November 21, 2024
Wildwood Wildcats Compete in First FHSAA Regional Final Game Since 2020
By Kyle Coppola
Wildwood Wildcats Compete in First FHSAA Regional Final Game Since 2020
WILDWOOD, Fla. — For the first time since 2020, the Wildwood Middle High School football team has earned a spot in the FHSAA Regional Finals, defying expectations with a late-season surge under head coach Lorenzo Fields. Despite a 4-6 record, the Wildcats are poised to take on Port St. Joe with a 5-5 record on Friday night, with the winner advancing to the FHSAA Rural State Semifinals and a potential berth in the State Championship, set to be played in The Villages.
The Wildcats’ offense has been spearheaded by quarterback Taylor Keiler, who has thrown for 1,116 yards and eight touchdowns this season, averaging 13.3 yards per pass. On the ground, Tyrese Keiler and Keyvonte Corbin have powered Wildwood’s rushing attack, combining for 634 yards—Keiler with 316 and Corbin with 318.
(Tyrese Keiler leads the Wildcats in rushing and hopes to extend his high school football career. The senior has been fantastic down the home stretch this season.)
Tyrese Keiler emerged this year as a dual-threat playmaker, leading the team with 13 total touchdowns—eight rushing and five receiving—and a team-high 426 receiving yards. Wide receiver Devonte Huff has also contributed significantly, hauling in five touchdowns.
Defensively, the Wildcats rely on the steady presence of Chaz Blocker and Kawanis Cope Jr. Blocker leads the team with 57 tackles, while Cope Jr. has recorded 48 tackles of his own. They’ll face a daunting task in containing Port St. Joe’s high-powered ground game, which boasts standout running back Eli Harris. Harris has amassed 750 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns this season, operating behind a formidable offensive line. Wide receiver Daren Angelino adds another dimension to the Tiger Sharks’ offense with 503 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
(Devonte Huff turns up field. He is the Wildcats leading wide out.)
Port St. Joe is a tough team with a lot of weapons, but Wildwood is ready to give it everything they have. This team has come together at the right time and they have been impressive down the final home stretch of the season. Late in the year you could tell just how much they have improved as a team and as young men.
Wildwood’s journey to the Regional Finals has been a bright spot for Lake and Sumter County football, as the Wildcats remain the last team standing after all others were eliminated from playoff contention last week.
(Head coach of Wildwood Lorenzo Fields knows a thing or two about the playoffs. He was a former Wildwood quarterback who made the state championships in the 1980s.)
Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday night in what promises to be a thrilling matchup. While the Tiger Sharks may have the advantage on paper, the Wildcats are no strangers to defying the odds and they will look to punch their ticket to the FHSAA Rural State Semifinals with a win.
One thing is for sure, head coach Lorenzo Fields and his the Wildwood boys are ready to leave it all on the field.
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.
