- April 18, 2024
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Aiden Try (32) can't keep Orange Park's Tavion Wilkerson out of the end zone. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Noah Cundiff gains seven yards early in the fourth quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Noah Cundiff tackles Orange Park's Brian Green in the first quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Noah Cundiff gains 40 yards before getting tackled by Moliere Syllon. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Noah Cundiff gains 21 yards late in the first quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Dakwon Evans runs to the Oprange Park to set up the Pirates' second touchdown. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
The Pirates run onto the field. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Sho'Marion Gaines (1) returns a punt in the first half. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Sho'Marion Gaines (1) breaks free on a reception to score with 6:25 left in the second quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Sho'Marion Gaines scored the Pirates' first touchdown. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Sho'Marion Gaines stops Orange Park's Cameron Griffieth. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Landon Grover (19) kicks an extra point for the Pirates. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Tyson Mills carries the ball into Raiders territory late in the first quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Tate Winecoff (11) breaks up a pass intended for Orange Park's Larry Thomas. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Tate Winecoff (11) celebrates a Pirates touchdown with Joseph Small late in the fourth quarter. Photo by Christine Rodenbaugh
Dakwon Evans passed for 147 yards and two touchdowns in Matanzas' 44-14 home loss to Orange Park on Sept. 24.
"He's one of the hardest workers on the team," Matanzas coach Matt Forrest said of the sophomore quarterback, who had no turnovers for the first time this season. "He's progressing every week, but he's not where he needs to be yet."
Sho'Marion Gaines scored on a 40-yard reception in the second quarter to pull the Pirates (1-4) within two scores at 21-7. But Matanzas would not score again until the final minute of the fourth quarter when Tate Winecoff caught an 11-yard touchdown pass.
"We're getting a lot better, but it's still a slow process. We're still in a youth movement," Forrest said. "We tell them, 'Let's just get a little better every day.' Eventually it will pay off."
The game did mark the season debut of senior Noah Cundiff, a Division I prospect who missed the first four games with a high ankle sprain. Cundiff caught five passes for 87 yards. But the Pirates were missing sophomores Jordan Mills and Cole Hash with injuries.
The Pirates return to district play Oct. 1 with a road game at Middleburg (3-1).
