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Looking Back: October

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By BART O'CONNELL Tribune correspondent

Published: December 29, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Ridgewood's football renaissance became official this past October, when the Rams reached 8-0 for the first time in school history, and qualified for the playoffs for only the second time.

Ridgewood won four games in October, including a tense, 34-28 triumph against Tarpon Springs and a 27-13 victory against Springstead on homecoming at Ram Booster Stadium, which clinched the playoff berth.

In those victories, senior tailback Byronell Arline averaged more than 190 yards and three touchdowns. But the Spongers provided the Rams' toughest test up to that point in the season.
Tarpon Springs was driving late in the fourth quarter, tied at 21 with just more than a minute remaining. Trying to get in position for a winning score, Spongers quarterback Danny Reyes was intercepted by Rams safety Frankie Downey, who returned the ball inside the Tarpon Springs 10. Ridgewood quarterback T.J. Haab scored the game-winning touchdown.

"We've never been under this kind of pressure," linebacker Arron Jackson said. "I told the team that I felt we worked harder over the summer than any team out there and we gotta come together no matter what happens in the second half and we'll come out with a victory."

The win set up the playoff-clinching game against Springstead, and again, the Rams faced a staunch test in stopping the Eagles' flexbone, triple-option attack. But Arline was dominant throughout, and Ridgewood won its first homecoming game in 14 years.

At that point in the season, both the Rams varsity and junior varsity squads were 8-0, a testament to the change in attitude ushered in by Coach Chris Taylor.

"We've been working towards this for four years, when I was the JV coach. Our football program has changed here, dramatically, in the last three years, four years," Taylor said. "That's our expectation. We expect to come on the field and win football games."

The Rams ended the month on an emotional high, anticipating a November showdown with Land O' Lakes that would decide the Class 4A-District 8 champion. Following the Springstead win, Arline made his boldest statement of the season when talking about the Gators.

"I've seen them play. I don't think we're going to have trouble with 'em," he said of Land O' Lakes. "I honestly don't. I saw them play against Tarpon. I don't think we're going to have trouble with them."

Though the Gators went on to win that game and prove Arline wrong, October was certainly the month of the Ram in Pasco County.

Lions Tame Tampa

Saint Leo's women's soccer team recorded a long-awaited victory against rival Tampa, 1-0 at Pepin Stadium on Oct. 17. The victory was the Lions' first in 11 tries against the Spartans, and avenged a loss in the Sunshine State Conference tournament during the 2006 season.

The winning goal was scored by Jennifer O'Connor on a penalty kick. Goalkeeper Lauren Hudson battled through an injury to thwart several Tampa scoring changes and earn a shutout.

Though Saint Leo hoped to face Tampa again in the NCAA Tournament, the Lions were unable to get past Montevallo in the second round. The Spartans, meanwhile, went on to win the Division II national championship, and were unbeaten after losing to Saint Leo.

District Dominance

Several Pasco County athletes came to the forefront of a busy month for district and regional tournaments.

Swimmers Brad Morrison, Lindsay Gorgen and Stephanie Allen each won individual district titles in two events, while Academy at the Lakes golfer Alexandra Irish advanced to the Class 1A state tournament by finishing second after a three-way playoff at Inverness Country Club.

Saddlebrook's girls team also advanced to the state tournament.

In Victory Lane

Zephyrhills native David Reutimann earned his first career victory in the Busch Series on Oct. 27, in the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park.

Reutimann, who started the race on the outside front row, stayed out of trouble during a race that was under caution 25 times, one off the Busch Series record. That made the average speed (62.487 mph) unusually low.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at

ABOUT THIS SERIES

As 2007 comes to an end, The Pasco Tribune sports staff takes a look back at people and events that made the news. The series will run daily through Monday.

boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.

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