While the Brandon Eagles (2-7) struggled to wrap up their 38-20, mistake-filled, second victory of the season against Plant City, history was being made just a few miles down the road at Newsome High School as the Wolves battled their visiting rival, the Bloomingdale Bulls for the 5A-District 7 Title.
While there was noone who could possibly have predicted the outcome of such a lineup, there could only be one district champion. The bulls fought hard and ended a winning season the program has not seen since its start.
Unfortunately, the effort was not enough for Bulls coach Jason Stokes to claim victory as Newsome defeated Bloomingdale 31-10, claiming its first district title in program history and securing itself a spot in the playoffs.
Promising to be a close game the first half did not have much to claim in big plays. Besides Newsome’s Tony Zaccario’s 28-yard field goal and Bulls’ quarterback Anthony Beko’s injury just before the half, there was not much more going on. But things suddenly changed, thanks to the Wolves’ Keller Powers’ 87 yard kickoff return for a touchdown, leading both teams to the locker room with 10-3 on the scoreboard in the Wolves’ favor.
Newsome began the second half marching 76 yards on 11 plays, ending it with a four-yard touchdown run by Trent Cornwell, widening the gap to 17-3. The Bulls answered back with a touchdown on their own with an impressive 71-yard drive down the field, closing the gap.
But that was all the Bulls could do for the rest of the night. Newsome’s Matt Dinneny intercepted a pass returning it for a 32-yard touchdown. Newsome’s Conner Powers sealed the championship title for the Wolves on a one-yard plunge with less than a minute-and-a-half left in the game.
For more information about the Wolves or the Bulls, please visit www.highschoolsports.net or www.maxpreps.com.
