Plant-Lincoln: 4A championship game blog-a-thon! (Plant wins 34-14!)

The Plant Panthers have defeated Tallahassee Lincoln 34-14 to win the Class 4A state title Saturday afternoon at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Below, you'll find our pre-game, in-game and post-game commentary.

Check out Friday Night Rewind -- the State Finals Edition:

HERE is some video from the game ...

FINAL THOUGHTS & NOTES

• The title is Plant's second in three years. The 2006 Panthers beat Ponte Vedra Beach Nease for the 4A title.
• Plant QB Aaron Murray completed 18 of 30 passes for 344 yards, three TDs and one INT.
• Panthers LB Beau Hume had the game of his life. The senior registered three sacks, one forced fumble and returned an INT 24 yards for a second-quarter TD.
• Lincoln had just 211 total yards; Plant had 393.
• How about the play of unsung Plant WRs Justin Rudolph and Nathan Marvel, who combined for seven catches for 165 yards and one touchdown.
• Plant is now 52-13 under coach Robert Weiner. And don't forget, he was 3-7 after one season with the Panthers.
• Has Hillsborough County produced a better high school player than Murray? In 21 career starts at QB, he set a county record with 84 TD passes. He also won a ring as a backup in 2006.

IN-GAME COMMENTARY (FOURTH QUARTER, PLANT WINS 34-14)

• Fans, Aaron Murray is now the all-time TD pass leader in Hillsborough County. Murray capped a 13-play, 63-yard drive with a 14-yard TD strike to Orson Charles with 1:52 left. That's his 84th TD pass -- one better than former Jefferson star Stephen Garcia, who had 83. You can slap a toe tag on Lincoln. That will be the last pass of Murray's incredible high school career.
• 3:06 left. Fourth-and-1 for Plant at the Lincoln 21. What would you call? Fullback Chris Hesson got the carry and picked up a first down. This one is just about over.
• Five minutes left. Aaron Murray just completed a big third-down pass to Nathan Marvel. Plant is at the Lincoln 29.
• Plant is eating some clock by running fullback Chris Hesson. And he's gaining yards. Plant is now at the Lincoln 40. Seven minutes left.
• Plant has the ball on the Panthers 37 with 8:59 left.
• The Plant 'D' responded to Murray's INT with a three-and-out. Punt forced.
• A second straight Aaron Murray pass was off the mark. This one was picked off by Lincoln's Mark Wilson. Trojans ball at their own 32 with 10:01 left in the game.
• Plant is on the move to start the fourth. An Aaron Murray pass was just dropped by a Lincoln DB. Plant got a GREAT break there.

IN-GAME COMMENTARY (PLANT LEADS 28-14, END OF THIRD QUARTER)

• Lincoln just went 80 yards in four plays ... and scored a TD on a 29-yard pass from Ryan White to Jawanza Starling. The 2-point run was good. It's 28-14 late in the third. Folks, we have ourselves a ballgame.
• Plant just got past midfield, but a third-down pass by Aaron Murray was way over the head of WR Allen Sampson. Time to punt. Lincoln will start at its own 20.
• Lincoln finally put one on the board. The Trojans scored on a 9-yard TD run by Javorius Allen. The PAT missed. The Trojans' drive was aided by two Plant personal fouls. The Panthers seem to have briefly lost their cool.
• Plant's opening second-half series was a three-and-out.
• A minor scrap just broke out and two players were ejected -- one from each team. For Plant, starting center Frank Nicholas is gone. Nicholas has been a valuable member of the Panthers' O. Line. He's a senior. It appears Nicholas has been replaced by Rip Chambers, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound junior.
• Lincoln's first series of the second half ended with a punt.

HALFTIME OBSERVATIONS & NOTES (PLANT LEADS 28-0)

• The Plant 'D' is playing out of its minds. So far, Lincoln has 45 total yards.
• Plant QB Aaron Murray is 10 of 16 for 260 yards and two touchdowns.
• Murray now has 83 career TD passes. That ties him with Stephen Garcia of Jefferson (2004-06) for the best all-time total by a Hillsborough County QB.
• My MVP candidate thus far: Plant LB Beau Hume. Two sacks and a INT return for a touchdown.
• Right now, Lincoln has minus-12 rushing yards on 16 carries.

IN-GAME COMMENTARY (2ND QUARTER, PLANT LEADS 28-0, 0:00)

• Plant QB Aaron Murray has struck again ... With 0:03 seconds left, he completed a 72-yard TD pass to Nathan Marvel. It's now 28-0. What a shocker ... everyone thought Murray would take a knee to end the half. Marvel broke a tackle and took off.
• Plant DB Javonte Martin just picked off a deep Lincoln pass.
• Plant QB Phillip Ely just came in for a play and threw a nice pass, but it was dropped. If things hold, Ely could see more action today. Ely started seven games while Plant starter Aaron Murray was out with a severe leg injury.
• Lincoln made it past midfield after falling behind 21-0 and ate some clock, but Plant buckled down and forced another punt. Panthers ball at their own 30 with 3:18 left.
• Midway through the quarter, Plant QB Aaron Murray is 7 of 13 for 169 yards and one TD. He hasn't been his best, but he hasn't been too shabby either.
• Another HUGE play for Plant ... it's 21-0 with 10:00 left after a 24-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Beau Hume. Hume is having a monster game ... He also has two sacks.
• Big play for Plant ... a 72-yard TD pass from Aaron Murray to Orson Charles. A Lincoln DB dove for the ball and missed. Charles grabbed it at the Plant 42 and was off to the races. Tyler Rhodes' PAT makes it 14-0. That is Murray's 82nd career TD pass ... He's now only one behind all-time county leader Stephen Garcia of Jefferson.
• Plant has forced another punt,this time on Lincoln's first drive of the quarter. It was Orson Charles who made the big play, getting a sack on second down.

IN-GAME COMMENTARY (END OF FIRST QUARTER, PLANT LEADS 7-0)

• DeAndre Queen has just put Plant ahead with a 1-yard TD run. The PAT makes it 7-0. The drive started on the Plant 20 and lasted 11 plays. Running back Marco Cobb had a 16-yard run and a 13-yard catch to start things off. Justin Rudolph made his second long catch of the game. Plant got a nice break when Lincoln dropped what would have been an interception.
• Plant's defense just rose to the occasion. Lincoln started on the 8, but was backed up to the 17 and had a field goal blocked by Plant's Mandale Jackson. Hume had another big sack (that's two for him). Plant starts at its own 20.
• Disaster has struck for Plant. A mishandled snap after a terrible offensive series for the Panthers gives Lincoln the ball 1st-and-goal at the Plant 8.
• On Lincoln's first series, the Trojans lost 2 yards and had to punt. On third down, Plant LB Beau Hume sacked Trojans QB Ryan White.
• On Plant's first series of the game, the Panthers took the opening kickoff and reached the Lincoln 48, but had to punt. Lincoln was able to pressure Panthers QB Aaron Murray on two of the plays, which forced him into two bad throws.

KICKOFF IS NEARING

As we speak, the starting lineups for both teams are being announced. The field looks great. And the conditions are perfect. It's 74 degrees with very little wind. It should be a warm one today. If you're looking for a good omen for Plant, here it is: Lincoln has the same colors as Ponte Vedra Beach Nease -- the team the Panthers beat in the 2006 4A final.

TONY, TONY, TONY ... has done it again

As expected, Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy is in the house. His son, Eric Dungy, is a defensive back for the Panthers. The elder Dungy isn't just sneaking in and sneaking out. He was seen tailgating a little while ago.

GATOR TIES IN TALLY

Lincoln starting QB Ryan White is the son of a player many of you might recall -- Will White, an All-SEC safety for the Florida Gators in the early 1990s. Will White once helped lead Tallahassee Godby to a state title.

A PICK TO CHEW ON

Michael Langston of FlaVarsity.com, who is based in Tallahassee and has seen Lincoln in person twice this season, picks Plant 34-29: "One, they've got Aaron Murray back. And the fact Aaron Murray is out there is the X-factor. If you're going to beat Plant, you've got to put pressure on the quarterback and Lincoln doesn't have a lot of sacks.

THREE'S COMPANY

Plant head coach Robert Weiner and two of his assistants -- co-defensive coordinator John Few and defensive line coach Bill Minahan -- are each making their third championship game appearance. One came with Plant in 2006. The other was in 1992, when each was an assistant for Jesuit, which lost to Pasco in the 3A final at Florida Field in Gainesville.

WOOF, WOOF

Several coaches from the University of Georgia are expected to be here today, including defensive coordinator Willie Martinez. As most of you know, Plant QB Aaron Murray is a Georgia commit and will enroll at the school in January.

MEET LINCOLN'S STAR-LING

Friday, we briefly profiled Tallahassee Lincoln safety Jawanza Starling, who arguably is the state's top defensive back."He's a tremendous athlete ... a difference maker," said recruiting analyst Larry Blustein of Floridafb.com. Starling, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound senior, is rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals.com. According to that site, he currently lists Florida State and Georgia as his favorites, but also has scholarship offers from schools such as Alabama, Florida and USC. Here are some of his highlights ...

ALL IN THE FAMILY
Here's a note from the Times' Eduardo A. Encina ...
Plant senior safety Hunter Baldwin looked out to the torn-up Dads Stadium field, the nostalgic home grandstand earlier this week and joked about all the stories he's heard about Plant football over the years. "It probably looks the same," he said with a smile. "Maybe different grass, but I don't know."

Baldwin, who was a member of Plant's state championship team in 2006, is a third-generation Panthers football player. More than that, however, both his father and grandfather were team captains. But Baldwin can do something his father and grandfather haven't -- win a state championship as a team captain.

"My dad and grandpa always joke about how they're better than me but I'll just mess with them back," said Baldwin, the team's second-leading tackler with 122 stops. "But they've never made it to a state game. So I have a little bragging rights on them."

Hunter's father, John, player linebacker in the late 60s. His grandfather, Walter, played linebacker and quarterback two generations ago. "My dad will tell me stories about how busted his lip and he got stitched up and came back into play," Hunter said. "Not too much from my grandpa. They're both really supportive, but my grandpa doesn't talk too much smack, not compared to my dad."

Baldwin said about 10 to 15 family members, including his father and grandfather, will make the trip to Orlando for Plant's Class 4A championship game against Tallahassee Lincoln at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday. "It's important," Baldwin said. "It's something I look at. I've played here. My dad's played here. My grandfather's played here. You don't want to disappoint. You have a lot of history here."

MEMORY LANE

Plant has made just one state finals appearance in its history. It came two years ago, when the Panthers beat Ponte Vedra Beach Nease 25-21 behind the play of QB Robert Marve. Weren't there that day? Here are some highlights from the game:

A WHITE OUT FOR PLANT

In a text message Friday night, Plant coach Robert Weiner confirmed that the Panthers will be wearing their white road uniforms Saturday. If you're a superstitious Plant fan, this is good news. That's what Plant wore in the 2006 championship game.

TD RECORD IN SIGHT FOR MURRAY

Plant QB Aaron Murray has 30 TD passes this season and 81 for his career -- in only 20 career starts. Here's a look at Hillsborough County's all-time TD pass list.

• 83: Stephen Garcia, Jefferson (2004-06)
• 82: Marcello Trigg, Robinson (2002-05)
• 81: Aaron Murray, Plant (2006-08)

PLANT, PLANT, PLANT: A LITTLE ABOUT THE PANTHERS

• Times: What's in a name? Plant's Piccolo finds strength
• Times: See which Panthers made our All-County team
• Times: Plant's unsung heroes
• Times: Plant's Clark gladly carries twice the load
• Times: Plant's Dungy earns his spot the hard way
• Times: Cotey -- Murray as potent as ever 
• Plant game-by-game
• Aaron Murray player page
• Flavarsity.com Top 100
• Plant roster

KNOW THE FOE: A LITTLE ABOUT LINCOLN

• Tallahassee Democrat: Title games bring championship planning efforts
• Tallahassee Democrat: Lincoln ready for Plant's air attack
• Tallahassee Democrat: Lincoln stops Seabreeze, heads to championships
• Lincoln's regular season: game-by-game
• Class 4A bracket
• Lincoln is 30-12 all time in the playoffs. The Trojans are making their 15th postseason appearance.
• Lincoln won state titles in 1999 (over Miami Southridge) and 2001 (over Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas)
• In the late 1990s, Lincoln played at the Class 6A level.
• Tallahassee Democrat: Lincoln's Harp takes position seriously
• -Bucs DL Kevin Carter (right) was a star at Lincoln in the early 1990s before landing at Florida. Later, future FSU and NFL star Antonio Cromartie (left)played there.
• -According to Wikipedia (yeah, I know), Lincoln opened in 1876 during reconstruction as the all-black school in Tallahasee. It reportedly was closed in 1970 when nearby Leon was integrated. The current Lincoln opened in 1975.
• Tallahassee Democrat: Offensive switch giving Lincoln lift
• Lincoln football Web site. This has all the team's stats, along with video highlights.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Comments

[Go Panthers!]

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!

Even You KissKim/Chosen One!

[enough already]

Why is Clearwater not ranked?

[ArmChairQB]

That Chosen One reminds me of someone. Like family he is. Bah haw haw....

[JC]

You want to talk in person? You will be bringing 20 other accounts because you own a lot of them. Ex. Kiss kim

They can't make out Tampa bay Football.
That would be gross.
They share the same testicles.

[Tampa Bay Football]

Chosen One Who Chose You? Ahh Nobody. I've seen you here before you're nothing but a blow hard you have nothing to add just insults. You and KissKim should go make out.

[the_chosen_one]

Tampa Bay Football,

Who are you to judge what is stupid and what has meaning? Who died and made you king? This is a free country. Maybe Kisskim didn't receive the education you did, or maybe he has a learning disability. Even if he is just being goofy, get off his jock. Those who judge will be judged. JC and TampabayFootball, you do suck. Let people post what they want and worry about yourself. If you have any problems then we can talk about them in person.

[Tampa Bay Football]

Cotey, Niebuhr, Webmaster. So how many stupid posts that mean nothing and add nothing to the discussions are you guys going to allow "kisskim" to put up before you terminate the account access?

[JC]

Hey look who spelled something right for the first time! No Kisskim, you suck.

[kisskim]

JC you suck

[JC]

big davis isnt goin anywhere shut up kisskim. im gettin sick and tired of you. I swear your like 20 different people on these blogs.

[kisskim]

head football john daves is out at c-side .he the team my email will be back next yr . he tell coach 2weekage will br back next yr . go loom ofr new job .

[BlackandGold]

Don't listen to "do a better job". You guys did a great job on this blog!

Go Plant!!

[do a better job!]

You're kidding about the "refresh often," right? Not nearly enough reports about what is happening on the field. I switched to tbo.com to learn that Plant had won long before it was reported here. Blog/work a little harder next time!