By Kyle LoJacono
The Land O’ Lakes football team’s chances to return to the playoffs took a serious hit Sept. 28, falling at home to Class 6A-District 6 rival Springstead 20-7.
The loss puts the Gators (1-3) down 0-2 in 6A-6 play with just five district contests to go.
To make matters worse, Land O’ Lakes’ two losses come to Hernando and the Eagles (5-0), which are both 2-0 in the league, giving both squads the advantage against the Gators if tiebreakers come into play for the postseason.
The game was one of false starts for Land O’ Lakes, as every step forward was quickly followed by several paces backward.
The Gators got good news before the contest, as senior running back Harrison Wood returned after missing a game because of a shoulder injury suffered in a 49-7 loss at Pasco in Week 2.
The positive momentum was short-lived, as Land O’ Lakes lost starting quarterback Ethan Weilant with an injured right shoulder, his throwing arm, after its third drive of the contest.
Weilant, a sophomore, said he originally hurt the shoulder in the last play of the Gators’ game at Hernando on Sept. 21, which prevented him from practicing all week.
Sophomore James Pensyl (7-of-20, 104 yards) replaced Weilant and completed two of his first four passes for 14 and 15 yards, respectively, but any offensive momentum didn’t last long. Land O’ Lakes recorded only seven first downs in the contest and scored no offensive points.
Second-year Gators coach Brian Wachtel said Pensyl showed flashes of being a legitimate quarterback, but has areas to improve.
“He had some nice passes, but I think he needs some more experience,” Wachtel said. “I think with any player the more reps you get the better you get. We’re waiting to see the status on Ethan’s shoulder, and James came out tonight and played for us. I look for him to continue to improve.”
The Eagles kept their offensive attack on the ground, with 51 of their 73 plays being runs.
Springstead’s offense gained 226 of its 350 yards on those rushing attempts, but the Gators defense didn’t appear to wear down in the hot conditions.
In fact, Land O’ Lakes gave up only five plays of 10 or more yards after halftime and forced a pair of turnovers after the break.
The first takeaway happened when junior defensive end Shaheed Salmon scooped up a fumble with 2:07 left in the third quarter on the Eagles’ 18-yard line.
The Gators were in prime position to score, and did just that on a 9-yard pass to senior Nathan Randall, but the touchdown was called back on an illegal shift penalty.
Pensyl threw an interception on the next play.
Land O’ Lakes’ defense forced a three-and-out on Springstead’s ensuing drive. The punt attempt was blocked by sophomore safety Kamal Wells, which was snagged by senior linebacker/wide receiver Kyle Forchoin in the Eagles’ end zone with 11:10 remaining in the game for the home team’s only score.
“Football is a game of execution,” Wachtel said. “We’re going to get in tomorrow morning and find areas where we can improve our execution and teach the kids. That’s what our job is, and that’s what our goal is.”
The Gators hosts Mitchell, the squad Wachtel coached for two seasons, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. The Mustangs are 1-1 in 6A-6 play.
