Week 5 in Brevard County finally gave us some competitive games. Our own Alan Zlotorzynski said he expected things to balance out a bit, and they did just that.
In the Brevard Sports Network game of the week, it was a battle of undefeated teams with No. 4 Viera playing host to No.1 Cocoa. The Tigers handed the Hawks their first loss of the season.
Cocoa 36, Viera 10
This was a close game in the first half with the teams trading touchdowns early. D.J. Arroyo found Jmariyae Robinson for a 65-yard hookup, giving Cocoa a 7-0 lead. After a partial punt block, Viera took advantage of good field position and tied it at seven with CJ Simms finding Cohen Graham-Johnson, who made a couple of moves and broke a tackle, fighting his way into the end zone.
Viera’s Zak Sedaros blocked a field goal to keep the game tied and then came up with an interception return that saw him go 90 yards in the other direction, down to the 1-yard line. The Hawks managed only a field goal and led 10-7. That was significant at the time because it was the first time the Tigers trailed this season. Nick King would change that as his 38-yard field goal tied the game at 10 with 3:36 to go in the first half.
An O.J. Ross 17-yard run gave Cocoa a 16-10 lead with 58.2 seconds left in the half and the Tigers took control in the second half, thanks to three straight Viera turnovers. A Cedrick Hawkins interception stalled a Hawks drive at the two-yard line.
DaDa White got in on the action with an interception of his own on the next Hawks drive and that led to a Davis Mallinger 27-yard touchdown reception, to make it 23-10. Arroyo got his third touchdown pass of the night when he found Ross from nine yards out for the final score of the night.
We are sending best wishes to Austin Smith of Viera, who was injured during Friday Night’s game.
With that, Cocoa moved to 4-0 and Viera fell to 3-1.
Astronaut 21, MCC 0
It was the Abreon Torres show again on Friday night, as Astronaut (5-0) got a key victory over the Hustlers. At the halftime break, Torres carried the ball 23 times for 161 yards. He had the only touchdown of the half, a 92-yard score. He then ripped off a 69-yard run 1:05 into the third quarter, giving the War Eagles a 14-0 lead.
An interception return by Ricky Davis made it 21-0 with 3:50 to go in the game. The win kept Astronaut undefeated and dropped the Hustlers to 3-2.
Bayside 35, Melbourne 31
In a battle of winless teams, Logan Brabham outdueled Ty Englehart as the Bears got their first win of the season.
Brabham had two touchdown passes to Donnie Cullen including a 20 yarder in the first quarter and a 55 yarder in the fourth quarter. Englehart found Chase Smith with a 20-yard score in the second quarter and Englehart used his feet to get into the end zone from seven yards out, giving the Bulldogs a 31-29 lead with 11:55 left in the fourth.
Bayside’s Justus Durant scored from one-yard out with 4:56 left gave the Bears the decisive score. It was his second touchdown of the night.
Tony Wright got his name on the scoresheet twice for Melbourne in the loss, scoring on a six-yard run, and backed that up with a 50-yard run.
Bayside goes to 1-4, while the Bulldogs showed a lot of fight, but they are still looking for the first win, dropping to 0-5.
Holy Trinity 46, Titusville 0
Holy Trinity quarterback Davin Wydner had three touchdown passes as the Tigers improved to 2-3 with a big win over Titusville (0-5).
Wydner found Day Day Farmer from 14 yards out in the first quarter and a fumble return from James Blackstrain, along with a punt block returned for a touchdown made it 21-0 after the first stanza.
Wydner kept his foot on the gas pedal in the second quarter with touchdown passes to Carlos Estranza (52 yards), and Blackstrain (45 yards). The Terriers are now 0-5 after this loss.
Heritage 9, Palm Bay 7
Heritage’s Derrick Johnson made a play in the end zone resulting in a safety and that was the difference in the game, as the Panthers hung on to get their first win of the season. Joseph Tenta’s 5-yard run made it 9-0 in the second quarter.
Palm Bay quarterback Mike Petite found Marquel Crawford from 23 yards out for Palm Bay’s only score of the night in the third quarter. The Pirates are now 0-4.
Space Coast 49, Cocoa Beach 7
Derrick Edwards III scored three rushing touchdowns (65 yards, three yards, and 20 yards) in this one, leading the Vipers to a runaway victory over the Minutemen. Edwards III did his part on defense as well, with a 25-yard fumble return.
Jacob Berstler had two touchdown runs and Tanner Waysome added one. The only Cocoa Beach score of the night came on a Mitchell McNeely to Tyler Tsarnas 73-yard connection in the second quarter.
Eau Gallie and Rockledge were canceled because of COVID-19 as was the Satellite and Merritt Island game.