AP Youth Football rolls in playoffs

Many Avon Park Youth Football fans traveled to Haines City last Saturday for the playoffs and packed the stadium like a high school football game.

The trip was worth every minute as they saw something that they witnessed all year, close games that kept them on the edge of their seats.

The day started off with the most exciting game as the Red Devil flag team was challenged to the finish by the Sebring Thunderbolts in a game that came down to the last play of the game as AP's defense stepped up to seal the win.

The Red Devil flag squad, which was led by Derrick Cobb, held on to win 24-20 on a game-winning touchdown in the last minute of the game.

Otis Ford, who made some great plays on offense and defense, played arguably his best game of the season when it mattered most. It was a team effort that had many players step up in clutch situations.

The Mighty Mites for Avon Park didn't make it any easier on their fans as it took overtime to pull out the victory against the Lakeland Lumberjacks.

Defense again was the theme as the Lumberjacks were held on their overtime possession and AP made them pay.

On fourth-and-goal from the 7, Avon Park's Andre Blake completed the pass to Logan Page for the touchdown and the 6-0 win which caused the AP crowd to go into a frenzy.

It didn't get any easier for the Red Devils as the AP Pee Wee team was involved in a battle.

A game that didn't showcase much offense for either team came down again to the last play in double-overtime. After neither team scored in their first possession in overtime the rules changed to penetration.

Avon Park's defense stepped it up and was sparked by an outstanding performance by Dovonya Hunter.

Lakeland's possession ended with an interception by Avon Park's Johnny Smith and the Red Devils got the yardage needed for the victory.

In the final game, the AP Juniors left it all on the field and came up short.

The Lakeland Saints, who had a definite size advantage over the Red Devils, were too much for the feisty bunch from Avon Park. The coaches for AP prepared their team well and the players played their hearts out, but they couldn't contain the star player for the Saints.

The juniors finished the season at 9-3 and have nothing to hang their heads about. They played hard all year long, and did something that 33 other teams didn't do by advancing to the second round of the MFFCC playoffs.

Avon Park will travel to Bartow's Tom E. Walker's Field on Saturday to compete for the Western Conference Championship and for the opportunity to go to the Super Bowl. The AP Flag and Pee Wee teams will take on the Fair Oaks Rattlers out of Tampa, while the mighty mites will face the Sarasota Gators.

First game begins at 9 a.m.