These two central Florida powers will finally hook up for a real game after circumstances (2015 both played St Ed's instead ) and weather (2016 hurricane Matthew ) derailed the first two years of the contract. Cocoa appears " as good as ever, " while Mainland seems to have dropped off somewhat. Still both teams are loaded with at least a half dozen D-1 players on their rosters. Speed and athletic ability is never in shortage at either campus. This match up is long over due. Only Apopka and the Osceola Kowboys in the Orlando area have been as consistently strong as these two over such a long period of time in this part of the state. The last couple of years this game would have been a toss up. Clearly Cocoa is the favorite at home in 2017. We will see....
Daytona Mainland at Cocoa (Oct 6)
- Thread starter Dan in Daytona
- Start date
Good luck to the Bucs, Dan! Had this game on my schedule but the two Tampa Bay Bucs games this week plus the Miami-FSU game caused me to cancel the trip over.
Thanks Mark, you're a smart man. I would've suggested other plans for you too. That 300+ mile round trip this Friday night, on a gamble for a competitive game, isn't worth the risk. Us diehards got no choice. Our blue and gold colored glasses see potential glory regardless of anything we've witnessed so far this year. Until next time... peace.
Pinkos has Cocoa a 23pt favorite. Swett, I'll take 20, what you say ? Jump in Brevard Boys, you want some ?
Good question Fla2014. Not sure if anyone really knows. Last week's close win over 7A Viera raised some eyebrows. Conventional wisdom is the larger size schools would wear Cocoa down. Many of us east central Fla guys aren't so sure about that.They rarely lose to Florida schools. Several athletic transfers joined the team over the summer. Tonight's game with 2-2 Mainland will add fuel to the fire or throw water on it...
Well it was ugly. The better coached team won 21-7 (Cocoa). My Bucs have now dropped games to all this season's playoff teams on the schedule: Apopka, Bartrum Trail, Dr Phillips, and Cocoa. Play Mantanzas next Friday for what should be the district title. Don't think they have enough athletes to beat us. With half the season over, the offense is clueless. The coaches being the first target. Plays are late coming in, things are disorganized and the play calling has no rhyme or reason. STOP with the behind the line of scrimmage pass to a wide-out on 3rd and 9. He ain't getting a 1st down. Apopka pulls linemen out there. We have a 145lb receiver trying not to hold as the only blocker. That's our bread and butter ? In three years it has rarely worked, even if it pulls the safety and corner up for the bomb. And what's with the bomb ? Are there no intermediate passes at the 1st down sticks ? Everybody else we play has 6,7,8,10yd outs,curls, or slants for a 1st down. We throw the backward pass and the bomb. No passes are 3-4 seconds F-I-R-E. It's on all the video teams see of us. I've been hard on the O-line all year. And to my surprise they have gotten better each week. Not only are they the biggest line in Mainland's history(1920's) they have the potential to do great things. Denzel is not around anymore to take bum calls and make them TD's. So when we get down there (red zone) we got to score. That #4 jumbo package is in the right direction. I bet it would work with a QB back there also or with 2/3 running backs. Anything besides one single back to key on. With Denzel he was the second back, the second option......Cocoa game : They take the opening kickoff back to mid field. First play 50yrd TD run off left tackle. 7-0 at the half. Cocoa has one 5yrd penalty. Bucs have 2 TD's called back and a boat load of flags. Mainland kicks off to start the 2nd half. That's right, never seen it before. I believe our game captain misunderstood the referees instructions. And when Cocoa deferred to the 2nd half he said we'd Kick to start the game. Needless to say they scored on that opening drive of the 2nd half,14-0. Cocoa gets their 2nd penalty of the game with 5 minutes to go in the third quarter. With Mainland by then I had stopped counting the flags. They were too numerous and I only have ten fingers 
... I also was surprised that Cocoa's offense wasn't better then it was. Mainland's defense gets most of the credit for that, but they didn't look championship level. 7A Bartrum Trail could beat Cocoa later on this year if they don't improve. 4A is probably still them and BTW.
... I also was surprised that Cocoa's offense wasn't better then it was. Mainland's defense gets most of the credit for that, but they didn't look championship level. 7A Bartrum Trail could beat Cocoa later on this year if they don't improve. 4A is probably still them and BTW.