COCOA 41, ORLANDO JONES 6
Cocoa’s Javian Hawkins (3) and Zach Beagle (21) force a Jones fumble during Friday’s game.
Cocoa moved a step closer to its ninth consecutive district title with a 41-6 win over Jones in 5-4A. The Tigers had not played since Sept. 16, having lost one game to an opponent’s cancellation and another to Hurricane Matthew.
Both Lasedrick King and Javian Hawkins rushed for 118 yards, and the homestanding Tigers gained a combined 405 yards on the ground on homecoming night. King scored on a run of 4 yards, and Hawkins on a 63-yarder. Timmy Pratt rushed 4 yards for a touchdown, and quarterback Bruce Judson scored on a 1-yard keeper.
Alex Petruzzello kicked a pair of field goals, and Quneliuis Phillips scored on a 25-yard interception return.
— Brian McCallum, FLORIDA TODAY
PALM BAY 45, SPACE COAST 0
In Port St. John, B.J. Daniels ran for three touchdowns as Palm Bay dominated the District 14-5A game.
Daniels got the Pirates (6-0, 3-0) on the board early in the first quarter with a 13-yard run. He had a 17-run TD run in the second and a 5-yard run in the third.
Palm Bay’s defense was stout as Javonn Roberson returned an interception 28 yards for a TD, and Lino Odenat returned an interception 13 yards for a score.
Space Coast fell to 2-5, 0-3.
— John Shipley, for FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Palm Bay 45, Space Coast 0
MERRITT ISLAND 14, TITUSVILLE 12
The Mustangs set up next week’s showdown with Palm Bay for control of the District 14-5A race, holding off a Terriers fourth-quarter comeback.
Merritt Island led, 14-0, when the final period began. A blocked extra point put the Mustangs on strong footing and forced Titusville to go for 2 on its last touchdown. That also failed.
Mason Denaburg kicked a pair of field goals, and Jimmy Batch found Deben Peterson for a 52-yard Mustangs touchdown.
Merritt Island improved to 3-0 in 14-5A games, matching Palm Bay’s mark. The two play Friday at Palm Bay.
— Chris Bonanno, FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Merritt Island 14, Titusville 12
MELBOURNE CENTRAL CATHOLIC 52, JOHN CARROLL 17
In Melbourne, the Hustlers won their district championship with the big victory in 6-3A.
MCC stopped the visitors on fourth down five times in the early going, building momentum for the home team.
Joaquin Collazo threw four touchdown passes in the first half, and Lavonte Valentine ran for three of his own.
— Jim Ziarno, for FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Melbourne Central Catholic 52, John Carroll 7
ROCKLEDGE 68, SATELLITE 42
Jalen Mitchell scored on a 60-yard run, and that wasn’t all. He also went 2, 40 and 57 yards for touchdowns on a big night at McLarty Stadium in Rockledge.
The Raiders kept themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot with the win, improving to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in District 14-5A.
For Satellite, Alex Nicks scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 12 yards.
— Lyn Dowling, for FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Rockledge 68, Satellite 42
VIERA 55, MARTIN COUNTY 17
The Hawks took control of District 6-7A with the win at home.
Brandon Mays scored on a 2-yard run and a 35-yard interception return for Viera, which improved to 5-2 overall and 2-0 in the district. Martin County dropped to 1-1 in the four-team district.
With Viera leading, 21-10, late in the first half, Cortez Reid intercepted a pass and returned it to the Martin County 8-yard line. One play later, Jaren Lewis scored to put the Hawks up, 28-10.
Mike Vega had the long scoring play of the night, a 64-yard run.
Carl Kotala, for FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Viera 55, Martin County 24
EAU GALLIE 31, JENSEN BEACH 28
The Commodores stayed in the District 14-6A playoff race with a come-from-behind victory at home. Eau Gallie improved to 4-2 and 2-1.
Jack Gallo passed for 241 yards and ran for 66, accounting for a pair of touchdowns.
The Commodores trailed early, 21-6, but when Cordell Dzara scored on a 72-yard pass from Gallo, Eau Gallie took a 24-21 lead.
The team will now turn around to host Holy Trinity at 6 p.m. Monday in a non-district game. The contest was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew and is homecoming.
— David Barkholz, for FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Eau Gallie 31, Jensen Beach 28
SEBASTIAN RIVER 28, HERITAGE 7
The Panthers only score came in the opening period of this matchup of District 14-6A teams. Nicholas Barber scored on a 55-yard run.
Heritage dropped to 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in district play, where the Sharks took control with a 3-0 mark. Sebastian River is 6-0 overall and will host Bayside in a Monday makeup game.
The Panthers were one of just two teams to score on the Sharks this season.
— TCPalm
Week 8: Sebastian River 28, Heritage 7
SOUTH FORK 28, MELBOURNE 10
The Bulldogs of both South Fork and Melbourne went to halftime with the game scoreless in District 6-7A play.
Ben Baldwin connected on a 36-yard field goal to get the home team, Melbourne, on the scoreboard first.
Shannon Birks scored on a 43-yard run for the home team, and he gained 83 yards on five attempts.
Melbourne hosts Bayside next week.
— Tyler Vazquez, FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: South Fork 28, Melbourne 10
LAKE HIGHLAND PREP 55, ASTRONAUT 14
In Titusville, the two teams combined for nine turnovers on a wet night.
Daryl Ford made a splash play for the War Eagles, intercepting a pass and returning it 60 yards for a touchdown.
Astronaut gained 171 yards on the ground in the defeat, and Kamauri Johnson scored on a 53-yard run.
— Patrick Edens, for FLORIDA TODAY
Week 8: Lake Highland Prep 51, Astronaut 14
JORDAN CHRISTIAN 33, COCOA BEACH 15
The Minutemen scored all of their points in the second half in the loss at home.
Cocoa Beach fell to 2-4 and will host Father Lopez of Daytona Beach next week.
Week 8: Jordan Christian 13, Cocoa Beach 0 (2nd quarter)
MASTER’S ACADEMY 21, MERRITT ISLAND CHRISTIAN 14
The Cougars came closer to their first win of the season than they had in their previous games.
In fact, the game was tied before the Oviedo-based Master’s scored with 1:33 to play.
Steven Williams scored in the first period for MIC, and Forrest Schrack added a touchdown in the third.
Week 8: Master’s Academy 21, Merritt Island Christian 14
OKEECHOBEE 42, BAYSIDE 21
In Palm Bay, the Bears took an early lead on a Joel Dorjuste touchdown, but the visiting Brahmans took a 21-7 lead before the opening quarter ended.
Okeechobee is in the thick of the District 14-6A race with a 6-1 record overall and a 2-1 district mark.
Bayside will play two games in five days in the coming week. On Monday, the Bears visit Sebastian River for a makeup game, and they’ll play at Melbourne on Friday.
— TCPalm