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The fifth question was answered. PHU's Kevin Dichinson was voted the county's best tight end. Now on to the next question. Who is the county's best offensive lineman? You can vote until Tuesday at 5 p.m. The results will be publisged on Wednesday.
-- BOB PUTNAM
(Pictured: Zephyrhills' Mychael Floyd. Times photo - Lance Aram Rothstein. Click to enlarge.)
Largo 38, Gibbs 3
Crystal River 13, Hernando 7
Northeast 27, Lakewood 14
Clearwater Central Catholic 30, Berkeley Prep 0
Plant City 14, Brandon 7
Plant 35, Blake 6
Dixie Hollins 33, Seminole 22
Osceola 17, Boca Ciega 7
Countryside 31, Clearwater 14
Pinellas Park 23, St. Petersburg 22
(Pictured: Crystal River's Ronnie Baldner. Times photo - Edmund D. Fountain. Click to enlarge.)
Central 23, Ridgewood 20
Alonso 31, King 10
Nature Coast Tech 61, Lecanto 0
Shorecrest Prep 29, Indian Rocks Christian 18
Jefferson 56, Leto 0
Chamberlain 42, Sickles 7
Newsome 38, Freedom 31
Pasco 33, Hudson 24
Zephyrhills 25, Gulf 22
Dunedin 32, East Lake 15
Palmetto 24, Jesuit 21
(Pictured: Alonso's Kofie Kuma-Mintah. Times photo - Justin Cook. Click to enlarge.)
Northside Christian 23, Admiral Farragut 0
Gaither 42, Wesley Chapel 21
Tampa Catholic 26, St. Petersburg Catholic 22
Land O'Lakes 48, Mitchell 14
Tarpon Springs 31, Springstead 13
Victory Christian 49, Bishop McLaughlin 0
Hillsborough 15, Middleton 14
Winter Haven 26, Armwood 25
East Bay 35, Bloomingdale 7
(Pictured: East Lake's Micah Powell. Times photo - Thomas Whisenand. Click to enlarge.)
Sarasota Riverview 21, Riverview 10
Wharton 34, Tampa Bay Tech 0
Durant 31, Sarasota 24
Robinson 7, Sarasota Booker 6
Dunedin 32, East Lake 15
Calvary Christian 6, Tampa Baptist 0
Ok it's obvious Clearwater (15-0) is the the top dog in Pinellas County volleyball, but would the real No. 2 team please stand up! Is it East Lake? Is it Palm Harbor? Is it Indian Rocks Christian? Is it Countryside? A case could be made for all four, but what do you think? I got an email the other day about the lack of shine for South County teams, but are any of those squads good enough to lay claim to the No. 2 spot? Let us know.
BRANDON WRIGHT, Times Staff Writer
If there was a way I could ever be in three places at once, I’d try it tonight. There are several big district matchups on tap, and I thought I’d start some discussion by throwing in my two cents…
Osceola FB Bryce Williams (Times photo by Willie Allen, Jr/Click to enlarge)
BOCA CIEGA (3-2) at OSCEOLA (3-1) Do the Pirates have any late-game magic left? Coming off a last-minute victory over Lakewood and a double-overtime thriller against Gibbs, Boca Ciega may be in for another barn-burner tonight at Osceola. The Warriors, boosted by a strong senior class, have already won more games than they did all of last season (2), and they have a hefty workhorse to thank. Bruising fullback/linebacker Bryce Williams (6-1, 225), who is getting looks from some D-I schools, rarely steps off the field.
DID YOU KNOW? Osceola coach George Palmer had versatile quarterback Sergio Allen mimic Bogie QB Orhian Johnson’s scrambling ability this week in practice. Keeping Johnson in the pocket will be key for the Warriors.
GAMEBREAKER: Osceola RB/WR Justin Hart. Palmer likens Hart, a 6-1, 178-pound slasher, to Bogie senior tailback Josh Bellamy. Both can make defenders miss – and break the big one.
JOE’S PICK: Osceola
Dunedin tailback Rico Boykins (Times photo by Thomas Whisenand)
EAST LAKE (4-1) AT DUNEDIN (3-1) Dunedin defensive end Ryan Carlson said some of the Falcons’ had “big heads,” following their 3-0 start. If they did, getting thumped 31-0 by Largo last Thursday should have had them quickly refocused on another tough home test in East Lake. The Eagles ‘D’ has been stingy so far, forcing 12 turnovers in the first four games. If East Lake’s offense, which continued its troubling trend of fumbling seven times last week (three lost), doesn’t put its ‘D’ in tough spots, the Eagles could pull off a big district victory.
DID YOU KNOW? East Lake started 4-1 last year, too, before a loss to Dunedin in Week 6 sent the Eagles on a season-ending, five-game losing streak.
GAMEBREAKER: Dunedin quarterback Terry Nnatabeugo. The short but swift signal caller completed nearly as many passes last week (5) as he had the previous three games. He’ll need to develop a rhythm – and keep the Eagles ‘D’ off balance.
JOE’S PICK: Dunedin
Lakewood receiver Ronnie Lane (Times photo by Bill Serne)
NORTHEAST (4-1) at LAKEWOOD (2-2) Lakewood coach Otis Dixon said, besides Largo, “Northeast will be the most balanced team we’ve played this year.” He’s not kidding. Northeast QB Armando Sanchez can stretch the field, with RB Jeff Brinson adding tough runs between the tackles. But this is a much-improved Lakewood team from a year ago, when the Spartans went 2-8. Nose tackle David Woods (6-2, 285) is a one-man run stopper, and QB Corey Henderson has improved his grasp of the system every week. So don’t be surprised if you see an early-season district upset tonight.
DID YOU KNOW? Lakewood defensive back Jacquez Jenkins will play for the first time since injuring his ankle against Largo in Week 2. Cornerback Paul Britten (sprained knee), however, is a “game-time decision,” Dixon said.
GAMEBREAKER: Lakewood receiver Ronnie Lane. Arguably one of the top wideouts in the county, Lane (17 catches, 321 yards) is also arguably under-utilized in the Spartans’ spread offense. The games Lakewood has established Lane (aka Gibbs), they have faired well.
JOE’S PICK: Lakewood
YOUR TAKE: Of all the county games tonight, which one is destined for an upset?
-- JOE SMITH
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2605816
A high school team in Michigan cancelled its season for fear of players getting hurt. They had not scored a point all season. What do you all think of that?
I'm well aware that the high school distance for cross country meets has changed from 3 miles to 3.1 miles (5K). I ran cross country and have been covering running for 20 years.
Anyway, factoring in the .1-mile difference, boys' times today (overall) are MUCH slower than they were in the late 1970s and early 80s. That's a fact and wanted to hear some feedback on that point.
Tx,
Scott Purks, Times Staff Writer
(Pictured: Former Nature Coast Tech football players Amber Scull and Amber Collard. Times photo - Kevin White. Click to enlarge).
(SPC coach Dan Mancuso. Times photo - Atoyia Deans. Click to enlarge)
St. Petersburg Catholic High football coach Dan Mancuso resigned on Monday. The decision, announced by the school on Tuesday, shocked players and administrators, including Father John Serio, who said the decision was Mancuso's, not the school's.
Mike Lynch, one of Mancuso's assistants, was named interim football coach.
"I have 708 personal reasons why I am resigning," Mancuso said in a prepared statement. "The students of this school are always first, not just those that are athletes."
For more details, check out Wednesday's Times.
-- JOE SMITH
Tampa Catholic's 15-stroke boys golf triumph Monday against Robinson didn't faze Knights standout Anthony Saint, and with good reason. Saint recorded his first career hole-in-one at the dual match at Rocky Point, acing the 130-yard No. 6 hole.
"It took a couple of hops and rolled right in," said Tampa Catholic coach Kevin Yarnell, whose team prevailed, 181-196. "The kid was absolutely speechless."
Saint couldn't immediately be reached for comment Monday night.
Middleton's 19-12 triumph Saturday against Blake at Raymond James Stadium reaffirmed two of my most enduring beliefs: (1) The Tigers and Yellow Jackets have no local peer in the marching band department; and (2) Some things in life - a Springsteen acoustical jam, anniversary dinners, prep football - are meant for intimate settings.
I attended the afternoon contest, teeming with both hype and humidity, anticipating an electric atmosphere. Instead, I found a cavernous one. The announced crowd of 9,003 - far shy of expectations - was sprinkled throughout the lower bowl, surrounded by approximately 56,000 empty seats.
Insert that same crowd into a large high school stadium on a Friday night, and that sparse audience would've been a boisterous throng (see Jefferson-Armwood game).
Of course, there are some drawbacks to scaling back: The kids would be denied the privilege of competing in an NFL stadium, and there isn't a local high school stadium large enough to accommodate the Blake-Middleton following, as the 2004 contest at Chamberlain proved.
I don't know how to rectify the former, but I've got a solution for the latter: temporary bleachers. Rent out Chamberlain's field for a night, put in some extra seats, and sell as many tickets as the county will allow.
Maybe it's just me, but a packed prep stadium seems to give off more energy than a mostly empty pro one.
Remember the date. Nine-two-nine.
Before Friday, every team in Class 4A, District 8 and Class 3A, District 6 has reason to believe. After Friday, we'll know a lot more about the playoff prospects of area schools.
A quick look:
Class 3A, District 6: Citrus (2-3, 1-0) appears to be in the driver's seat. Although the Hurricanes have won just two games this season, they are 1-0 in district play with a 37-0 romp over Lecanto. Of course, just about everyone has romped Lecanto this year, so it remains to be seen how good Citrus actually is. Lecanto (0-4, 0-1) will have a hard time even in district play. Crystal River (0-5, 0-1) is also winless, but the Pirates played Nature Coast (3-1, 1-0), which faces off against Lecanto Friday, tough. Friday's game between Hernando (1-3, 0-0) and Crystal River will go a long way in establishing the contenders for the district's two playoff spots.
Class 4A, District 8: Central (3-2, 1-0) and Ridgewood (4-1, 1-0) both find themselves in unfamiliar territory, tied for the district lead. Their game Friday will be one of the biggest of the season. The winner looks to be in the driver's seat for the playoffs. Springstead (2-2, 0-0) and Tarpon Springs (1-4, 0-1) pits last year's playoff teams against each other. If Tarpon Springs loses, it is essentially out of the playoff race. If it wins, it is right back in the running and the picture gets a heck of a lot murkier. River Ridge (0-5, 0-1) doesn't have a district game this week.
You know the guy who's the life of the party? The one with the hottest clothes, the hottest girls, the hottest cars? Mr. Everything? The guy who can play tennis with his right hand while keeping score with his left hand and knitting an afghan with his feet?
Well, Duane Marks is the guy who gets that guy his coffee.
It's an unenviable position, really, backing up the best football player in the county. Everyone wants to be Beyonce. Nobody wants to be the fly girl.
So it was easy to understand why Marks was smiling on Friday night after the Bears' 48-17 win over Lecanto.
For perhaps the only time in his life, he got more carries than all-everything running back DuJuan Harris. He gained more all-purpose yards than Harris. And he scored just as many touchdowns.
For one night, Marks was Jon Bon Jovi, and Harris was Richie Sambora.
In the first quarter, while lined up at H-Back, Marks found himself wide open down a seam in the Lecanto defense. He hauled in a perfect pass from quarterback Chase Walker and ran untouched into the end zone for a 46-yard touchdown reception. It was the first touchdown of his varisty career, but his second wasn't far behind. On his first carry of the game, in the third quarter, he broke off a 26-yard touchdown run.
He would carry the ball six more times, including runs of 31, 11 and 21 yards, and finished with 96 yards on seven carries.
Marks finished the game with 142 yards from scrimmage.
"It feels good," Marks said. "I like running the ball like that. I wish I could do it more."
Thing is, Marks understands that he's got as much chance of replicating Friday night's performance as a Dave Matthews cover band has of playing at Red Rocks. Even though Harris touched the ball just six times on offense, sitting down for much of the second half as Central's second-stringers took over, he was very much electric. Five of his six carries went for at least 10 yards. Two went for touchdowns.
The highlight was a 34-yard run in the second quarter in which he appeared to be stuffed for no gain by a swarm of Central defenders, only to break out of the pack and reverse field.
"It's just an athlete making a play," Central coach Cliff Lohrey said. "He just kept his legs moving."
Harris finished with 133 yards on six carries, for a cool 21.2 yard per carry average.
But on a day in which the entire Central team dominated, Marks was the story.
Granted, the times among the state's very best BOYS cross country runners is comparable to those in the 1970s and early 80s. But overall, BOYS high school cross country times in 2006 are MUCH slower than those run in the 1970s and early 80s.
Why?
SCOTT PURKS, Times Staff Writer
Largo fullback Antonio Patterson (Times photo/Thomas Whisenand) Click to enlarge
District play in Pinellas County is underway, and at midseason, several questions have been answered. Largo (4-0) doesn't seem to have lost a step despite losing star Dexter McCluster (Mississippi). Northeast (4-1) earned some stripes for the county with a big win over Bradenton Southeast a couple weeks ago, which should make for an interesting District 9 race (especially with Osceola, and improved Lakewood and Boca Ciega teams)
The Times offered some analysis in its midseason report on Saturday. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/23/Sports/Midseason_football_re.shtml
YOUR TAKE: What would make your Top-5 lists? Is St. Pete Catholic's 1-4 start the biggest surprise? Has Palm Harbor coach Pete Just, helping the Hurricanes (3-2) overcoming offseason tragedy, done the best coaching job so far? What will be the tightest district race, in your opinion?
We welcome your thoughts below
--- JOE SMITH
What a week in Pasco. Lot's of scoring. One undefeated sets up a huge game between Zephyrhills and Gulf next week. Who knows what to make of Mitchell? And Welsey Chapel and Land O'Lakes seem pretty preictable. Oh, and poor Pasco. Man, when are the Pirates going to catch a break. Here are the game stories from Week 5.
Land O'Lakes 28, Pasco 22 (OT)
Zephyrhills 36, Naples Lely 16
Wesley Chapel 41, River Ridge 13
Ridgewood 48, Hudson 16
Gulf 53, Mitchell 43
Bishop McLaughlin 20, The Cambridge School 13
(Pictured: Central's DuJuan Harris. Times photo - Edmund D. Fountain. Click to enlarge.)
The Times will publish scores from each of tonight's football games in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties as soon as we receive them. If you don't see the game you're looking for, check back. We'll be updating the list throughout the night.
Bishop McLaughlin 20, Cambridge 13
Jefferson 9, Hillsborough 2
Plant 68, Sickles 7
Northside Christian 23, Winter Haven All Saints' 0
Tampa Catholic 34, Berkeley Prep 6
Central 48, Lecanto 17
Labelle 13, Clearwater Central Catholic 10
Newsome 33, Plant City 15
Bradenton Prep 35, Tampa Baptist 7
(Pictured: Land O'Lakes' Develin Robinson. Times photo - Zach Boyden-Holmes. Click to enlarge.)
Zephyrhills 36, Naples Lely 16
South Sumter 48, Citrus 9
Land O'Lakes 28, Pasco 22 (OT)
Hernando Christian 34, Canterbury 20
Gulf 53, Mitchell 43
Ridgewood 48, Hudson 16
Wesley Chapel 41, River Ridge 13
Riverview 44, Brandon 0
Alonso 35, Jesuit 14
Bloomingdale 21, Tampa Bay Tech 14
(Pictured: Riverview's Antwain Powers. Times photo - Chris Zuppa. Click to enlarge.)
Durant 35, George Jenkins 0
Gaither 31, Freedom 10
Wharton 23, King 9
Robinson 33, Leto 6
Keswick Christian 49, Lakeland Santa Fe 0
Indian Rocks Christian 35, Orlando Agape 28
Sarasota Cardinal Mooney 37, St. Pete Catholic 0
Ocala Trinity Catholic 56, Crystal River 0
Largo trounced Dunedin 31-0 in a battle of Pinellas County unbeatens. Here are scores from Thursday night's other football games:
(Pictured: Largo's Mike Helm and Dunedin's Mike Kumbat. Times photo - Thomas Whisenand. Click to enlarge.)
Shorecrest Prep 56, Mount Dora Bible 12
East Lake 21, Pinellas Park 11
Northeast 22, Clearwater 18
Countryside 34, Dixie Hollins 0
Boca Ciega 20, Gibbs 14
Palm Harbor University 16, Tarpon Springs 10
One of the biggest hits of the season came on Friday in St. Petersburg’s come-from-behind win over Gibbs. There was St. Petersburg star lineman Lawon Scott, a 6-foot-2, 300-pounder, pursuing a play near the left sideline. There was Gibbs playmaking quarterback Jujuan Moorer, a short and shifty back scrambling.
And there was a collision.
“It was one of those NFL-hits,” St. Petersburg coach Joe Fabrizio said. “He took the guy off his feet and laid him out. It got everyone fired up.”
Moorer was shaken up on the play, but Gibbs coach Al Davis said he should be ready to go for tonight’s game at Boca Ciega.
Moorer had a huge game of his own defensively, where he had three interceptions (one returned 22 yards for a TD), three solo tackles and a fumble recovery.
YOUR TAKE: What was the best hit you’ve seen so far?
-- JOE SMITH
Most people realize a lot goes on in the pile after a player gets tackled. Ankles get twisted and other cheap shots are taken. It's not pretty, but it happens. Coaches and players don't like it, but most say it's part of the game.
What they don't tolerate is running up the score. It's a dirty phrase that can taint programs.
Citrus did that on Friday in a 37-0 win against Lecanto. Citrus led 7-0 at half time. 10-0 after kicking a 43-yard field goal in the third. The rest came in the fourth, many by the defense. Ahead 31-0 with a minute left in the game, the 'Canes tacked on another touchdown with starter Patrick Kruis who had already scored earlier in the night.
After the game when I asked coach Haines why he tacked on the extra score, he simply shrugged and said "the kids wanted Patrick to score. What was I supposed to do?"
When I asked again about running up the score he simply said: If we had wanted to run it up, we would have thrown it."
The 'Canes also racked up nearly 200 yards in penalties, five were 15-yard infractions for things like roughing the passer, a chop block and other unsportsmanlike things.
Now Haines is apologizing. Haines said he knew it was wrong right after the game.
I feel bad," Haines said. "I let my emotions dictate my actions instead of doing it rationally and doing what's right. I apologize to their people, but I also apologize to our school and students. More kids deserved to play in that situation, and I just screwed up. For that, I deeply apologize. I knew after I did it, it was wrong. "
Haines said he talked to the team Monday, saying he was wrong to run up the score, especially the last touchdown, which he later said was, "Rik Haines going brain dead."
Citrus athletic director Vicki Overman joined him and spoke to the team about playing fairly.
"We are on the cusp of getting that really bad reputation," Overman said. "And that's not what we want here. We expect our kids to play hard and play fair."
Overman compared the situation to when the Miami Hurricanes dressed in military fatigues before playing Penn State in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl.
"They had a great team," Overman said. "But everybody in the country hated them because they were renegades. And we don't want that kind of reputation."
Since the game, the Citrus and Lecanto principals and athletic directors have discussed the problems. Overman said the county will look at adding more ramifications for unsportsmanlike behaviors. It is something, Overman said, that was already being discussed in general terms but likely will be revisited following the football game.
"I can't say enough times how embarrassed we are that those things happened," Overman said. "We will do our dead-level best to make it right."
Overman said Haines has been reprimanded but wouldn't go into specifics. Though Haines said he is publicly apologizing, he has not specifically talked to Lecanto coach Bob LeCours.
LeCours declined to comment, stating instead: "Sportsmanship should always be at the pinnacle of high school sports. I'm not saying we're angels. We had a personal foul against Citrus, but I think sportsmanship in very, very important."
I've received a lot of phone calls from people who say Citrus has run up the score before. Others have emailed and said other teams are just as "dirty" no different than Citrus.
What do you think? What should be done?
- DAWN REISS, Times Staff Writer
The fourth question was answered. Countryside's Matt Mooney was voted as the county receiver with the best hands. For those wondering why Eric Terrell or Brett Anderson or Justin Hart didn't win, it's simple: you tried stacking the poll. Again, if I see a bunch of posts for the same person come rapid-fire within a couple of minutes of one another, I'm just going to eliminate them. So on to the next question. Who is the county's best tight end? You have until Wednesday (Sept. 27) to vote.
-- BOB PUTNAM
(Pictured: Pasco's Leeann Eble. Times photo - Brendan Fitterer. Click to enlarge.)
Pasco sophomore Leeann Eble won the Gator Invitational girls cross country meet in 20 minutes, 32 seconds. Central football player DuJuan Harris ran for 363 yards and five touchdowns in a victory over Crystal River. Jesuit's Kevin Valenti had 342 total yards, including 260 rushing, in a win at St. Petersburg Catholic. Newsome volleyball player Heather Alexander had nine kills and four assists in a three-game win against previously-undefeated Freedom. These are a few of the performances that turned our heads in recent weeks. Who caught your attention?
In the world of football-and-life-as-aquarium analogies, Hernando County is somewhere between a fish bowl and one of those small ziplock bags you get at the annual fireman's carnival.
So Friday's Central-Tarpon Springs game provided a unique opportunity to catch a glimpse at Bears star Dujuan Harris in action against an out-of-town defense that featured a future Division I player in cornerback Marquis Gamble.
Well, the coach of said team, George Kotis, didn't sound impressed.
"He's an above-average back," the Spongers coach said after Harris scored three touchdowns in the Bears' 21-9 upset win. "We probably have eight or 10 of him in our county. We probably have two or three on our team."
Like any good sports section, we just had to bounce Mr. Kotis' comments off his counterpart at Central. And though Cliff Lohrey is a rookie coach, he is a seasoned veteran when it comes to providing comebacks worthy of our precious newsprint.
"He might be an above-average back," Lohrey said, "but I wouldn't trade him for any of the two or three on their team, or any of the 10 in their county, or anybody in the state. I want him."
Why was Lohrey so convicted in his response?
Let's go to the tape. . .
Harris numbers won't cause you to drive off the side of the road: he reached 100 yards on 30 carries, an average of just 3.3 yards per carry. But don't judge him on the stat sheet. He may have gained 363 yards against Crystal River last week, but his performance against Tarpon Springs was more impressive. First, the Spongers entered the game allowing just 3.4 yards per carry. They are an infinitely better team than Crystal River, and they entered the game knowing they had to shut Harris down. Consider: Central ran 46 offensive plays all night. Harris touched the ball on 31 of them. That means that on 67 percent of the Bears' offensive plays, Harris had the ball in his hands.
Don't look at total yardage, look at quality runs. If Tarpon Springs could have put 13 players in the box, it probably would have, particularly on the Bears' first possession, when an 86-yard kickoff return by Duane Marks set them up with a first-and-goal on the 9-yard line.
Harris run. Zero yards.
Harris run. Face mask, half the distance to the goal.
Harris run. Three yards.
Harris run. One yard, touchdown.
Let's go to the next series.
Third-and-five. Pitch left, Harris explodes off his cut and bowls through a couple of defenders. Five yards. First down.
It was a similar theme. Of Harris' 30 carries, 11 resulted in either a first down or a touchdown. And none of them were easy.
On the Bears' 57-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter, they ran 15 plays. All of them were runs, eight by Harris. He rushed for a 13-yard first down on 2nd-and-7, a 10-yard first down on 2nd-and-9, and a 2-yard touchdown on 4th-and-goal. He also had a 19-yard run called back because of a penalty.
"It was one of those nights where his most impressive run might have been a six-yarder," Lohrey said.
Even when Harris wasn't running, he was producing.
Take the aformentioned touchdown drive. On the first play, Harris lined up as a wide receiver in a trips formation on the right side of the field. Quarterback Chase Walker ran to his side, followed one of his blocks, and gained nine yards.
Later on that drive, Harris again lined up in a trips formation on the right side of the field. With the coverage rolled to the right side, fullback Carlos Becaria ran over left guard for 10 yards.
"They said going into tonight we are a one-dimensional football team," Lohrey said. "And that may be true, but he's a heck of a dimension."
Even after getting pounded for three quarters, Harris returned a kickoff for a 74-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. And then, in one of his few repetitions on defense, he intercepted a pass to ice the win.
Afterwards, we informed Harris of Kotis' characterization of him as an "above-average back."
Harris shrugged and said, "Now he knows."
Check this story out, yall. It's a piece on an issue that's crippling Hernando County swim teams.
The fact that there is no public, county-ran swimming pool in all of Hernando is most perplexing. For close to 30 years, the swimming community has tried to get a pool, but to no avail. Soccer fields, baseball diamonds, basketball courts -- you name it -- have been built to accommodate this county's growing population. But no pool!
Every other county has multiple! pools. Hernando has none. Does this seem ludicrous?
So Springstead goes into its bye week, with two weeks to prepare for its first district game; against Tarpon Springs – last season’s district champ and a team originally thought to once again be the class of the district, before getting upset by Central last Friday.
Vonada said Springstead has two weeks to “become a good football team.”
Now, by that did he mean that the Eagles are a bad team at the moment? Or did he merely mean that they weren’t good, in terms of his own criteria? We can bet there is some middle ground to that statement and that the latter is probably the case. More than anything, Springstead has shown flashes – flashes of lots of things. There are those flashes of brilliance when the defense gets extra stingy and will barely give up a first down. Victor Schick has his moments, too, trucking through lines even though he’s the size of a small cornerback. But the Eagles have those other flashes. Flashes of inconsistency and even a little ineptitude at some moments: fumbling on key possessions, an on-and-off passing game, etc.
The thing is, now the season really starts. You can brush off a loss against South Lake or even rival Nature Coast, because the Eagles have but one goal: their third straight playoff appearance.
So they have two weeks to really dissect the past four games, work out the kinks, recommit themselves and come out of the bye layoff swinging.
Like Vonada said, “This is a bye week, not an off week.”
Watching Friday night's game between the Spongers of Tarpon Springs and the Bears of Central got me thinking: is there another place in the country that has a more boring collection of nicknames than Hernando County?
Spongers?
Cool.
Eagles, Sharks, Bears, Leopards and Lions?
Not so much.
Why not corner the market on cliche nicknames and call the next high school that opens the Wildcats? And before games we can have a pep rally and yell things like "R-O-W-D-I-E that's the way we spell Rowdy" and after games we can go down to the soda fountain and watch the star quarterback and star cheerleader kiss over a vanilla milkshake with two straws.
It's time for Hernando County to jump into the 21st century, and the 21st century is all about branding. I have in front of me a list of the coolest nicknames, most of which are listed in Marc Sheehan's "Distinctive Mascot" database at http://www.halcyon.com/marcs/mascot.html
The first area high school to adopt one of these will win a prize to be determined at a later date.
The Nubians, Africentric (OH) High: Named after an ancient African tribe. As opposed to an ancient Irish tribe, The Murphys.
The Blue Darters, Apopka (FL) High: Named after a pigeon-sized bird that is known for darting through wooded areas. The school chose the animal because it seemed approriate for its small but quick teams. Perhaps Hernando could go with "The Manatees," because it seems appropriate for its. . .Wait. Nevermind.
The Blockbusters, Block Yeshiva (MO) High: Sounds a lot better than Block Yeshiva Hollywood Videos.
The Syrupmakers, Cairo (GA) High: Known for its annual Thanksgiving Day Game against People for the Ethical Treatment of Maple Trees.
The Dateliners, Diomede (AK) High: Mascot is Storm Phillips.
The Eddies, Edwardsburg (MI) High: A little known fact -- the town was actually settled by a guy named Chuck.
The Zebras, Wayne (MI) High: Name originated because the school's first uniforms were striped. The name stuck. Curiously, the original equipment manager didn't.
The Electrons, Franklin (PA) High: Home of the famed "Valence Shield" defense.
The Midgets, Freeburg (IL) High: Currently in the process of changing its name to the Freeburg Little People.
The Kittens, Grambling (LA) High: Because nothing says ferocity, competitiveness and winning like a kitten.
The Daisies, Hockaday (TX) High: The only thing that can stop them is an unexpected frost.
Any other suggestions?
We've got a running back up here in Hernando County named DuJuan Harris.
As you may or may not have heard, he recently shattered the county's single-game rushing record with 363 yards and five touchdowns against Crystal River. Granted, Crystal River ain't exactly the Purple People Eaters, but Harris followed it up with a respectable performance against Tarpons Springs -- 100 yards on 30 carries, a 74-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, plus another 30-plus yard kickoff return.
After the game, Spongers coach George Kotis didn't seem very impressed with Harris, saying there are "10 of him" in Pinellas County, and two or three on Tarpon Springs alone.
We don't get out much up here, so could somebody tell me if that statement is accurate or not? And if it is, would you all mind sending a couple more Dujuan Harrises up here? Because we only have one.
(Pictured: Armwood quarterback Justin Hickman. Times photo - Brian Cassella. Click to enlarge.)
Titusville Temple Christian 35, Hernando Christian 19
Jesuit 37, Sickles 0
East Bay 14, Chamberlain 0
Seminole 20, Pinellas Park 14
Pasco at Sebring, ppd. until Monday, 6 p.m.
Hillsborough 35, Newsome 7
Gaither 41, Mitchell 0
Northeast 14, Bradenton Southeast 9
Largo 35, Dixie Hollins 0
Wharton 25, Wesley Chapel 6
(Pictured: Palm Harbor University quarterback Anthony Diaz is tackled by Countryside defensive back A.J. Matthews. Times photo - Thomas Whisenand. Click to enlarge.)
Central 21, Tarpon Springs 9
Nature Coast Tech 14, Crystal River 10
Victory Christian 58, Cambridge 0
Plant 32, Freedom 20
Citrus 38, Lecanto 0
Clearwater Central Catholic 38, Auburndale 0
Armwood 13, Jefferson 6
Land O'Lakes 30, Hudson 10
Zephyrhills 36, Hernando 9
Keswick Christian 40, Calvary Christian 0
Fort Meade 40, Northside 0
Wauchula Hardee 23, St. Petersburg Catholic 0
South Lake 21, Springstead 0
(Pictured: Wharton's Joel Miller. Times photo - Zach Boyden-Holmes. Click to enlarge.)
Ridgewood 41, River Ridge 6
Bishop McLaughlin 21, Santa Fe 14
Alsonso 32, Leto 14
Durant 17, Bloomingdale 7
King 21, Brandon 14
Middleton 40, Tampa Bay Tech 7
Tampa Baptist 43, Brandenton Christian 20
Tampa Catholic 38, Lake Placid 6
Countryside 28, Palm Harbor University 7
Boca Ciega 15, Lakewood 12
East Lake 36, Clearwater 14
(Pictured: Boca Ciega's Josh Bellamy. Times photo - Lara Cerri. Click to enlarge.)
St. Petersburg 25, Gibbs 17
Canterbury 20, Saint Stephen's 6
Shorecrest Prep 14, Admiral Farragut 0
Osceola 39, Bayshore 14
Lake Gibson 34, Plant City 7
Land O'Lakes a lock? Wesley Chapel in the game of the week?
Lee almost perfect on his season picks?
Cotey crying to his mother? It's all here in the Pasco picks column.
Here are the games, and here are our Picks to Click. Now it's your turn.
(Times photo - Janel Schraeder-Norton; click to enlarge.)
Do you know how much the police who patrol high school football games get paid?
In Citrus County, it is $17.50 per hour, with a three-hour minimum. And the schools usually assign 5-7 per game. (the official rule of thumb is one officer for every 100 fans).
There's no doubt the officers are getting paid quite nicely for doing very little work. But is their presence necessary? Must there be 1 officer for each 100 fans? Or is that overkill?
- Brian Sumers
Citrus County schools are trying to make sure high school coaches are teachers at the high school. Some coaches who teach at the middle school have privately expressed concern. In June, Crystal River replaced boys soccer coach Steve Ekeli with a on campus teacher. In a Times' story Crystal River principal Simon sad he told Ekeli he prefers to hire full-time teachers as coaches. It's a trend that's becoming bigger and bigger in this county.
Parents have complained that athletic teams have suffered in Citrus County as a result, because schools aren't hiring the best candidates, just who ever they can get at the school; someone who wants the few extra dollars from a coaching stipend.
School officials say it's easier for coaches to keep an eye on their team if they are at the school and more accessible.
What do you think?
- Dawn Reiss, Times Staff Writer
The third question was answered. Osceola's Bryce Williams was voted the county's best power back. Now on to the next question. Who is the county receiver with the best hands? This is the guy with the velcro mitts who'll grab anything thrown his way. Vote this week and the results will be published (Sept. 20). AND NO STACKING THE POLL!!!!
After dropping the first two games against perennial powerhouse Tampa Prep, IRC stormed back to take a thrilling 20-25, 22-25, 25-23, 25-23, 15-9 road victory Tuesday night, the Eagles first win against the Terps in school history. I thought it would be tough to top last Wednesday's Palm Harbor/Countryside five-game gem, but Tuesday's comeback did just that. The Eagles have been talking about beating 15-time state champs Tampa Prep for some time, but talking and doing are two different things. With just one senior in the rotation, IRC is young, hungry and getting better in a hurry.
--BRANDON WRIGHT
Four days before Armwood and Jefferson's nationally televised prep football duel, Hawks coach Sean Callahan already had tacked various newspaper clippings about the Dragons onto the bulletin board outside his team's locker room.
Strategically placed in the center was a first-person story, from The Tampa Tribune, in which Dragons senior lineman Mike Williams offered an outlook for the 2006 season. "Armwood is going to be our biggest challenge, of course, but besides them, I don't see anyone who can stop us," Williams said. "And I don't think Armwood can stop us either."
The last nine words had been underlined in red marker. "He's gonna have to prove it Friday night," Hawks senior fullback Marquise Branton said when asked about the quote.
Now, we ask you about it. Will Williams' words incite the Hawks this Friday?
More generally speaking, is bulletin board fodder a legitimate motivator for athletes, or is it all mere pregame hoopla that is forgotten once the ball is kicked off?
TAMPA -- Adam Stegeman has been forced to step down as Freedom's head football coach, Freedom principal Richard Bartels said Tuesday afternoon.
"I'm not going to get into the particulars but it involved an incident after (the Patriots 21-14 overtime victory Friday over Wesley Chapel)," Bartels said. "Leon Brockmeier, our offensive coordinator, will take over as head coach through the rest of the season."
Stegeman, 29 and in his third year as Freedom's head coach, said he was informed of the decision on Monday. Stegeman, who was 11-12 and 2-1 this season, declined to comment further, except to read from a prepared statement.
"As an educator and a coach in the Hillsborough county school district it has always been my aim to do everything for the betterment for the student-athlete on and off the field," Stegeman said. "And for the betterment of the team it has been decided to go with another head football coach at Freedom High school and I will support the decision."
Bartels said Stegeman was prohibited from having any further contact with the football team, but would remain as a business teacher at Freedom through the remainder of the school year.
SCOTT PURKS, Times Staff Writer
Each week we take two looks at the previous Friday’s action: one in Tuesday’s paper, and an extended version posted on our blog at blogs.tampabay.com/preps. Click on Hernando County and talk some smack with us. ONE FOR THE BOOKS We don’t want to be the ones to call high school record keeping inexact, but let’s just say Herodotus never finished his chapter on Hernando County football. So when we call Dujuan Harris’ 363-yard performance against Crystal River Friday night the county’s single-game rushing record, we do so with the caveat that a 4-foot-11 tailback/orange grove worker from Hernando may have rushed for over 400 yards against Moton High in the war-shortened season of 1941. But as far as recorded history goes, Central coach Cliff Lohrey summed it up best Monday afternoon. "If it’s not a record," he said, "it should be." Harris, a 5-foot-8, 185-pound running back who is one of the fastest players in the Tampa Bay area, earned a place among the all-time greats with his performance against Crystal River. He had five touchdowns, one of them for 89 yards and another for 90, and played just one series in the fourth quarter. "You’d see a pack of people, and then he’d come out the other side and there would be nobody close to him," Lohrey said. So how does Harris’ performance stack up against others of year’s past? He’s still well behind the state record of 501 yards, set by Tampa Bay Tech’s Shawn Smith in 1985 (Pensacola’s Demontray Carter’s 461-yard performance in 1996 is second; Travis Henry’s 436 yards that same year is third). County wise, the record is believed to be held by Hernando’s Jermaine Green, who rushed for 311 yards and six touchdowns in 1992. Tim Gaynor held the previous Central record, with 260 yards over Hernando in 2001.
SPRINGSTEAD FINDS ITS MOJO
Have you ever heard announcers or analysts preview a game and say that a struggling squad can use a certain game as a chance to get its mojo back?
For instance, let’s say, a Top 20 college football team got whacked by a fellow bowl-hunter, but the next team on its schedule was a cellar-dweller. Well, that would be a good time for that squad to get some of its confidence back, regain some swagger.
That’s what Springstead did this past Friday. Their Week 1 win at Pasco wasn’t the most heartening performance. Then the Eagles followed that up with a loss to county-rival Nature Coast, relinquishing their stronghold on the HCAC. They needed to come out and make a statement. Quarterback John Hogeland even alluded to it after Springstead’s 28-8 home win over Hudson. Hogeland said he and his crew wanted to show everyone that they weren’t a bunch of fill-ins, playing for a team that lost all its stars from the previous year.
So they came out and picked on Hudson. The Cobras, like the Eagles, lost a bunch of folks. The difference is, Springstead seems to be more equipped to keep the winning going.
Hogeland was passing and running all over the field (179 yards passing and two touchdowns, with 83 yards on the ground). Jeff Haynes made easy work of whomever checked him, grabbing two touchdowns — a 76-yarder and a 14-yarder. And Victor Schick exploded in the second half for more than 100 of his 151 yards rushing. Defensively, Nate Schafer seemed like he had his hands involved in almost every tackle and the Eagles secondary forced Hudson into eight straight incompletions to begin the game.
It was a solid performance.
Now that the confidence is back, though, they have the prospect of facing South Lake, who has beaten their opponents a combined 133-34.
That mojo might be gone before they know it.
HISTORY IN THE MAKING
Not many would have believed it before the season
started. Nature Coast Tech, a team that struggled mightily on its way to a 2-8
mark in 2005 and only has five wins in the history of the program, is
on the verge of its third consecutive victory.
Returning almost all of the same players from last season's team, the
only real change for the Sharks (2-1) has come on the offensive end,
where senior quarterback Josh Ortiz has settled into the option system.
Joyner installed and honed the option during spring and fall practices,
attempting to find the best way to utilize his most talented athlete.
Ortiz has proven that he is more than capable of being very dangerous
in the system. Relied on to make the correct read before either keeping
the football or pitching it, the offensive captain ran for 121 yards
and a touchdown on 22 carries in last week's 15-14 win over The Villages.
That total doesn't even take into account the 30 yards he lost on two
seperate rushes credited to him from bad snaps.
With a game lined up at Crystal River (0-3) on Friday, Nature Coast
could be looking at history in the making with a possible third
consecutive victory on the horizon. The Pirates have yet to surrender less than
46 points in any of their three losses.
"That is a very winnable game for us (against Crystal River)," said
Sharks coach Jamie Joyner. "If we can continue to rely on ball control and
not turn the ball over, we will continue to see things fall into
place."
FLAGGED
Coaches are usually hesitant to criticize referees, so we’ll do it for Hernando coach Matt Smith: the Leopards got jobbed on a fourth-down pass interference penalty that extended a Lake Weir drive and likely the Leopards a win.
Welcome to prep couwfee tauwk.
Today's topic: Plant quarterback Robert Marve vs. Jefferson quarterback Stephen Garcia.
After Friday night lots of folks could make a case for Robert Marve being the best quarterback in Hillsborough county. Consider that all he did was throw for 237 yards and rush for another 83 in a 31-7 victory over Middleton. At times Marve, the way he ran and threw, looked like he was playing against a junior varsity team, even though Middleton is one of the fastest and most talented teams in HIllsborough county. Garcia didn't have nearly the success against the Tigers in week one, throwing for under 150 yards in a 19-10 victory.
Tauwk amogst urselves ...
Scott Purks
Times Staff Writer
Throughout the “Mud Bowl,” otherwise known as Dunedin’s 9-7 victory over Northeast on Friday, a few things came to light.
1) Dunedin’s “D” is better than even their coaches expected. Yes, it is still early, and yes, they are far from perfect. But the unit, which broke in nine new starters this season, held its own against Northeast’s power running game (holding them to 115 yards - 17 in second half). They’ll need the same type of effort -- up front especially -- in their next matchup with Largo in two weeks. Largo’s line is big and quick -- and with a number of talented backs -- the Falcons could be in for another long night.
Of course, Dunedin’s D forcing 13 turnovers in three games helps too!
2) NE star tailback Jeff Brinson missed most of the game with a hip flexor injury. If he can’t go - or is limited - against Southeast on Friday, tailback Christopher Julius seems to be a more than capable fill-in. Julius (54 yards vs. Dunedin) is a bigger, shifty back who is tough to bring down. His best run on Friday may have been the 31-yarder before the half (one play after his other 30-yard run was called back due to a block in the back). He took a handoff inside, broke a tackle, then made a nifty spin move before bouncing outside and getting thrown out of bounds by three tacklers.
3) Whatever game I cover, the scoreboard fails to work (that’s twice in three weeks!). This Friday, I’ll bring a stopwatch and keep time myself.
4) WILDEST PLAY SO FAR: To open the second half, Dunedin QB Terry Nnatubeungo took the snap under center from Dunedin’s 27 yard line, then reached back to hand off the ball (or did he?) to tailback Daris Bellamy. Bellamy was crushed by three Northeast defenders and the Vikings cheered from the sidelines. The problem? Bellamy didn’t have the ball. Nnatubeungo had everyone in the stadium faked out – including the officials --- who blew the whistle dead as the junior was racing unabated down the left sidelines toward the end zone for an apparent touchdown.
The play was called back - the officials called it an “inadvertent whistle.” Then officials inexplicably spotted the ball on the Dunedin 40 – much to the dismay of both coaching staffs, who came onto the field to argue.
YOUR THOUGHTS? What was the wildest “trick” play you’ve ever witnessed during a high school football game?
--- JOE SMITH
[Times Photo by Thomas Whisenand]
Okay, it's time to step in and do something about the voting on the questions. Broghan Carnes is eliminated because it's obvious kids, whether it's teammates or students, are trying to stack the poll in his favor. Same goes for Lou Mason from IRC. If I see numerous posts for the same person rapid-fire within seconds of one another, I'm going eliminate that name. I thought this could be done with some fair and honest posts. And another thing, please back up your post with stats. Not something like he's bringing it or he tries hard. BTW: Carnes had 38 yards and two fumbles against Keswick. And for those Shorecrest posts that are trying to pose as other people when they comment (i.e. Tony Anderson, Rick Sanson, etc), you're not funny, you're not clever. You're immature. Those posts also will be eliminated. So keep voting under those guidelines. You have until 1 p.m. Tuesday.
-- BOB PUTNAM
Land O'Lakes picked up its first win knocking off Ridgewood in a tight one 13-7. Here are the results from Week 3 in Pasco County. Click scores for game stories.
(Land O'Lakes receiver Dontarrius Thomas; Times photo - Zach Boyden-Holmes; Click photo to enlarge.)
Freedom 21, Wesley Chapel 14 (OT)
Bishop McLaughlin 20, All Saints' 0
IZZY GOULD, Times staff writer
The Times will post scores from tonight's games in Citrus, Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties as we receive them. If you don't see the score you're looking for, check back. We'll be updating the list throughout the night.
(Pictured: Land O'Lakes' Dontarrius Thomas. Times photo - Zach Boyden-Holmes. Click to enlarge.)
Jesuit 32, St. Petersburg Catholic 29
Armwood 39, Plant City 0
East Bay 24, Newsome 3
Dunedin 9, Northeast 7
Keswick Christian 14, Shorecrest Prep 0
East Lake 28, Osceola 21
Lake Weir 22, Hernando 17
Palm Harbor U. 17, Boca Ciega 7
Lakewood 21, Dixie Hollins 9
(Pictured: Springstead's Jeff Haynes and Hudson's Alan Gladieux. Times photo - Edmund D. Fountain. Click to enlarge.)
Land O'Lakes 13, Ridgewood 7
Countryside 38, St. Petersburg 7
Cambridge 19, Tampa Baptist 0
Springstead 28, Hudson 8
Hillsborough 34, Chamberlain 10
Robinson 25, Tampa Bay Tech 6
Tarpon Springs 14, Seminole 7
Plant 31, Middleton 7
Jacksonville Trinity 49, Berkeley Prep 14
Central 46, Crystal River 0
Blake 14, King 6
Clearwater Central Catholic 28, Lake Highland Prep 15
East Lake 28, Osceola 21
Wharton 24, Sickles 10
Northside Christian 43, Calvary Christian 7
(Pictured: Plant's Robert Marve. Times photo - Daniel Wallace. Click to enlarge.)
Cardinal Mooney 28, Tampa Catholic 27 (OT)
Gulf 23, Citrus 12
Mitchell 22, Pasco 18
Clearwater 21, Pinellas Park 18
Freedom 21, Wesley Chapel 14 (OT)
Bishop McLaughlin 20, All Saints' 0
Nature Coast Tech 15, The Villages 14
Hernando Christian 0, Eastland Christian 10
Leesburg 33, Lecanto 3
(Pictured: Dunedin's Terry Nnatubeugo. Times photo - Thomas Whisenand. Click to enlarge.)
Brandon 27, Durant 26
Zephyrhills 35, River Ridge 6
Jefferson 36, Alsonso 0
Riverview 19, Lake Gibson 13
Northside Christian 43, Calvary Christian 7
Victory Christian 61, Admiral Farragut 0
Cotey's obsession with Ridgewood continues. Lee picks Hudson in a romp?
And I'm wiping my hands clean of Pasco. It's all in our Week 3 picks colum.
Who are you guys taking?
(Land O'Lakes quarterback Joe Weatherford; Times photo - Lance Aram Rothstein; Click photo to enlarge.)
St. Petersburg Catholic tailback Jock Sanders gave his verbal commitment last night to play football for West Virginia, according to SPC coach Dan Mancuso
Sanders did a bit of everything last season for the Barons, rushing for 1,000 yards, throwing for 700 and adding 300 yards receiving.
For more, check out Friday's Times sports section
-- JOE SMITH
Wow. That was the reaction most had after watching Palm Harbor and Countryside slug it out last night in volleyball (PHU won 20-25, 25-21, 27-29, 25-23,15-11) . Attendance was surprisingly low, but as PHU coach Tara Kuk said "Anyone who saw this match got their money's worth." For PHU Mallory Kiley was outstanding, but Sydney Miller and Rachael Jelnicky were the keys. Miller, as usual, did just about everything. Near flawless setting, some nice digs and whenever Miller flicked a ball across that she would normally set, it found the floor. Jelnicky dominated the middle with 20 blocks (seven solo). But Countryside was every bit as good. Taylor Wilson had some huge kills, especially in the game four win. And Madison Truluck, just a sophomore, is phenomenal. As good as she was as a freshman, she's that much better this year. Expect big things if she keeps improving at this rate. CHS looked devastated after the match: they wanted this one bad. Fantastic match from start to finish by both teams.
--BRANDON WRIGHT
bwright@sptimes.com
Where r the turkey legs?
there used to be turkey legs -- dang good turkey legs -- at Durant, Riverview and East Bay, and, if i'm not mistaken, chamberlain. haven't seen those gigantic turkey drums this year. are they still out there?
and, has the high level, and i do mean the exceptional high level of previous concession stand food at area games (including, of course, that pervasive, exsquisite, mystery meat between two overly doughy slices of bread) dived this year?
For goodness sake, let's hope not ...
Former Jesuit High all-state pitcher Richie Warren has been hired as the Tigers' new baseball coach, Principal Joe Sabin confirmed Thursday morning. Warren replaces his old coach, John Crumbley, who stepped down in late June after 22 years.
"I think he's a young man that brings a lot of vision to the program and knows the mission of the school," Sabin said.
Well shy of his 30th birthday, Warren, a social studies teacher at Jesuit, steps into arguably the most prestigious -- and pressure-filled -- prep baseball coaching job in the Tampa Bay area. Crumbley, now Jesuit's athletic director, collected 575 victories and three state titles during his tenure.
"I think he will be fine," said Sabin, who formally interviewed six candidates. "He realizes what the program is all about. Actually, he brings more (coaching) experience to the position than Coach Crumbley did when he got the job."
-- Joey Knight
Wesley Chapel's man at middle linebacker, Vince Chalecki, is playing with a torn PCL. It was a choice of going under the knife and bagging his senior year or sucking it up.
Are there other athletes - any sports - in the Bay area gutting it out that have not been talked about? Who are they? Tell us their story.
I'm sure there's plenty of examples in Pinellas since that appears to be the sports capital of our circulation area. I'm sure Putnam and Smith are reading and would love your replies.
Thanks.
IZZY GOULD, Times staff w
