By Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Poinciana Coach Cory Fleming made this clear:

Even at a place with few recent football wins, moral victories won’t count.

Seeking their first two-game win streak since 2000, the Eagles led Lakeland Tenoroc twice Friday, but two fourth-quarter fumbles doomed Poinciana in a 20-14 loss at Eagle Field.

Fleming said when the team watched the tape over the weekend they “were sick.”

“The kids saw right away why we lost,” he said. “It was good to see the kids react that way, getting mad instead of just acceptance like in the past.”

Opportunity awaits again Friday for another positive step – the Eagles’ first district victory when they travel to Tavares for a 5A District 7 tilt.

The Bulldogs are 0-3 after a 27-20 loss to The Villages last week, but the record doesn’t reflect on what Fleming sees on tape.

“They have three strong running backs (Qua Caldwell, John Perdue, Christian Sears) and are a straight-I, downhill running team,” Fleming said. “Our challenge is to stop their run game, and we have our work cut out for us.”

Fleming said, despite the school’s 11 years without a playoff berth, the talk this week has been about going back and how a win Friday will be a positive step in that direction.

“The kids are excited and the focus is where it should be,” he said.

Poinciana took a 7-0 lead last week when Javonte Hursey hit Michael Cirino over the middle on the post route, and the receiver sped 93 yards to the end zone. Neils Akkerman added the PAT.

The Eagles could have taken that lead into halftime, but the Titans (1-2) scored on a 19-yard pass play on the final play of the half.

“Giving up that score just killed us,” Fleming said. “It’s a completely different ball game, going to halftime with the lead, I fully believe.”

Poinciana regained the lead when Hursey tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Joey Decomo four minutes into the third quarter.

But, Tenoroc scored touchdowns on their next two drives.

The Eagles reached the Tenoroc 25 in the fourth quarter, but fumbled.