Cudas football coach Lance Jenkins NSB loss in home opener: 'They took us to the woodshed'

Video by Multimedia Editor Sera Frederick

New Smyrna Beach lost its first game of the season in its home opener Friday, 21-12 to Deltona to fall to 2-1 on the season with Cudas head coach Lance Jenkins saying his team was outcoached.

Photo by Sera Frederick

The Deltona Wolves were strong in the trenches, easily getting to the 'Cudas backfield on several key plays that led to scoring on turnovers.

NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- The Cudas scored on the opening kickoff of the game with running Raheem Mostert sprinting 94 yards to put the Cudas up 6-0. But it was the power runs of Deltona fullback Josh Dagley who ran in three touchdowns and a stellar defense by the visiting team en route to a 21-12 loss at the NSB Sports Complex before a packed house.

There was one scary moment after Mostert's run when kicker Steve Carraher injured his neck while trying to run with the ball for a two-point conversion after a bad snap. The kicker was able to get up on his own, but was taken to Bert Fish Medical Center where X-rays were negative.

Things looked promising for the Cudas with Mostert's touchdown, but that would be their only scoring until the final minute in the game when Evan Schroeder threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to Josh Brisbois after it had been tipped by a teammate. A 2-point conversion passing play failed and that was it for scoring by both teams. "Deltona did a great job -- they out coached us," first-year head coach Lance Jenkins said. "They took us to the woodshed."

Jenkins said the field was in terrible shape, a testament to sloppy play by both teams, though New Smyrna Beach had some very costly fumbles that led to quick scores by Deltona. Sandwiched in between the Cudas' TD's were the three running touchdowns by the Wolves' Dagley, with two 1-yard scores in the second quarter and a 3-yarder with just over 2 minutes left in the game after a Cudas fumble on a running play.

Though he had a rough start, including a sack on his very first throwing attempt, Schroeder drove the Cudas down the field leading to the lone touchdown. The senior passed for 156 yards, but the running game was anemic with 20 yards. "We were there, but we couldn't put it in the endzone," Schroeder said of the lost scoring opportunities before the final score when the game was out of reach.

NEXT: The Cudas travel to Titusville next Friday and then return home the following week to play Mainland of Daytona Beach.

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