quarter, the Thunder — which was without senior playmaker Brian Ragone, running back Christos Eraclides and a host of other players — had three touchdowns called back by penalties within a six-play span.

It wasn’t until sophomore running back Demardre Patterson punched the ball in from 5 yards out with 32 seconds remaining in the first half that ODA finally got on the scoreboard.

ODA appeared on the verge of pulling within a touchdown on its opening drive of the second half, but the 14-play drive was cut short when quarterback Evan Wilson was intercepted in the end zone.

Trailing 28-7, the Thunder cut the Sentinels lead in half on Patterson’s 13-yard run with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter, but a fumble and a pair of interceptions in the fourth quarter derailed ODA’s hopes of a comeback.

“Every time we get a chance to knock on the door, our youth or inexperience showed up,” Timmons said.
Now on its bye week, ODA will spend time working on the fundamentals as well as trying to get some of its players healthy for the remainder of the season, including TD Dietrich, who left the game with a concussion.

ODA returns to non-district action at 6 p.m. Oct. 14, versus Dade Christian School.

“The bye comes at a crucial time for us,” Timmons said. “We’ll go back to the drawing board, get some guys healthy, and we’ll be alright. We’ll be fine.”

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].

GAME STATS
Evangelical Christian School, 35
The Out-of-Door Academy, 14

ECS    20 0 8 7 — 35
ODA    0   7 7 0 — 14

First Quarter
EC — Colby Lynch 35 pass from Tyler Viens (John Lunsford kick good), 9:18
EC — Jordan Phillips 22 pass from Viens (Lunsford kick), 8:01
EC — Phillips 25 pass from Viens (kick failed), 7:26

Second Quarter
ODA — Demardre Patterson 5 run (Sean Kirshe kick), 32.8

Third Quarter
EC — Phillips 43 pass from Viens (Lynch two-point conversion good), 4:33
ODA — Patterson 13 run (Kirshe kick), 1:59

Fourth Quarter
EC — Viens 3 run (Lunsford kick), 10:49