Westminster Academy’s bid for independent state title comes up short in Lakeland
Westminster Academy’s football team was eager to end an over three-decade state championship title drought.
Unfortunately for the Lions, they’ll have to wait longer.
Westminster Academy’s prolific offensive output duo of quarterback Anthony Barbar and receiver Dwayne Wimbley Jr. lit up the scoreboard often Saturday night. But the Lions couldn’t keep their opponent, Oviedo Master’s Academy, from doing that just a little more during a 34-27 loss in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference state final at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland.
Wimbley, a 6-6, 210-pound Class of 2025 recruit, caught six passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Barbar completed 15 of 34 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
But it wasn’t enough to slow down Master’s Academy’s own explosive duo of eighth-grade quarterback Jackson Stecher and sophomore O’Shea Faison.
Stecher completed 9 of 10 passes for 191 yards and four touchdown passes. He also ran for 100 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries.
Meanwhile, Faison ran for 153 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
Westminster led only once in the game after opening the game’s scoring on the first of two field goals by senior kicker Mason Dibona with 5:58 left in the first quarter.
Stecher and Faison helped the Eagles open up a 20-6 lead with 6:48 left in the second quarter after the former scored on a 54-yard keeper.
Barbar then found Wimbley for a 33-yard touchdown pass and followed that by recovering an onside kick. Barbar finished off a touchdown drive with a 1-yard quarterback sneak with 25 seconds left in the first half.
But the Lions defense gave up another costly score just before the half when Stecher hit Jake Hormell for a 53-yard touchdown pass.
The game was halted for 40 minutes due to a weather delay midway through the third quarter.
Once play resumed, Stecher connected with Faison for a 33-yard score to push the lead to 34-20.
On the Lions’ ensuing drive, Wimbley came free on a crossing route, caught a pass from Barbar and raced 88 yards to the end zone with 1:08 left in the third.
Neither team could get their offense going in the fourth quarter until Westminster made one final push late into Master’s Academy territory. But the Lions’ final chance ended when Barbar was picked off by Christopher Barnes with just over a minute left, allowing the Eagles to run out the clock.
