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Gators Remained Cool, Calm And Collected

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 4, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - There's something to be said about being there before.

It gives you that extra jolt of calm when the game is tied, a few fickle minutes remain and your opponent has the ball.

Or when you step to the line deep in your territory and watch the other team take an inexplicable and unnecessary 15-yard penalty, knocking it out of field goal range.

Or when your receiver is in the air with the ball in the end zone and hits the ground without it.

Or when the difference between hosting a playoff game in a place like The Swamp and riding a bus clear to the other side of the state rests on the leg of your kicker.

That calm is a luxury afforded to few, but in that privileged elite is Land O' Lakes.

"Our kids didn't panic," Land O' Lakes coach John Benedetto said.

Land O' Lakes did not get ruffled.

Benedetto strolled the sideline at halftime, greeting visitors like he was welcoming them to his presidential campaign fundraiser.

Buy into the three-point lead at the half against a team with a running back that has 30 touchdowns and 1,700 yards in eight games and he'll lead you to a prosperous future.

Undoubtedly much of the Gators' confidence came from knowing the high they were on was stories above where they were Week 1 against Pasco.

A team that was scrambled and lacked precision was now, when you really looked closely, in control of this game against the best team in Pasco County even when the Gators couldn't pull away comfortably.

It took a double-take at the scoreboard to realize that after Ben Hipps' 3-yard touchdown at 5:45 of the fourth quarter, that Land O' Lakes had not just taken the lead, the score was tied at 17.

But you could see in the Gators' demeanor, the defense milking the crowd for more cheers, the smiling eyes of the resting offense, they took the game before it was officially theirs.

When the Rams threatened, out from the pile came the Gators with the last fumble recovery.

Nothing at this point was guaranteed. There were less than five minutes left, and Land O' Lakes was just inside its territory.

Speaking of luxuries, Land O' Lakes used five different ball carriers to get into field-goal range, which thanks to kicker Alex Spock is 47 yards. They gave him more than that, getting down to the Ridgewood 20.

There was a part of Spock that was hoping the game didn't come down to him.

Then he admitted he kind of wanted to be the hero too.

He had never had the chance to win a game for the Gators on a last-second attempt but no one on the Land O' Lakes side was thinking overtime when Spock lined up to kick.

Quarterback Ely Payne assured Spock he had nothing to worry about.

Spock was money every time.

And Friday night, Spock was once more.

And what Land O' Lakes showed with yet another district title is that being there before many times ensures you get there again.

"It means a lot in that we did our best to keep our kids calm knowing that we always still had a chance to win the ballgame," Benedetto said. "Experience means a lot and I just think we beat an outstanding football team Friday night. Ridgewood is very, very good high school football team."

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