Hornets Score First Ever Win Over Leopards

Friday was a momentous night for Head Coach Justin Bland and the Weeki Wachee Hornets (6-3). For the first time in the program’s history, the Green and Black made the Hernando Leopards feel the sting of defeat. Coach Bland’s crew took the win in a low-scoring, 7-3 defensive battle at home.

“It means a lot to us,” the Hornets’ head coach said. “It means a lot to the kids. It’s a big program win given that you’ve had a team beat you 14 years in a row. It’s huge, shows where we’re building – that building block […] [Hernando] was a team that was labeled the district champion in July. So, to go out and beat that team at home is huge for us. It’s huge for just the program in general.”

Nearly the entire first half flew by in a flash as each team had played only one offensive possession until 5 and half minutes left in the second quarter. Both teams’ opening drives were 15-plus-play, clock-chewing behemoths that drained 7:53 (Weeki) and 10:37 (Hernando) of game time.

The Hornets featured Junior RB Leelen Wright (80 rushing yards, 25 carries) heavily out of the backfield with some key third down throws by Junior QB Richard Hanshaw mixed in. The Leopards continued their multi-pronged rushing approach with QB Michael Saltsman and RB/LB Mason Pauliot spelling RB Gabe Sansone throughout.

Unfortunately for both squads, both possessions ended the same way – with a fumble in the redzone. Each offense would touch the ball once more before the intermission, but Hernando was unable to capitalize on a golden opportunity with seconds left. A quick two-minute drill came up just short as Hornets WR/DB Alex Wilson swatted away Saltsman’s pass in the endzone as time expired.

Late in the third quarter, Hernando would tack on the game’s first points by way of a Landon Ball field goal. Weeki needed to respond, but with their last drive ending in an interception and their next drive looking to have stalled at midfield, it looked like the Hornets might have to rely on their defense yet again.

Then Wilson, who had broken the school record for receiving touchdowns earlier this year, made the play of the game. On fourth down, with roughly a minute left in the penultimate period, the wide receiver took the snap on the fake punt and tossed the ball eight yards to Sophomore Evan Sareyania for the first down.

“When we put that in on Wednesday, I told the kids when we’re around midfield, expect it,” Coach Bland said. “I put it in. I have confidence in the kids. It was just the right moment. The kids were a little juiced up. I think we needed that momentum shift right there. That call probably won us the football game.”

Momentum is right. Following the conversion, the Hornets capped off an 8 minute and 17 second possession with the game’s only touchdown on a pass from Hanshaw to Senior Michael Schmidt. The home team managed to overcome Hernando’s formidable goal line defense just once, but that was all they would need.

Then, the defense stepped up as it had all night. Sophomore Keavin Moss’s interception on the second play of Hernando’s next (and final) drive would ice the game as Weeki put the ball in Wright’s hands and salted the game away. Hernando will look to regroup when they take on Nature Coast in their final game of the regular season next Friday.

The Hornets impressed in not only nabbing their first win over the Leopards, but in holding the visitors to three points after Hernando had just taken down Lecanto last week. It was a total team effort and the Weeki Wachee coach gave the credit to his entire squad after Friday’s historic win.

“The whole team did,” Coach Bland said. “I know the quarterback played with a banged up left shoulder most of the fourth quarter. He gutted that one out for us. Overall, it was a team effort […] You can’t do all that stuff without everybody. So that’s what we’re trying to preach over here. We told the guys all week, it doesn’t matter how we win; we just need to win football games.”