Seminole Survives Late Thrill Over Oviedo
A 42-yard pass cut a 10-point lead to one, but a failed two-point conversion left the undefeated Fighting Seminoles standing.
By Rahul Garnier ·
Seminole High School maintained its perfect record on Friday night, defeating the Oviedo Lions 30-29 in a contest that swung four times. The victory extends Seminole’s unbeaten regular season to 10-0, a feat the program has accomplished eight times since 1961. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for Oviedo, which had also won nine straight home games before falling at John Courier Field.
The Fighting Seminoles controlled much of the fourth quarter, building a 30-20 lead. They forced a field goal to narrow the gap to 30-23 with under three minutes remaining. After an onside kick failed, Seminole punted the ball back to Oviedo with just over a minute left on the clock. The Lions responded immediately on second down.
Quarterback Sebastian Galeano connected with Chris Mondo on a 42-yard crossing pass to make the score 30-29. Facing a choice between a game-tying extra point kick or a two-point attempt to win, Oviedo chose the latter. An attempted handoff was fumbled, and Antrell Armstrong recovered the ball to secure the win for Seminole.
Seminole enters the postseason as the Class 6A-District 3 champion. Oviedo finishes the season at 7-3. The defeat adds to a rough stretch for the Lions, who opened the year with back-to-back one-point losses to Titusville and Lake Mary via last-second field goals. This marks the third time in four weeks that Oviedo has lost by a single point.
Other results in Seminole County saw Orangewood Christian, currently 9-1, defeat The Geneva School 27-20. Lake Brantley delivered a 56-0 shutout of Hagerty, a game that ended Hagerty’s district title hopes. Hagerty star quarterback Royce Jenkins suffered an ACL injury in the first half. Lake Howell, Lake Mary, and Winter Springs also recorded wins on Friday.
In the Sunshine State Athletic Association, Merritt Island Christian High School eliminated Lake Mary Preparatory School 42-7 in the first round of the 8-Man State Championship. The remaining teams must wait until Friday at 5 p.m. for the FHSAA to announce the full playoff brackets. Seminole, Oviedo, and Orangewood Christian are confirmed for the Regional Quarterfinals on November 13.
A make-up game between Lake Howell and Viera, suspended on October 16, was declared complete without further play. Both teams agreed to award the 45-34 victory to Lake Howell, solidifying its position in the postseason race. Hagerty also played a make-up game on Tuesday, beating New Smyrna Beach 20-15 to keep its playoff hopes alive.
