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Terriers Seal Place In Playoffs

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By SCOTT PURKS, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 3, 2007

TAMPA - Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia smiled because his team had just defeated Tampa Bay Tech 35-6 to seal up an 8-2 season and a spot in the playoffs.

But then, after a second thought, he said, "I'm so danged frustrated right now I don't know what to do."

Penalties. Penalties. Penalties.

"I mean, how many did we have?" Garcia said. "We must have had 500 yards in penalties."

Actually, the Terriers racked up 90 yards in penalties, but three of the infractions - which nullified three touchdowns and 130 rushing yards - probably made it seem a lot worse.

"It made it look like the worst victory in the history of the North American continent," Garcia said. "So, OK, we're in the playoffs, but let me tell you, we're gonna go to work to straighten some of this stuff out during our bye week."

Penalties aside, the Terriers (8-2, 3-1 Class 4A-District 11) still dominated, racking up 425 total yards, including 303 rushing yards in the first half.

"We knew they were going to try and run the ball right at us and we did everything we could to prepare for that," Tampa Bay Tech coach C.C. Culpepper said. "But Hillsborough was bigger and stronger and faster than us. We're young and we're getting better, but we're not quite there yet. Hillsborough is a heck of a program and tonight they were just better than us."

That said, TBT (5-4, 1-3) is a whole lot better than what it was before this season started, which it came into with a 22-game losing streak.

"We have a lot to be proud of, but we also have a lot of work to do," Culpepper said. "Tonight's game just makes me and our guys want to work that much harder to get better."

On Friday the Terriers set the tone on the opening drive, marching 80 yards in eight plays, the last a 3-yard touchdown plunge by Iziah Wyche. After TBT went three and out on its first series, Hillsborough followed with a 71-yard, six-play drive ending with a 15-yard touchdown run by Marc Thomas - who also had two carries for 86 yards and two TDs called back on penalties.

Perhaps the worst Terriers mistake was a fumble on its 11-yard line that led to Tech's only score when Steven Patsalos pounced on the bounding ball in the end zone.

"We said, 'Hey, here you go, have a touchdown,'" Garcia said. "It was like we were trying to give things away."
Terriers back Lindsey Lamar, however, kept surging ahead every time he had the ball, rushing for a game-high 169 yards on 11 carries, including a 24-yarder for a TD.

"We have the potential to be a very good football team," Garcia said. "But we can't have mistakes like we had tonight and expect to win in the playoffs."

H-Thomas 15 run (Colborne kick)

T-Patsalos recovered fumble in end zone (kick failed)

H-Lamar 24 run (Colborne kick)

H-Fennell 14 run (Colborne kick)

H-Wyche 2 run (Colborne kick)

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