By Kyle Coppola
Eustis High Boys Basketball Rolls Past MDCA With A 64-37 Win
EUSTIS, Fla. — The Eustis High School Panthers put on a dominant display Tuesday night, overpowering the Mount Dora Christian Academy Bulldogs 64-37 to improve their season record to 6-1. The Panthers brought their A game to MDCA, showcasing a cohesive team effort that highlighted their depth and versatility.
Senior standout Timothy Key led the charge. Key, who has been averaging 13.7 points per game this season, set the tone early with a combination of sharp shooting and aggressive defense. He received ample support from teammates Lomar Sparrow and Cornelius Hines.
(Cornelius Hines has been a huge help to Eustis both offensively and defensively this year. Hines leads the team in blocked shots.)
“Our team chemistry has been the key to our success,” said Panthers head coach Wesley Green. “This group plays for each other. They just want to win and we have built this team around these seniors the past few years. Each player knows their role and helps out in many ways. They play as a cohesive unit. That attitude is why we’re able to execute at such a high level.”
The Panthers’ defense was stifling throughout the game, forcing 15 turnovers and holding the Bulldogs to just 37 points. MDCA struggled to find their rhythm, with only one player scoring more than 10 points and that was senior Ethan Priest who scored 12.
(Head coach Wesley Green has built this team around his seniors this year. The Panthers are ranked #5 in all of FHSAA Class 4A.)
Ranked 49th in the state of Florida, and #5 in FHSAA Class 4A, Eustis has emerged as a team to watch and a potential threat for not only a district championship but a state championship this year. Their blend of veteran leadership and emerging talent has made them a formidable opponent, with Green crediting the players’ dedication to their craft.
“We’ve been focusing on the little things—defensive rotations, boxing out, and unselfish passing,” Green added. “When you have a group like this that’s willing to put in the work, the results speak for themselves.”
With momentum on their side, the Panthers will look to extend their winning streak when they face Leesburg High School on Friday night in what is always one of the greatest rivalries in all of Florida. That game is going to be a must attend event if you are a fan of high school basketball.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
