Blue Darters 48. Olympia 22

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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Apopka 48, olympia 22
Gallon pours it on The star quarterback's 92-yard kickoff return sparks the Blue Darters' district win.

Brentley Romine

Special To The Sentinel

October 20, 2007

Jeremy Gallon was Mr. Everything for Apopka again Friday night, helping the Blue Darters bring home Coach Rick Darlington's 100th career victory.

The junior quarterback rushed for three touchdowns, threw for another and ran back a kickoff for a touchdown to lead the Blue Darters over Olympia 48-22 in a Class 6A, District 4 game. The victory set up a matchup between Apopka and East Ridge next week for the district title.

But for now, Darlington will enjoy this one.

"All of them [the victories] have been sweet," Darlington said. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else [for this win]. I'm blessed to be the coach."

Gallon, along with fellow backfield mates Jeremy Rouse and Travelle Davis, led a potent Apopka rushing attack that ran for more than 300 total yards.

"Jeremy's been running the ball well all year for us," Darlington said. "We ran the ball pretty well tonight and we needed to."

Apopka (7-1, 3-0) started off slow as penalties and miscues kept the Blue Darters to just one score in the first quarter. But after Olympia tied the score 8-8 after a 20-yard touchdown pass from Trevor Siemian to Tony Grandison, the momentum shifted in favor of Apopka.

On the ensuing kickoff, Gallon took the ball at the 8-yard line, blazing 92 yards for a touchdown.

"The tempo of the game changed after the return," Gallon said.

Olympia (4-3, 1-2) opened the second half by recovering an onside kick. The Titans closed within six after Mike Bridges scampered for a 10-yard score, but that was as close as they got as Apopka scored 14 unanswered points.

Apopka's first three touchdowns of the second half all were runs by Gallon, who now has 18 rushing touchdowns on the year.

"East Ridge is probably the best team [we'll play] in our district," said Darlington of next week's matchup. "We know that this one was important, and next week will be too, without a doubt."

Apopka 48, Olympia 22
Apopka 8 13 7 20 -- 48
Olympia 0 8 7 7 -- 22

FIRST -- A: Rouse 11 run (Davis run).

SECOND -- O: Grandison 20 pass from Siemian (Siemian run); A: Gallon 92 kick return (run failed); A: Stewart 10 pass from Gallon (Beary kick).

THIRD -- O: Bridges 10 run (Hotalen kick); A: Gallon 24 run (Beary kick).

FOURTH -- A: Gallon 25 run (Beary kick); O: Hall 4 pass from Siemian (Hotalen kick); A: Gallon 25 run (kick failed); A: Davis 12 run (Beary kick).

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