By: J. Daniel Pearson
Positively Osceola
Published 9/26/2025
Tohopekaliga’s record-setting quarterback Sabby Meassick was hot for just one half on Thursday night, but it was more than enough as the senior threw four first-half touchdown passes to lead the Tigers to a big 28-16 district win over Harmony.
Meassick completed 20 of 30 in the first half, firing scoring passes of 34, 12 and 63 yards to Xaevez Brown and adding a 5-yard strike to Tre Punter to give the Tigers a 28-16 lead at intermission – a score that would stand for the rest of the game.
“Really proud of our guys tonight,” Tohopekaliga coach Anthony Paradiso said. “After a tough loss last week, we were a banged up team. We were playing without a starting tackle and corner. But we came out, executed our game plan and came away with a big win.”
It was a tough loss for the Longhorns, who started out on fire.
After stopping Meassick and the Tigers on its first possession, Harmony went on a massive time-consuming, 17-play drive that was capped by Damarion Moore’s six-yard run. Brayden Buehler tacked on the extra point and with 3:38 left in the first, it was 7-0 Longhorns.
After Toho muffed the ensuing kickoff, the Longhorns had the Tigers pinned back on their own five. But Meassick would complete five of seven passes, including a 45-yarder to Tayshaun Dillard and a scoring strike to Brown to tie the game, 7-7.
Harmony would answer on their next possession, as Moore scored from 3-yards out to make it 13-7. It would be the last time the Longhorns would see the end zone on the night.
Meassick methodically moved the Tigers 64 yards on their next possession, finding Punter on a diving reception in the end zone to take a 14-13 lead. The key play on the 10-play drive was a 15-yard pass play from Meassick to AJ Wise on a fourth and two play.
The Tigers then turned two turnovers into 14 points.
After recovering the ball at midfield, Meassick went four for four on a drive – hitting Brown on a 12-yard screen play to up the lead to 21-13, On the ensuring possession, Harmony fumbled again and Meassick needed just one play to find a wide-open Brown a 63-yard score and a 28-13 lead.
Still Harmony had a chance to make it a one score game at the half. A 40-yard completion from Landon Hayes to Bryce Berry gave the Longhorns a first and goal on the Tiger 10. But after a short run and two incomplete passes, Harmony had to settle for a Brayden Buehler 25-yard field goal and a 12-point halftime deficit.
The real killer came early in the third quarter for the Longhorns. A stalled drive resulted in a miss of a 51-yard field goal by Buehler. But two plays later, Tohopekaliga fumbled it back to the Longhorns on the 14. Unfortunately, Harmony would return the favor seconds later–as Tohopekaliga jarred the ball loose from running back Nicholas Bertolani and the Tigers recovered. On the next Harmony offensive series, Moore left the game with a leg injury and would not return.
Although the Longhorns would hold Toho scoreless in the second half, the Tigers ran the ball effectively –picking up eight first downs and holding the ball while building a lead in possession time.
Still, Harmony had one last chance to get back in the game. Following a fourth down sack of Meassick at midfield with 5:55 remaining, the Longhorns picked up one first down on a 31-yard pass from Hayes to Berry. But the possession would end with a -29 yard sack of Hayes – one of five sacks Tohopekaliga recorded on the drive for a -57 yards.
“The turnovers were obviously huge, but losing Moore early in the third period was also a big blow,” Harmony coach Don Simon said. “He was a big part of our running game but was also an important part of our pass blocking. We still had our chances tonight, we just couldn’t hit the big plays when we needed them.”
For the game, Hayes finished 6 of 9 passing for 152; with Berry on the receiving end of four passes for 116. Moore had 91 yards on 17 carries before leaving the game. Meassick finished 24 of 40 for 353 yards. Brown had 197 combined rushing and receiving yards and Tayshaun Dillard had seven catches for 87.
Harmony (3-3, 0-1) has a bye week before facing district opponent Lake Nona on Oct. 10. Tohopekaliga (3-3, 1-0) has a non-district game at undefeated Lake Brantley (4-0) next Friday.
Score by Quarters
Tohopekaliga 7 21 0 0 –28
Harmony 7 9 0 0 –16
H: Damarion Moore 6 run (Brayden Buehler kick)
T: Xaevez Brown 34 pass from Sabby Meassick (Alex Lozada kick)
H: Moore 3 run (Pass Failed)
T: Tre Punter pass from Meassick (Lozada kick)
T: Brown 12 pass from Meassick (Lozada kick)
T: Brown 63 pass from Meassick (Lozada kick)
