Comeback kids: West Orange football tops Plant City, 26-25

After falling behind 12-0 to start the game, the West Orange Warriors football team came roaring back to end the first half with a 14-12 lead on the road over Plant City High in the Class 7A regional semifinals. 

In the second half, it was like deja vu as the Raiders (9-3) took a second two-possession lead, 25-14, over the Warriors (10-2) and again — on the back of two rushing touchdowns by sophomore QB Brian Dillard — West Orange pulled off a second comeback to win, 26-25. 

"I told our coaches, we're playing with house money because no one expected us to be here," said West Orange coach Geno Thompson. "This game could honestly have gone either way, but I'm just so proud of our kids because even after we went down 12-0, they never quit. We kept making mistakes, but after any mistake made, they were picking each other up. They're not pointing fingers. They're not blaming anybody. They're just picking each other up. The things that we talk about every day as a team, they're living and as a coach, my heart is full tonight."

After Dillard scored his second of two TDs in the fourth quarter with less than a minute left to play, similarly to West Orange's first-round matchup against Apopka High, the Warriors' defense had to make one final stop to hold on to the win. 

The Raiders' offense managed to get near midfield and, with one second left on the game clock, had one final chance to go for the Hail Mary pass. But as they've done before, the Warriors defense made a play. This time it was linebacker Nolan Turner who made the game-sealing sack. 

"Coach sent me on a blitz on the last play and I knew I had to get it done," Turner said. "I was a little nervous because I knew their line would come at me fast, but I just knew I couldn't give up. When I saw my teammate force him to move out of the pocket, I just kept sprinting. 11 hats to the ball at all times; that's what coach always tells us and I was able to get there."

With this win, West Orange advances to the regional finals and will travel to the region's No. 1 seed, Venice High (11-1), Friday, Nov. 29.