Wesley Chapel football showing grit

Posted Oct 12, 2009 by Eddie Daniels

Updated Oct 12, 2009 at 03:51 PM

At some point Friday night, Wesley Chapel’s football players could have just decided – that’s it.

Prior to yanking out a 27-21, double-overtime victory at Sunlake, the Wildcats were down 14-6 and were blanked in the third quarter.

“We hadn’t been playing four quarters here, so we wanted to play four quarters. It ended up being four quarters and two overtimes,” Wesley Chapel coach John Castelamare said. “It was just good to see them not give up. At the very beginning of the game they ran back a kickoff for a touchdown. Those kids could have been saying, ‘Here we go again.’ They played well.”

With less than four minute remaining in the contest, the Wildcats defense collected a Seahawks fumble, which led to a 26-yard Jon Mahan touchdown run. Keegan Tanner’s 2-point conversion evened the game, 14-14.

That fighting spirit led to overtime No. 1.

Wesley Chapel (2-4) scored first, but Sunlake (2-3) answered right back.

“They had to be a little patient and we made some big plays,” Castelamare said. “We tied it up and then went into overtime. It was a well-played game. Sunlake did a good job and we came out in front.”

Then came the grit.

Chris Pierre-Charles’ 3-yard scoring run and a defensive stop by Wesley Chapel gave the squad just their second win of the season and first since beating Wiregrass Ranch Sept. 18 at Wiregrass Stadium.

“Sunlake beat Gulf before [they faced] us and we’re going, ‘Oh geez, they beat Gulf’ and Gulf’s a good football team. We had to prepare. They played hard from the beginning and didn’t give up and then they got themselves into overtime. And you could see how intense they were. They played hard for the win.”

Fighting for that win left one casualty. Castelamare said received John Ayers injured his hand Friday night and they are waiting find out the results of X-rays. If all goes well, he’ll play Thursday against Land O’ Lakes.