Flooding and power outages caused by Hurricane Ian late last month created much more than teams.
More concerning than the loss of practices and games was the wellness and needs of players in the days that followed.
That’s what Jones High coaches were tasked with assessing as the families of some Tigers players were displaced due to the storm.
“We just wanted to be able to see the kids and make sure they’re alright and to help get them anything they needed,” Jones coach Elijah Williams said.
A new bond was forged within the team by the time Orange County schools reopened and squads were permitted to retake the field last Tuesday.
“We’re a family,” Jones senior Jaylen Williams said. “After the hurricane we became closer as a team and we’ve been uplifting each other.”
The team’s spirits were further heightened Thursday when former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown made a surprise visit to witness a blistering 62-0 Homecoming win vs. Orlando University.
Williams caught a pair of touchdown passes from Maxson Jean-Denis four days later in the first quarter of an 18-7 win over visiting Kissimmee Osceola. That contest was added to the schedule after Jones’ game at IMG Academy in Bradenton and Osceola’s game at Sarasota Riverview were canceled.
Jamauri Sands intercepted two passes for the Tigers in Monday’s win. Adrian Jackson Jr. and James Chenault, who broke up a fourth-down pass in the end zone in the first quarter, also picked off the Kowboys. Charles Elysee and Cedric Demonia each recovered a fumble.
Osceola, which was playing for the first time since winning 31-7 at Rockledge on Sept. 29, trailed 18-0 when it turned the ball over once more with 5:15 remaining on a goal-line fumble that bounced out of the end zone.
“When the hurricane hit it felt like it messed up our whole season, but we’ve gotten closer as a brotherhood,” Sands said after Monday’s win.
This game marked the sixth Top 10 opponent for Jones in seven games, including a preseason outing against Miami Northwestern. The Tigers losses have come against Class 3M (Metro) district foe Edgewater (14-13) and undefeated Texas power Duncanville (44-21).
Osceola has faced five Top 10 teams in a row. The Kowboys other losses this season are nail-biting finishes against Sanford Seminole (28-27) and Lakeland (25-22).
“They’re a great team,” Elijah Williams said. “That’s a great defense they have. Up front it’s hard to run the ball on them, so we knew we’d need to air it out some.”
Tough schedule
Jones is one of 10 area teams scheduled to play Friday in what will be the third game in a span of eight days.
That group includes No. 1 ranked Edgewater (7-0), which lost standout Monday during a 14-6 district win at Wekiva (3-4).
Baxter, a Texas commit who entered the game as the area’s leading rusher with 1,184 yards and 11 TDs, reportedly suffered an apparent left leg injury early in the second quarter.
Freshman backup quarterback Michael Clayton tossed a TD pass to Camp Magee after replacing starter Chase Carter, who scored on a 79-yard run before also being forced out due to injury.
It gets no easier for Edgewater on Friday. The Eagles play at Ocoee (5-1), and is currently on a 5-game win streak.
No. 10 Wekiva plays at undefeated Horizon (6-0). The Hawks escaped Cypress Creek 27-20 in overtime Thursday and won 48-3 vs. winless Lake Buena Vista in a matchup of second-year schools.
Evans (2-5) is home vs. No. 9 Lake Mary (4-1) after scoring a massive 13-8 district upset Monday over then-No. 6 Lake Brantley (4-2) for its second win in a row.
The Patriots led 8-7 when Jermaine Hardy broke several tackles and scored on a 6-yard run with less than five minutes to play.
Jones plays at Boone (3-2) in the first meeting between those schools since 2015.
Colonial (0-6), Clermont East Ridge (1-5), Lyman (5-2), Oak Ridge (1-5) and Timber Creek (3-4) also play Friday after taking part in Thursday and Monday games.
Three other teams — Bishop Moore (4-3), Central Florida Christian Academy (5-0) and Gateway (2-3) — take the field for the third time in seven days after playing last Friday and again Monday.
The Hornets handed Tohopekaliga (5-1) its first loss during a 31-2 triumph in what was another hurricane-related addition to the schedule.
Senior quarterback Riley Willis connected with Mylan Bowen on a TD pass and ran for a 47-yard score. Ladainian Sweeney also rushed for a TD.
Bishop Moore intercepted area passing leader Sabby Meassick three times, including one that was returned for a TD by Mark Nonsant.
The Hornets’ Week 6 game vs. Lake Highland Prep (5-0) was canceled after the schools could not agree on a make-up date.
CFCA defeated a larger public school for the second time this season when it rallied for a 25-21 win Monday at New Smyrna Beach (3-2).
Senior running back Marcus McCrimmon Jr. scored the decisive TD on a 16-yard run with 34 seconds to go. The Eagles, who opened the season with a 54-27 win at St. Cloud, overcame a 21-10 deficit.
This article originally appeared on . Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
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