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It Has Been A Rewarding Season For Gators

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By CRISTINA LEDRA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

LAND O' LAKES - At the start of this season, with a young team and a myriad of injuries among the players, Land O' Lakes believed it was in for a rough year.

Ten weeks later, the Gators (8-1) have locked up the Class 4A-District 8 title and are looking to win their third consecutive Sunshine Athletic Conference title with a victory against Wiregrass Ranch (1-8).

"It's really hard for us to try and explain it," Land O' Lakes coach John Benedetto said. "We really didn't expect this team to perform as well as it did going into this season. But the one thing I think that kept us together and made us a better football team was our senior class.

"We're talking about older kids that have been with us that are 17 and 18 years old, five or six of them have been with us for three years, so they've taken over the leadership role and we have some very good young players. And even though they didn't have experience, they were still talented enough to learn and get the job done on Friday nights."

Perhaps one of the bright spots about all of the Gators' injuries was that they all happened early and though they didn't get all of the players back, most were able to work back into the lineup, and the injuries gave some others a chance to get playing experience.

"Honestly, in the beginning since we lost our first game, I thought it was going to be hard to catch back up, but we just came together and became that team that we really wanted to be," senior defensive tackle Joe Robinson said. "And to be district champs, to play Ridgewood and actually beat them, that made my heart rejoice. And to be conference champs would make it even better for my senior year."

The success hasn't come easily for Land O' Lakes, which had to do a lot of wheeling and dealing with players in order to have a complete team. Robinson, for instance, hadn't played defensive tackle before this season but had to learn the position because of injuries.

Benedetto says this year was one of the toughest of his career.

"We've had to change and move people around in different positions, but it's worked for us," Benedetto said. "So as a result we've experienced a lot of success because of it. To explain why we're doing it, it's really hard to explain it, except to say that we've got good kids, we've got good athletes and we work them hard. And you could say we've had a little bit of luck, too."

Three of the Gators' wins this year have been close ones that could have easily gone in the other team's favor.

Land O' Lakes had a late touchdown pass against Zephyrhills, a three-point win against Wesley Chapel and, of course, the last-second field goal against Ridgewood that earned the Gators the district title.

But the fact that those games ended as wins for Land O' Lakes makes this year's accomplishments - that could include a third consecutive conference title - even more special to the Gators.

"At my age, it seems to be double the amount of work because it's been so stressful," Benedetto said. "...The coaches have a lot of history together and we're all getting older so it's harder for us to make it through a two-, 2 1/2 -hour practice every day but when you've got kids that listen and practice well and perform on Friday nights, it does make your job easier.

"And although it's been stressful at times it's also been very rewarding."

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