BSN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS GAME OF THE WEEK BROADCAST COCOA TIGERS AT MAINLAND BUCCANEERS

BSN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS GAME OF THE WEEK BROADCAST REPLAY : NO.13 NATIONALLY RANKED, NO.2 IN FLORIDA, COCOA TIGERS AT NO.42 FLORIDA RANKED MAINLAND BUCCANEERS:


BSN is proud to bring you the ‘Battle of the Defending State Champs’ as the Cocoa Tigers travel to Daytona Stadium to face the Mainland Buccaneers.

The Tigers are 1-0 and coming off a 42-10 win over Titusville last week while Mainland was stunned by University falling 31-28 on a controversial last-second touchdown.

The Buccaneers appeared to be in control leading 21-10 at halftime and 28-17 in the third quarter but were outscored 21-7 in the second half.

University scored a last second touchdown pass in the left corner of the endzone, a pass the receiver laid out for. Mainland felt the ball hit the ground but after a conference by A1-Officials they stuck with their call on the field which was a touchdown .

“Hats off to Roberts and his team, man,” new Mainland head coach Jerrime “Squatty” Bell told the media. “They're a great team. I don't want my kids hanging their heads. We made enough plays to win the game. Once again, A-1 Officials saw otherwise.”

In Cocoa’s win Michigan commit Brady Hart was nearly perfect connecting on 15 of his 18 passes for 270 yards and three scores. He found five of his outstanding receivers in the contest hitting DL Hardison with the opening score on a perfectly placed 51-yard strike.

Reigning Florida Dairy Farmers Player of the Year, UCF commit Jayvan Boggs picked up where he left off in 2023 with four catches for 111 yards and a score.

The Tigers defense registered 11 tackles for a loss including four sacks with two of them coming from FSU commit Javion Hilson. The 5-Star also had four tackles for a loss to lead Cocoa in that department as well.

ABOUT THE BUCCANEERS

The Buccaneers who are the reigning 3S state champions entered 2024 having lost several key players and the head coach who led them to the program’s first state title in 20 years in Travis Noland, who took a head coaching job in Georgia.

Former Atlantic head coach Jerrime “Squatty” Bell is the Bucs new main man in Daytona and he is undoubtedly putting his team through a tough week of practice after last week’s loss.

The last time Mainland started 0-2 they finished 5-5 in 2021 and missed the playoffs.

Mainland is trying to replace players like defensive back Zavier Mincey, who is at Alabama, linebacker Rodney Hill, who is now at the University of Central Florida and defensive lineman LJ McCray, who is now at the University of Florida

On offense Quarterback DJ Murray is now at Georgia State University, and offensive lineman Madden Santiago is an Ivy Leaguer at Harvard.

However the Bucs do return a lot of talent in standouts like linebacker and all-around junior athlete Dennis “Tank” King. He already has 15 offers from schools like Florida, Miami, Pittsburgh, Purdue and UCF.

Another big-time recruit returning is Christian Hudson. The four-star defensive tackle held 21 offers and committed to UCF on July 6 and he’ll likely bump helmets with future Knights teammate, Cocoa offensive lineman Jaquez Joiner.

Senior defensive back Drayden Wood, who led the team in interceptions in 2023 is lurking in the secondary.

In the Buccaneers backfield Senior athlete Kwasie “Duece” Kwaku Jr. returns after rushing for 1,184 yards and 15 touchdowns last season.

He was a big key for the Bucs in their run to the 3S state title and he had an interception in the end zone for Mainland last week.

At quarterback junior Sebastian Johnson did his part last week vs. University as the first-year starter had a breakout performance throwing four TD passes.

He connected with junior receiver Houston Cadette on two of them.

THREE KEYS:

1. PICK YOUR POISON

The Tigers wide receiving corps is a nightmare for defenses and Mainland can try Titusville’s early game plan by keying on Boggs but Hart will find Hardison, Teeter, Pillow or a runningback out of the backfield like he did when he connected with Latrison Lane for a 31-yard pass deep into the red zone or DL Hardison for a 51-yard score.

The choices and accuracy of Hart’s arm already appear to be too much for most high school secondaries as evidenced by Boggs eventually exploding for 111 yards. Mainland will need to be disciplined in the secondary and if their front 4 or 5 can’t put pressure on Hart, it won’t end well for the Buccaneers.