SIDELINE SCENE: Stage is bigger for Warriors after win

WINTER GARDEN — There might have been perfect weather around the time of kickoff when the West Orange Warriors hosted the Apopka Blue Darters on Oct. 3, but the rain eventually did come.

Starting as a light drizzle, the rain came at halftime and persisted throughout the second half. 
In the process, the rain helped to wash away 15 years of futility and frustration the Warriors have experienced during a string of 15 consecutive losses to their neighbors from northwest Orange County.

West Orange’s 45-31 win on Oct. 3 meant everything — for the moment, at least.

In ending the streak of losses, the Warriors won a huge game for themselves, former West Orange players and alumni of the school, along with the city of Winter Garden. 

They proved they are for real and deserving of the hype that surrounds them and their ranking in the top 10 in the state in Class 8A.

Coach Bob Head’s program showcased a remarkable resiliency that night, especially after going down 10-0 and then 16-7. In years past, the Warriors allowed the Blue Darters to rattle off a run that put the game out of reach in the first half. 

This year’s West Orange team battled back with a vengeance.

It was a convincing win in a variety of ways: the play of junior quarterback Woody Barrett; the game-breaking ability of receiver and kick returner Eddie McDoom; and the depth the Warriors have at their skill positions (see Jalen Julius, Mike Scott, Rontavious Williams, Dexter Williams, etc.).

Even the defense for West Orange, often overlooked when it comes to dispensing praise for the program, came up big time after time, punctuated by a late fumble recovery to seal the deal. 

It was the kind of win where the students spilled onto the field to celebrate with the players. The Warriors have emerged as the clear frontrunners in Class 8A District 4 and are in a prime position to host a playoff game on their home turf.

So, yes, the win meant quite a bit to quite a few people.

It also, by nature of its own implications, doesn’t mean quite enough.

Now, the stage is bigger. 

Now, West Orange is a legitimate state-championship contender. Now, the Warriors have to come to terms with the real understanding that the road to a playoff run will more than likely run through Apopka — again — in the second round of the state playoffs.

At this point, anything less than a district championship and undefeated regular season would be a disappointment. No one remaining on the Warriors’ schedule — Cypress Creek, Olympia, Evans and Ocoee — should pose a legitimate threat of upsetting West Orange. 

The Warriors are good, very good, and now that they have some big-game acumen, the stakes are higher than ever. 

It’s a good problem to have. The crowd at the game against the Blue Darters — estimated at 4,000-plus spectators — only whets the appetite when considering what a playoff crowd in November could look like on the program’s Winter Garden campus.

Hopefully, each and every player on the Warriors’ roster enjoyed the moment on Friday and throughout the weekend. They were a part of a special victory. 
But, now it’s back to business. 

There’s a district to win and, hopefully, a home playoff game to prepare for in roughly a month’s time. Because as sweet as the victory was, it will seem like a distant memory if and when the two teams meet again  Nov. 21.