ODA football beats Cocoa Beach 54-10 to remain undefeated

The Out-of-Door Academy football team's game against Cocoa Beach High Friday night was a tightly contested game at halftime. 

By the end of the third quarter, there was a running clock. ODA — which led 18-10 at the half — awoke for four touchdowns in the third quarter on the way to a 54-10 romp over the Minutemen. 

ODA (7-0) got things started on its first possession, with senior running back Griffin DeRusso sprinting for a 15 yard touchdown. ODA would add a field goal to make the score 10-0 before Cocoa Beach (4-2) answered with a 60-yard pass from quarterback Logan Silvea to wideout Payton Ellis, making it 10-7. In the second quarter, ODA senior quarterback Jack Hobson found DeRusso on a screen pass, which DeRusso took 78 yards for a score. ODA would attempt a two-point conversion and succeed. A Cocoa Beach field goal made the score 18-10 at the half. 

That's when the Thunder broke things open. Senior defensive back Drew Hill returned the second half kickoff to the Minutemen 18 yard line and senior running back Luca Marino turned the good field position into a 10-yard touchdown run two plays later. After a quick Cocoa Beach possession, ODA worked down the field and DeRusso found room for a six yard touchdown run. The Minutement would quickly punt again, and DeRusso again made them pay, this time with a 10 yard score. ODA would add a long touchdown run by freshman running back Allen Clark on its next possession to go up 47-10 and start the running clock. 

ODA senior running back Jack Meyers would add a fourth quarter running touchdown for a 54-10 final score. 

"We had confidence coming out of halftime," Marino said. "We saw which plays were working and which weren't. We decided to use our speed to our advantage in the running game."