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East Lake 23, Gulf 10

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TBO.com

Published: November 10, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS - In a game where the outcome meant little, much focus was on Gulf running back David Williams' quest for the Pasco County rushing record. Instead, East Lake's four-headed rushing attack stole the show in a 23-10 East Lake win.

Williams, who entered the game with 1,904 yards and 24 touchdowns, ran for 183 more yards and scored one touchdown to give him 2,087 yards and 25 touchdowns for the season. While Williams broke the previous record of 1,734 set by Wesley Chapel's Tyrone Tomlin in 2001, Williams still fell short to his cousin, Ridgewood's Byronell Arline, who had 307 yards vs. Zephyrhills to finish with 2,188.

"I wasn't thinking about the record because Coach Jay Fulmer had a mind-set of getting a 'W,'" Williams said. "But Arline is my cousin so I feel happy for him."

Gulf (4-6) was out of any playoff picture while East Lake (7-3) had clinched a playoff berth last week. So aside from Williams, the game had little drama.

It was East Lake's rushing attack that took the spotlight (and the ball) away from Williams. Led by tailback Micah Powell, who has verbally committed to Vanderbilt, and bruising fullback Erin Murray (6-foot-2, 245 pounds), the Eagles chewed up the clock in the second half with old-fashioned smashmouth football, keeping the ball out of Williams' hands and forcing Gulf to pass more to get back in the game.

"It was fun running over people," Murray said.

Williams could say the same in the first half. His 92-yard run midway through the second quarter put Gulf on top 7-3 and it appeared Williams was in for a monster night. But the plan to feed Williams a steady dose of the ball soon faded in the second half.

Buccaneers kicker Courtney Cohen booted a 28-yard field goal with 3:50 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 10-10. Just when the game appeared in doubt, East Lake pulled it back on the ensuing kickoff when T.J. Herman scored on an 83-yard kickoff return for a 16-10 Eagles lead.

It was at that point that East Lake dialed their play up a notch. Gulf's next two possessions went nowhere and each time East Lake got the ball, the clock - and the Eagles - ran and ran and ran some more. Murray's 14-yard touchdown run with less than a minute left sealed Gulf's fate.

G-Williams 92 run (Cohen kick)

E-Kresz 3 pass from Robles (Petzold kick)

G-Cohen FG 28

E-Herman 83 kickoff return (pass failed)

E-Murray 14 run (Petzold kick)

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