WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — The Wiregrass Ranch football team that coach Mark Kantor expected in the preseason has finally arrived, just in time for the playoffs. The Bulls were under .500 for most of the season, but they closed with four straight wins. That run captured the district title and a home playoff game Friday against top-ranked Sebring.
The late surge looks familiar to Bulls fans. Last year, Wiregrass Ranch started 0-4 before a late-season run ended with a district championship and a playoff spot. “We’re playing great football right now,” Kantor said. “Hopefully we can continue the run because now it comes down to one and done. You don’t get another week unless you win.”
The Bulls lost to a team with a 6-4 record, a team with a 7-2 record and two teams with 8-2 records this season. They did not always look sharp. They had a chance to beat South Sumter, but a last-second field goal foiled that effort. They played poorly in a loss to Berkeley Prep. After a win over rival Wesley Chapel, the offense struggled in a 19-0 loss to Plant City, which Kantor said “wasn’t vibing.” The team then routed Sunlake before losing 57-30 to East Ridge, their most points allowed since a 2019 playoff loss to Lakeland.
Wiregrass Ranch took control of the district with a major win over Land O’ Lakes on Oct. 24. The Bulls then closed the regular season with a 45-13 victory over longtime county power Zephyrhills. They outscored the Bulls’ opponent by 28 points in the fourth quarter alone. Senior Destin Mathew returned an interception 73 yards in that quarter, and sophomore Caleb James added a 67-yard interception return.
The offense followed its usual pattern in the win. Junior quarterback Ryan Browning threw three touchdown passes. Senior wide receiver Jonah Gonzaelez surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the season with 126 yards and two touchdowns in that game. Junior running back Isaiah Orr rushed for 73 yards. “I think the biggest game was how we played against Zephyrhills,” Kantor said. The team now turns its focus to Sebring in a single-elimination game that offers no second chance.
Originally reported by Tampa Bay Beacons – Pasco
