KOWBOYS RUN BY VERO BEACH INDIANS 31-7.

[Ray Icaza]

Kowboys defense controlled the game all night with a better performance than the last couple of weeks.  Will skip getting into the weeds regarding the game, but Vero couldn't have managed more than 100-150 total yards for the game.  Actually, could have been even more lopsided than the final score.  Props to #1 Jacobs of Vero as he played his tail off and I can see why he is so highly regarded; he really didn't do much offensively, but defensively he had several important pass breakups that if he wasn't making those plays it would have been a rout early.    They just didn't have enough players like him to match up with the Kowboys.   Now on to the re-match with Lakeland we have been anticipating since the 3rd game of the season. 

[DarterBlue2]

7 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

Kowboys defense controlled the game all night with a better performance than the last couple of weeks.  Will skip getting into the weeds regarding the game, but Vero couldn't have managed more than 100-150 total yards for the game.  Actually, could have been even more lopsided than the final score.  Props to #1 Jacobs of Vero as he played his tail off and I can see why he is so highly regarded; he really didn't do much offensively, but defensively he had several important pass breakups that if he wasn't making those plays it would have been a rout early.    They just didn't have enough players like him to match up with the Kowboys.   Now on to the re-match with Lakeland we have been anticipating since the 3rd game of the season. 

Get it done!! I think this rematch will be an epic one. 

[Ray Icaza]

2 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Get it done!! I think this rematch will be an epic one. 

Thanks, appreciate the encouragement and congrats to your Darters on the tough victory against Lake Mary.  With Ocoee winning looks like you get them which means an Orange county school will definitely be in the finals.  Good luck next week.

[DarterBlue2]

4 minutes ago, Ray Icaza said:

Thanks, appreciate the encouragement and congrats to your Darters on the tough victory against Lake Mary.  With Ocoee winning looks like you get them which means an Orange county school will definitely be in the finals.  Good luck next week.

Thanks, actually, we travel to Palm Beach Central and Ocoee travels to Columbus. We would have only gotten Ocoee if Doral had upset Columbus which was not going to happen. I am fine with the PBC matchup. Would have preferred if Palm Beach Gardens had beaten them as they would have had to travel to Apopka. But I think Apopka, if it plays at its best, has a very good chance against PBC.  

[Ray Icaza]

21 minutes ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Thanks, actually, we travel to Palm Beach Central and Ocoee travels to Columbus. We would have only gotten Ocoee if Doral had upset Columbus which was not going to happen. I am fine with the PBC matchup. Would have preferred if Palm Beach Gardens had beaten them as they would have had to travel to Apopka. But I think Apopka, if it plays at its best, has a very good chance against PBC.  

Then you gotta win to represent as I like your chances better than Ocoee.  Columbus looks like the real deal.

[DarterBlue2]

1 minute ago, Ray Icaza said:

Then you gotta win to represent as I like your chances better than Ocoee.  Columbus looks like the real deal.

Columbus's record looks better than they do on video. Despite the great showing against Central, I see chinks in their armor. Unfortunately, I am not sure if we have the horses to properly exploit them. If Seminole had remained injury free and in peak form as they were early in the season, I would have actually given them a great chance to beat Columbus.

As for Ocoee, they have made a wonderful playoff run on the road. I think they will give Columbus an early scare and a good game, but they may just come up short. Great season for them, though. Prior to this year, I am not sure whether they had won a playoff game, though they have made the playoffs before. 

[ExplorerHomer2]

2 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

Columbus's record looks better than they do on video. Despite the great showing against Central, I see chinks in their armor. Unfortunately, I am not sure if we have the horses to properly exploit them. If Seminole had remained injury free and in peak form as they were early in the season, I would have actually given them a great chance to beat Columbus.

As for Ocoee, they have made a wonderful playoff run on the road. I think they will give Columbus an early scare and a good game, but they may just come up short. Great season for them, though. Prior to this year, I am not sure whether they had won a playoff game, though they have made the playoffs before. 

Hey Darter, if the football gods align, we may yet see another classic Blue Darter/Explorer state match. Best of luck against PBC next week, and hope to see you the week after if you make the trip down south.

[DarterBlue2]

3 hours ago, ExplorerHomer2 said:

Hey Darter, if the football gods align, we may yet see another classic Blue Darter/Explorer state match. Best of luck against PBC next week, and hope to see you the week after if you make the trip down south.

If the Darters beat PBC, I will be in Fort Lauderdale for the final. Columbus will rightly be the favorite, but maybe Apopka can give you a good game. 

[Ray Icaza]

2 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

If the Darters beat PBC, I will be in Fort Lauderdale for the final. Columbus will rightly be the favorite, but maybe Apopka can give you a good game. 

Another good matchup in the semi's is the resilient Jones Tigers who dismantled Edgewater today will be taking on Homestead for a little more CFL VS SFL flavor.  Not so surprised that Jones won, just how much they won by.  

[DarterBlue2]

2 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

Another good matchup in the semi's is the resilient Jones Tigers who dismantled Edgewater today will be taking on Homestead for a little more CFL VS SFL flavor.  Not so surprised that Jones won, just how much they won by.  

I attended this game. Jones beat Edgewater at their own game. They dominated both lines of scrimmage. I was surprised they were able to do this as Edgewater is bigger up front. I thought if Jones won it would be based on their passing game. I was wrong, for while they did have a few big pass plays, they were also able to run the ball between the tackles very effectively against Edgewater. Edgewater had a few good drives, but the early ones sputtered when they got beyond the Jones 30. 

Post tragedy, Jones  seems to have peaked. 

If Jones can maintain this form for another week, I think they will meet St. Thomas in the final. Not sure how to evaluate their chances if that matchup occurs. 

[Jambun82]

12 hours ago, ExplorerHomer2 said:

8 hours ago, DarterBlue2 said:

If the Darters beat PBC, I will be in Fort Lauderdale for the final. Columbus will rightly be the favorite, but maybe Apopka can give you a good game. 

Hey Darter, if the football gods align, we may yet see another classic Blue Darter/Explorer state match. Best of luck against PBC next week, and hope to see you the week after if you make the trip down south.

Hopefully, the scoreboard won't malfunction in the fourth quarter if Columbus plays Apopka like the last time in 2019 in Daytona Beach. 

[DarterBlue2]

5 hours ago, Jambun82 said:

Hopefully, the scoreboard won't malfunction in the fourth quarter if Columbus plays Apopka like the last time in 2019 in Daytona Beach. 

Hopefully Apopka won't melt down in the final minutes as they did in Daytona.

[ExplorerHomer2]

20 hours ago, Jambun82 said:

Hopefully, the scoreboard won't malfunction in the fourth quarter if Columbus plays Apopka like the last time in 2019 in Daytona Beach. 

Yeah that game was crazy. That whole final 4 minutes was crazy.

Don't know if you know the story, but we had a defensive player die in a car accident the year before and the team dedicated the season and the championship to him. The theme and foundation for him was called "Be the Light". Well as a religious school, it didn't take much for the boys to believe that their boy Ari #30, was sending them a message from above. When the lights went back on, Columbus stormed back on with a very improbable finish.

Great part of Explorer lore at this point.

In any case, the Drive Pnk Stadium where Inter Miami FC plays now has a nice set up and don't expect any technical issues. Owners of the  Miami FC who commissioned the rebuild of the stadium are also Columbus Alumni and huge benefactors. They better get it right! LOL.

[Jambun82]

On 11/27/2022 at 9:13 PM, ExplorerHomer2 said:

Yeah that game was crazy. That whole final 4 minutes was crazy.

Don't know if you know the story, but we had a defensive player die in a car accident the year before and the team dedicated the season and the championship to him. The theme and foundation for him was called "Be the Light". Well as a religious school, it didn't take much for the boys to believe that their boy Ari #30, was sending them a message from above. When the lights went back on, Columbus stormed back on with a very improbable finish.

Great part of Explorer lore at this point.

In any case, the Drive Pnk Stadium where Inter Miami FC plays now has a nice set up and don't expect any technical issues. Owners of the  Miami FC who commissioned the rebuild of the stadium are also Columbus Alumni and huge benefactors. They better get it right! LOL.

I didn't know the story, but I remember the game very well.