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It's A Reversal Of Fortune

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By ADAM ADKINS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 8, 2007

MIAMI - One team erased four years of heartache Friday night, while the other watched in disbelief as it unfolded.

For the first time in five consecutive trips to the Class 4A state semifinals, the ball bounced in favor of Miami Washington. Unfortunately, that meant it bounced against the Armwood Hawks.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock at Traz Powell Stadium, the Tornadoes stormed the field and raised their arms in glory, celebrating a 34-14 victory that snapped a four-year losing streak to Hillsborough County football teams at this point in the postseason and sends the program to its first state title game.

At the same time, Armwood players slowly formed a line to shake hands with their opponents, all while searching for an answer as to what went so terribly wrong.

"This is the worst feeling I've ever had," Hawks fullback Matt Eastman said. "To tell you the truth, I thought we had them in the first series. I thought it was ours. I don't know what happened. They came with more momentum. They just beat us."

There was good reason the Hawks (13-1) felt so good early. The Tornadoes handed them a gift - a fumble - on their first offensive play. At the time of the gaffe, it really seemed like all but a formality the Hawks would stroll back to the state title game for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

There were good feelings on the Hawks' sideline after quarterback Mywan Jackson cashed in on the miscue five plays later, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run to put Armwood ahead 7-0 just more than two minutes into the game. As it turned out, that was one of the few things that gave Armwood players reason to smile.

Washington (13-0) struck back on its next possession with quarterback Torrance Moise tossing a 39-yard touchdown pass to Thearon Collier to tie the game, and the Tornadoes took a 14-7 lead with 2:19 left in the first quarter on Moise's 1-yard sneak.

The Tornadoes were primed to tack on another score just before the half, but Hawks lineman Matt Patchan came up with a big sack, forced a fumble and recovered it to snuff out the drive at the Armwood 15. That kept it a one-score game at the half and also seemingly swung the momentum back in the Hawks' favor.

"We felt good about that. We felt good about our chances," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "We came out thinking we were going to win the game, that's for sure."

Those feelings were short-lived. Armwood entered the second half without the services of Jackson (injured shoulder) and the Hawks' offense never got untracked. Armwood managed only 176 total yards of offense, including 95 on the ground on 35 carries.

Meanwhile, Washington stretched its lead late in the third quarter to 21-7 on an Eduardo Clements 1-yard touchdown, and essentially iced the game on Brandon Harris' 33-yard touchdown reception from Moise early in the fourth.

"It's never easy losing a game, especially to these guys. We came out here focused, I thought we were focused. We let them get a couple big plays and we didn't really move the ball on offense like we should, and you see the outcome," Hawks senior running back Eric Smith said. "Everybody really wasn't at their peak playing the game. We were just out here going through the motions thinking we were just going to beat them or whatever, like we do every year. ... We never got anything going. We never got a good, positive play to set us up in good field position and run our offense like we normally would."

While the loss was tough on his players and coaches, Callahan commended his team for its season, and promised the Hawks won't be down for long.

"I'm very proud of them. We lost to a good team. We have nothing to be ashamed about," Callahan said. "We came up short tonight.

"This is Armwood football. We'll be back."

W-Collier 39 pass from Moise (Diaz kick)

W-Moise 1 run (Diaz kick)

W-Clements 1 run (Diaz kick)

W-Harris 33 pass from Moise (Diaz kick)

A-E. Smith 21 pass from Jones (Skiffington kick)

W-Clements 38 run (kick failed)

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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