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On the Gridiron: Week 10 prep recap
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Tevin Drake and Alvin Delaine may meet for the final time tonight. (Courtesy of the St. Petersburg Times)
RECAP EXTRA: Nature Coast and Hernando will be involved in a three-way dance tonight for the final remaining playoff spot in their district. Crystal River and the two Hernando County programs are tied to end the season. The three will meet at Nature Coast with Hernando playing Crystal River in the first quarter. Whichever team is ahead after that period will face Nature Coast in a one-period showdown for the berth.
Game of the Week
(10) Land O’Lakes 21, (11) Mitchell 17
Stevie Weatherford (10-of-17, 240 yards, two touchdowns) didn’t want to be the Weatherford brother under center when the Gators’ playoff streak ended, and he showed it was a 147-yard, two-touchdown performance in the fourth quarter to bring Land O’Lakes back and secure and 13th consecutive state playoff berth. Meanwhile, Ricky Trinidad (36 carries, 185 yards, two touchdowns) put forth a gutsy effort himself, coming off missing most of the past two weeks due to back spasms. In its regular season finale, the Mustangs fall just short of the postseason but still put together the best campaign in program history.
Prediction: Mitchell 28, Land O’Lakes 27
(1) Plant 40, (39) Chamberlain 0
Once the Panthers built a 40-point third quarter lead, Plant took its foot off the accelerator. Phillip Ely (11-of-22, 131 yards) tossed the ball all over the field on the Chamberlain defense in the first half, when he completed all four of his touchdown passes. Antonio Crawford and James Wilder combined for 14 carries, 143 yards and two touchdowns on the ground to complement Ely, and the Panther offense was at peak form. Although the Chiefs did not score, Travis Hanchett did pass for 92 yards.
Prediction: Plant 56, Chamberlain 0
(2) Armwood 58, (23) East Bay 13
The scoreboard was lighting up in this one every time the Hawks had the ball, but other than very limited carries from Matt Jones (seven carries, 132 yards, one touchdown), there weren’t any spectacular individual performances from Armwood. East Bay fought valiantly as D.J. Richmond (six carries, 62 yards, one touchdown) and Junior Nemorin (55-yard touchdown run) breaking lose on the ground. Aaron Mills, who has been so valuable to East Bay’s success this season, left the game in the second half after being injured on a hit.
Prediction: Armwood 49, East Bay 3
(3) Tampa Bay Tech 20, (29) Wharton 0
This is not a knock on Wharton, but TBT continues to lack the kind of punch on offense that had many thinking the Titans could get deep into the Class 5A playoffs this season. Maurice Hagens (30 carries, 149 yards, one touchdown) had another good game, but 20 points on the Wildcats is not what was expected. After going up 13-0 in the first quarter, TBT seemed to lay back and rest on that early advantage. The Titans could do that, of course, because the defense did its job as usual. Wharton gained only 92 yards of total offense, including 50 on one play.
Prediction: Tampa Bay Tech 51, Wharton 10
(4) Jefferson 49, (36) Blake 2
Minus one uncharacteristic safety early on, the Dragons played another flawless game Friday night at Blake. The Yellow Jackets could do nothing offensively on Jefferson. Quentin Williams (18-of-23, 253 yards, four touchdowns) continued to put up numbers that stack up with some of the best single seasons in Suncoast history. Williams now has 26 touchdown passes on the campaign to go with three rushing scores. Andre Davis (nine catches, 109 yards), the No. 1 receiver for the Dragons, pulled in two of those touchdowns Friday while also intercepting opposing Blake’s Eugene Davenport in the second quarter.
Prediction: Jefferson 63, Blake 0
(5) Hillsborough 42, (27) King 0
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 13 years last season, Hillsborough played this regular season like it was on a mission. Tarean Austin (12-of-15, 232 yards, one touchdown) led that charge as the Terriers’ field general, and that play continued in a whitewashing of the Lions Friday. Like many of the other top five programs this week, Hillsborough found itself on cruise control after building a 42-0 third quarter lead. Charles Lovett (four catches, 111 yards, one touchdown) came up with another big game as the top target for Austin. Five different Terriers scored the team’s six touchdowns, with Terrence Mitchell the only player to reach pay dirt twice.
Prediction: Hillsborough 59, King 0
Lakewood 26, (6) Spoto 15
According to those on hand, there was a sense of deflation at Spoto Friday night, even with a playoff berth still on the line. The Spartans had lost two of the last three, and they never seemed to get on track after a second-quarter safety forced by the Lakewood defense. A Jamar Burns 29-yard touchdown run in the first quarter gave Spoto a 7-0 lead, but the home team never capitalized. Bernard Reedy scored two of Lakewood’s three touchdowns. The game did not end well with administrators deciding it would be best for the two teams, and the two coaches, to not shake hands following the final whistle.
Prediction: Spoto 21, Lakewood 13
(7) Tampa Catholic 38, Avon Park 20
Kudos to the Crusaders for keeping their focus, and now Tampa Catholic is the lone undefeated program on the Suncoast. With a little help from his partner-in-crime Hank McCloud (14 carries, 106 yards, one touchdown), Christian Green (7-of-9, 72 yards, two touchdowns, 13-yard touchdown run) led the charge for the Crusaders, which racked up 300 yards of total offense. Avon Park did not shy away from the challenge, but the late charge was not enough to hold down TC.
Prediction: Tampa Catholic 27, Avon Park 21
(8) Pasco 28, (30) Sunlake 8
At the half, the Pirates were tied with the visiting Seahawks, a real sign of the kind of effort Sunlake has been putting together every week for Bill Browning. The second half was a different story altogether. Janarion Grant (nine carries, 150 yards, two touchdowns) scampered for a 94-yard score in the fourth quarter to put the nail in the proverbial coffin of the ‘Hawks, and that was all she wrote. Pasco finished undefeated in district play, with its only blemish coming at the hands of South Sumter early in the schedule.
Prediction: Pasco 41, Sunlake 6
(12) Freedom 23, (33) Brandon 0
Book it, Freedom fans. The Patriots are in the playoffs. Brandon was unable to do anything offensively against the home team, and the Eagles accomplished nothing with the ball. Actually, it was Freedom that scored when Brandon had the ball, when Keith Lewis returned a fumble 45 yards for a score. In his first season under center for the Patriots, former Zephyrhills quarterback Tyler Guy started off the successful night with a one-yard sneak for a touchdown. Alex Landeta, providing some highlights with his foot, kicked a 49-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Prediction: Freedom 31, Brandon 7
(13) Nature Coast 22, (20) Hernando 20
Tevin Drake (19 carries, 116 yards, one touchdown) vs. Alvin Delaine (20 carries, 106 yards, two touchdowns, four catches, 82 yards, one touchdown) went to Delaine, but Drake was the happier one when the games ended since his team led on the scoreboard. The Sharks needed a win to force a three-way tie in the district for the second playoff spot. Hernando, Nature Coast and Crystal River will now face-off in a tiebreaker game on Monday at Nature Coast. Hernando and Crystal River will play two quarters with the winner playing Nature Coast for two quarters. The final program standing will punch its ticket for the 2009 playoffs.
Prediction: Nature Coast 31, Hernando 28
(17) Newsome 35, (15) Durant 31
Undefeated in the district, Newsome clinched the title Friday in one of the most impressive performances we’ve seen all season. The Wolves run the wing-T offense, built to run the ball. Conner Powers was the back it was built around, but he has been injured for a few weeks now. To top it off, the Wolves had to play Durant and its stingy run defense. How would they respond? Matt Klenke (21-of-31, 305 yards, four touchdowns), the Newsome quarterback, had the game of his life and the Wolves came from behind to win. Niko Anthony (six carries, 28 yards, one touchdown, seven catches, 168 yards, three touchdowns) was a gamebreaker as Klenke’s top target.
Prediction: Durant 17, Newsome 14
(16) Alonso 42, (40) Gaither 6
As expected, C.J. Bennett (16-of-20, 143 yards, two touchdowns, 11-yard touchdown run) led the Ravens to an easy victory over the lowly Cowboys. The weakest part of Alonso’s team, its defense, came through for Bennett with a staunch effort as well. Julian Jones returned a Shug Oyegunle interception 48 yards for a touchdown, and the Ravens held the Cowboys to only 27 yards on the ground. On the other hand, Alonso received a phenomenal effort from its own running backs, 13 carries for 174 yards and three touchdowns.
Prediction: Alonso 49, Gaither 7
(18) Robinson 68, (45) Strawberry Crest 0
The one thing the Knights have proven to be is equal opportunity. Robinson knocked off Steinbrenner 60-0 last week behind a huge game from Blake Rice. When faced with the other first-year program in the district this week, the Knights wiped the floor with Strawberry Crest 68-0. The defense pitched its fourth shutout of the season and scored 50-plus points in a game for the fourth time this year as well. Frankie Williams scored on a 40-yard interception return and a 48-yard punt return. In the first half, the Knights averaged 14.9 yards per carry and scored four touchdowns on the ground.
Prediction: Robinson 63, Strawberry Crest 0
(19) Jesuit 42, St. Petersburg Catholic 7
Bobby Eveld (12-of-19, 210 yards, two touchdowns) and Robby Garcia (17 carries, 103 yards, three touchdowns) had terrific offensive performances for the Tigers to clinch a playoff berth as the district runner up. While the Jesuit defense did relinquish 100 yards to Keelyan Bryant, Chris McKay passed only 8-of-26 for the game. The two seniors, Eveld and Garcia, took this big regular season game seriously as neither wanted to be home for the postseason and see their prep careers end prematurely.
Prediction: Jesuit 27, St. Petersburg Catholic 21
(21) Berkeley Prep 31, Indian Rocks Christian 6
Destin Nichols (6-of-12, 151 yards) tossed three scores through the air, but it was Nelson Agholor (19 carries, 74 yards), who didn’t score on the ground, who got the game started off right for the Buccaneers. The sophomore tailback has had a terrific season, and he returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for the first score of the game. With the win, Berkeley added itself to a long list of programs on the Suncoast that clinched playoff berths Friday. The defense can be assessed by the numbers of the opposing quarterback. Blake Farver passed only 11-of-33 with two interceptions.
Prediction: Berkeley Prep 34, Indian Rocks Christian 21
(26) Hudson 20, (22) Wiregrass Ranch 18
After building a 17-0 lead in the first quarter, the Cobras almost let it slip away over the course of the next 36 minutes of regulation. In the opening quarter, Zack Wynn (15-of-31, 214 yards) kicked a 22-yard field goal and ran for two touchdowns to build the early advantage. From there, the Bulls scored a touchdown in each of the next three quarters, including a 40-yard run from Josiah Johnson (22 carries, 140 yards, one touchdown) that put Wiregrass up 18-15. Hudson drove for a game-winning 23-yard field goal from Wynn. Wiregrass would have had nothing to worry about if it didn’t fail on all three of its two-point conversion attempts.
Prediction: Wiregrass Ranch 31, Hudson 28
(37) Leto 16, (24) Middleton 13
Up 13-3 at the half, Middleton seemed on pace to do what everyone else has done this season – beat Leto. Then, it all came crashing down. Fred Timmons returned the opening kickoff of the second half for a touchdown and then all bets were off. As expected, Jeremy Deering (115 yards rushing) had a big game for the Falcons in a rare victory. After going 5-2, the Tigers have now lost back-to-back games with Jefferson on deck for the finale. Leto ended its season with this win, only its second of the year.
Prediction: Middleton 28, Leto 10
(25) Riverview 14, (42) Bloomingdale 0
The Sharks knocked off the winless Bulls with an all-around team effort – meeting our 14-point spread heading into the game. Ronnie Johnson (10 carries, 53 yards, one touchdown) didn’t have to go nuts on the Bloomingdale defense, like he has so many other times this season in losing efforts. His second quarter 17-yard touchdown run put Riverview ahead for good, but he was ejected later in the game. The contest was marred by penalties totaling over 300 yards combined for both programs.
Prediction: Riverview 27, Bloomingdale 13
(28) Springstead 21, (49) Central 0
As Bill Vonada put it, their style of play doesn’t lend itself to blowing teams out, but if the Eagles were going to do it, it was going to be against Central at home in the team’s season finale. For the seventh consecutive season, Vonada and Springstead pushed its final record to .500 or better. Devean Huff (23 carries, 199 yards), who was injured in the fourth quarter, was the workhorse and spark for the Eagle offense. Quarterback Brian Beeker (12 carries, 58 yards, two touchdowns) also played well, showing the coaching staff that good things await Springstead in 2010 with Beeker and Huff, both juniors, returning.
Prediction: Springstead 49, Central 0
(31) Gulf 58, (35) Wesley Chapel 33
If this was John Castelamare’s final game on a high school sideline, it was a sad way to go out. Castelamare has built his reputation as a coach on defense and a hard-nosed running attack. On Friday, the Wildcats surrendered 58 points and 450 yards rushing. The bright spot for Wesley Chapel has been the same bright spot all season long, Jon Mahan (19 carries, 136 yards, two touchdowns, 77-yard kickoff return touchdown). Will Burbridge (21 carries, 246 yards, four touchdowns), the Gulf fullback that has been quiet for much of the season, was the Buccaneers’ answer to Mahan, and it worked to a T. Burbridge ran two long runs in for scores (96, 54).
Prediction: Gulf 27, Wesley Chapel 24
(43) River Ridge 20, (32) Ridgewood 14
These were two programs seemingly going in different directions all season long. The Rams, with a limited roster, had been putting up gutsy efforts from beginning to end of the year. On the other hand, the Knights had very little success against anyone on its schedule other than Anclote. Somehow, with a fourth quarter surge, River Ridge went into Ridgewood and defeated the Rams. All three touchdowns, two passes by Kenny Toce (12-of-14, 175 yards) and one rush by Stavros Arianas (20 carries, 80 yards), came within three minutes in the final period. Cameron Rodriguez (22 carries, 124 yards, one touchdown), who has had some issues holding onto the ball this season, lost a crucial fumble late in the game.
Prediction: Ridgewood 34, River Ridge 7
Canterbury 33, (34) Carrollwood Day 21
This was the game where Carrollwood proved all the doubters wrong. This was the game where the undefeated Patriots showed its dominance over the rest of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference. Neither of those things happened as Canterbury, who has been lying in the weeds all year, mashed the Patriots in Tampa. Other than a three-touchdown surge in the second quarter, Carrollwood did nothing against the speedy Canterbury defense. Two Crusader backs amassed over 300 yards on the ground and four touchdowns.
Prediction: Carrollwood Day 34, Canterbury 24
(38) Zephyrhills 18, (47) Anclote 7
The Bulldogs were not impressive in their win over Anclote and were in real jeopardy of handing the Sharks their first-ever varsity win. The game opened with a fumble recovered in the end zone by the Bulldog defense. After the Sharks blocked the point-after attempt, Anclote retorted with a scoring drive of its own. Phil Linton hit Travis Hendrix for a 16-yard touchdown to give the Sharks a first quarter lead, 7-6. Although Zephyrhills did nothing in the second half offensively, the second quarter featured two Bulldog scores and put the host school ahead for good.
Prediction: Zephyrhills 21, Anclote 0
(41) Lennard 36, (46) Steinbrenner 0
“Much like the Chargers, it is hard to imagine the Warriors will have much of an answer for Fred Porter or Tevin Abney on the Longhorn offense.” With Porter (8-of-13, 101 yards, one touchdown) rushing seven times for 86 yards and a touchdown, and Abney rushing for two touchdowns and 149 yards on the Warrior defense. Earlier this season, Abney missed three games due to a high ankle sprain, and the tailback is trying to make up for lost time with his last two performances against Strawberry Crest and Steinbrenner.
Prediction: Lennard 49, Steinbrenner 0
Victory Christian 56, (44) Cambridge 0
“Steve Stanley has helped lead Victory Christian to an 8-1 record this season, and the Lancers have little shot of stopping the Storm with him leading the way.” The Storm never broke stride offensively against the Lancers, who had been playing good ball as of late. The loss puts the Lancers at 4-5 this season, but a .500 season could still be in the cards with Indian Rocks Christian coming to town for the season finale.
Prediction: Victory Christian 48, Cambridge 17
(48) Bishop McLaughlin 41, All Saints 10
Giovanni Perone (167 yards, three touchdowns), a much-maligned performer at tailback for the Hurricanes most of the season, had the biggest game of his career this week against All Saints. Hurricane coach Marty Williams wanted to put this one away early, as shown by Bishop Mac’s three onside kick attempts in the first quarter. The ‘Canes recovered two of those attempts and continued to pile points onto the Winter Haven program. Mitch Ritter (80 yards passing, 78 yards rushing), a big constant for Bishop Mac at quarterback, accounted for 158 total yards.
Prediction: Bishop McLaughlin 27, All Saints 13
Bye: (9) Sickles, (14) Plant City, (50) Hernando Christian
Derek J. LaRiviere’s Week 10 Record: 20-7
Overall 2009 Record: 205-64 (.762)
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