ORLANDO — Lake County’s “Little Engine that Could” … did!

First Academy of Leesburg got three touchdowns from Byron Masoline and the Eagles used a bruising running game to wear down Orlando Christian Prep and win its first Sunshine State Athletic Conference championship with a 28-20 nail biter at the Payne Stewart Athletic Complex at Orlando First Academy.

The Eagles wrapped up the best season in school history with a 9-2 record and snapped Orlando Christian Prep’s five-game winning streak in the process, sending the Warriors home with an 8-3 mark.

First Academy of Leesburg put the game away with a 21 point outburst in the fourth quarter. The Eagles took their final lead of the game with five minutes to play when Masoline scored on a three yard run and 120-pound kicker Jacob Heins booted the extra point to give the Eagles a 21-20 lead. The drive included a 23-yard run by Dude Edwards and 20-yard dash by Ojay Cummings to set up Masoline’s game winner.

The drive started when PJ Hambrick recovered a fumble following a completed pass by OCP quarterback Stephen Marinas to his brother Alex Marinas. Five plays later, Masoline scored the championship-clinching touchdown.

He capped off the scoring with a seven-yard run with 11 seconds to play.

First Academy outscored the Warriors 28-14 in the second half.

The Eagles came out of the locker room to start the third quarter with more fire than it entered with and marched down the field on a 10-play, 76-yard drive. The march consisted of all running plays and was polished off with a 25-yard dash around end by Ojay Cummings.

The extra point gave the Eagles a 7-6 lead.

OCP regained the lead on its next possession on a 10-yard score in the third quarter on a quarterback sneak by Stephen Marinas. The touchdown was set up three plays earlier when Marinas found Damoni Rodarte all alone for a 59-yard completion that moved the ball to the five yard line.

The Warriors scored early in the fourth quarter when southpaw quarterback Connor Marchionda hit Chrishon Frazier on the sidelines for an apparent short gainer. Frazier, however, turned the play into a 53-yard score that gave them a 20-7 lead with 9 minutes, 40 seconds to play.

FAL responded with a 30-yard zigging, sagging scoring run by Masoline that followed back-to-back personal foul penalties that moved the ball from the Eagles 40-yard line. Masoline’s touchdown closed the margin to six points — 20-14 — with about nine minutes to play.

Orlando Christian Prep dressed more players for the game than First Academy of Leesburg, which had only 16 players available. The Warriors also had more size and speed and wasted little time using both to their advantage in the game’s opening minutes.

On their second offensive play of the game, Marinas found Derrick Guyton behind the Eagles secondary on a 28-yard completion that gave the Warriors a first-and-10 at the First Academy of Leesburg 11-yard line. Two plays later, fullback Frazier blasted over from nine yards out to give the Warriors an early lead.

The Eagles had a chance to even the score late in the first quarter when they mounted a drive that began at the 20-yard line. Behind a steady dose of Masoline, who lined up as a quarterback in the Wildcat formation, the Eagles marched the ball deep into Warriors territory.

On a first-down play, Masoline darted his way into the red zone, but had the ball poked away and picked up by the Warriors to snuff out a potential score.

The Eagles were able to move the ball between the 20-yard lines, but struggled each time they approached the red zone, Orlando Christian Prep was able to turn away scoring opportunities.

In the closing seconds of the first half, with the Eagles threating to score, an offensive pass interference penalty moved the ball outside the 20 and quarterback David Elliott had a pass into the end zone intercepted by Stephen Marinas. It was Elliott’s second interception of the first half.

Statistically, First Academy of Leesburg dominated Orlando Christian Prep. The Eagles totaled 179 yards of offense, compared to 94 for the Warriors. But four turnovers – two fumbles and two interceptions – proved to be the Eagles’ undoing.

The Warriors held Masoline in check, preventing the Eagles senior running back from breaking any long runs and kicking away from him on punts and kickoffs.

Masoline, who entered the game with more than 1,700 yards rushing, was limited to 45 yards on 11 carries in the first half before coming alive in the second half. He finished with 140 yards on 22 carries. Edwards had 121 yards on 12 carries and Cummings totaled 80 yards on 10 carries.

As a team, the Eagles had 370 yards rushing.

With the exception of two big passing plays, the Warriors were left frustrated by the Eagles defense. Orlando Christian Prep had 89 yards rushing and 151 yards passing – 140 of which came on three plays.