OCALA – An unofficial 34 penalty flags proved too much for the Oakleaf Knights to overcome, as Ocala Forest won a 21-7 District 3-5A contest Monday.

The game was moved from Friday, Oct. 9, due to threatening conditions created by Hurricane Isaias' landfall.

Oakleaf was tagged for several questionable holding penalties that proved to be momentum sapping for the offense.

Top highlights came from Oakleaf senior wide receiver Michael Conner and junior running back Jordan Battles, who both had long runs negated by penalty flags that thwarted potential scoring opportunities.

In the first quarter, a 12-yard pass play from quarterback Jaidan Delaune to Conner for a score came after an acrobatic interception by senior defensive back Cedric McNeil at the Forest 24. On the short drive, the Knights were tagged three times with flags, but they still drove to score.

The Wildcats struck on their ensuing drive with a 15-yard pass play to the Oakleaf 32. That was ahead of a four-yard plunge from running back Kez Rivers.

Conner zig-zagged from the Forest sideline, back to the Oakleaf sideline on the kickoff, before finishing at the Forest 28. But a flag put Oakleaf back to the Knights 22.

Delaune negotiated passing and running plays with London Carswell and Battles, but flags kept pushing Oakleaf backward. Then Forest defensive back Jairah Raines was called for a pass interference that was waved off after the officials met.

An unsportsman-like conduct call against the Wildcats kept the Oakleaf chains moving to the Forest 5. But fullback CJ Moses was stuffed on a fourth-and-one plunge.

Forest made quick work of the stop with a 62-yard scoring pass down the center of the Knights' secondary. Then Rivers scored the final touchdown in the third.

Oakleaf fell to 3-4, with Matanzas and unbeaten (8-0) Buchholz next up in district play. The Wildcats improved to 7-1, with just West Port in district play.