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Armwood 19, Middleton 6, Final

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TBO.com

Published: November 3, 2007

TAMPA - The Middleton High football team was the only remaining opponent capable of handing Armwood, ranked No. 2 in the state, its first loss of the season. However, the Hawks used two huge defensive stops late in the fourth quarter Friday night to end their regular season undefeated with a 19-6 Class 4A-District 11 victory.

Trailing 12-6 with just over six minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Middleton had two opportunities to put on a game-winning drive but was stopped. With 6:17 on the clock, Middleton running back Carlton Jones got a needed first down with a 15-yard run, but injured his ankle on the play. A run for no gain and an incomplete pass later, a hobbling Jones tried to make something out of nothing on third-and-long, but was stopped short.

The Tigers forced Armwood into a three-and-out on the following series and had one more opportunity with 3:07 remaining, but they threw two incomplete passes and quarterback De'Andre Presley was sacked for a loss of 2 yards. Forced to go for it on fourth-and-long, Presley was forced out of the pocket and was tackled as he threw another incomplete pass.

On the following play, Armwood sophomore quarterback Mywan Jackson fumbled a handoff, picked it up and ran 20 yards to make it 18-6.

"It's pretty special to be 10-0," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said.

Junior running back Matt Eastman was the workhorse for Armwood (10-0, 4-0), carrying the ball 24 times for 135 yards and one touchdown. Late in the third quarter, Callahan decided to play senior running back Eric Smith, who was previously scheduled sit out due to injury.

Smith rushed six times for 30 yards, but helped Armwood record three consecutive first downs to set up a 23-yard touchdown run by Jackson to make it 12-6.

"We dressed Eric because we were so thin at running back," Callahan said. "We didn't want to use him but he's fine. He's about 75 percent, we put him at fullback so he was in a position where he wouldn't have to do a lot of cutting on that ankle."

Jones led Middleton (5-4, 1-3) with 123 yards and one touchdown while Presley was limited to six completions for 24 yards and one interception. Jackson rushed 11 times for 88 yards and two TDs and completed one pass for 12 yards and an interception.

Callahan also pulled standout offensive lineman Matt Patchan from the game at halftime because Patchan was called for a personal foul after the whistle blew in the second quarter. According to FHSSA rules, if Patchan was called for one more foul, he would have been suspended for six weeks for receiving his second ejection of the season.

M-Jones 69 run (kick blocked)

A-Jackson 23 run (kick failed)

A-Jackson 20 run (Skiffington kick)

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