WINDERMERE – After two unexpected deaths within the Windermere Prep family and the difficulties of dealing with Hurricane Matthew, head coach Jacob Doss told his team that the Lakers were due for good bounces. 

Ismael Cortes ran for four touchdowns and 198 yards, and undefeated Windermere Prep did indeed receive a few breaks Friday in a 35-27 victory over visiting Central Florida Christian.

The win clinched the Coastal Central Florida Division in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference for Windermere Prep (7-0, 4-0).

More importantly, the Lakers won for their fallen defensive coordinator Brad Ramsey. He died unexpectedly last weekend after eight years at Windermere Prep.

On top of that, the funeral for Marco Golding, father of Lakers basketball standout Xion Golding, was Friday.

Cortes’ fourth rushing touchdown helped Windermere Prep break a tie, and Mitchell Darrow added an insurance touchdown to help the Lakers remain unbeaten.

Cortes ran for 198 yards on 31 carries, including touchdowns of 24, 67, 2 and 6 yards, the last putting the Lakers ahead 28-21.

“On each touchdown, I saw Coach Ramsey in the end zone with open arms,” Cortes said.

Central Florida Christian’s Brysyn Moore returned an interception 31 yards to bring the Eagles (2-5, 2-2) to within 28-27, but a 2-point pass was overthrown.

Darrow, who ran 71 yards as a backup quarterback, heaved a jump-ball pass that Will Seelman outleaped Moore to grab for 20 yards. Darrow ran in from 11 yards on the next play to put the Lakers up 35-27.

CFCA’s Caleb Brenyo had 200 yards on 9-of-23 passing, but 192 of those came in the first half. He threw three touchdowns, including a 92-yarder to James Lynch Jr., but he was also picked off three times.

The breaks started happening in the fourth quarter. After Brysyn Moore returned an interception to bring Central Florida Christian within 28-27, the 2-point pass missed an open player. CFCA then onside kicked. The ball bounced around and off one Laker, but the Lakers’ Prashray Bhatta recovered with 8:39 left in the game.

The Lakers drove down the field behind third-string quarterback Mitchell Darrow. He normally is known for his running (71 rushing yards). Facing third-and-12, he lobbed a jump-ball pass. Will Seelman outleaped Moore for a 20-yard grab to the CFCA 11. Darrow ran in on the next play to put the Lakers up 35-27.

Austin Tanner picked off a CFCA pass on the next drive. Bhatta and Mason Russell also picked off passes for Windermere Prep.

“It was a freak play,” said Doss about Seelman’s grab. “It was a long vert. He threw it 25 yards in the air, and Will came up with it.

“Mitchell is one we have plays for where we pound the ball, pound the ball. For some reason, he heard a vert (deep-pass) play – that I didn’t call. And he heaved it into the heavens, and we came down with it.”

“We were focused on the cutbacks,” Cortes said. “They were loading one side, so we’d cut back to the others.

Windermere Prep made several timely defensive plays. Ryan Swoboda, a 6-9 defensive end, batted down two passes. The Lakers shut down CFCA quarterback Caleb Brenyo in the second half, holding him to 3-of-10 passing for 8 yards and two interceptions.

“We had 2-3 guys injured in the secondary,” Swoboda said. “We had several freshmen in there. They were scared at first, but I was proud of them. I’m a basketball player, so (the batdowns) came naturally.

“We were really emotional. Coach Ramsey was looking out for us. He gave us a couple good calls and good bounces.”

Central Florida Christian stayed punch-for-punch with the Lakers.

Supreme Richardson had with 69 yards rushing. Lynch caught three passes for 105 yards. Qumari Campbell had two touchdown catches.

“We’re a team full of young warriors,” Eagles coach Christopher Cook said. “They don’t quit. We walk away knowing that minus a mistake or two, we could’ve won this game. We walk away knowing we could play with anybody.”