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Pasco Wins 4th Straight

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By BART O'CONNELL, Tribune correspondent

Published: November 11, 2007

DADE CITY - Take one look at the face of Pasco coach Tom McHugh, and it's obvious that he's far from satisfied.

Forget about the four-game winning streak the Pirates will take into the playoffs, and the eighth consecutive victory against rival Hernando Friday night, 27-14. For McHugh, it's all about fine-tuning for a game Friday against Eustis that really means something.

"It's real tough when you have all these distractions. You have homecoming, you win the week before and you've got that next-week letdown kind of thing," he said. "We worked real hard not to have that happen, but I think a little of it did."

The first-year coach was referring mostly to his offense, which had just 44 yards in the second half against the Leopards, less than three yards per play. Hernando outgained Pasco 311-239 overall.

The lackluster half was enough to prompt the coach to ditch the postgame celebration speech and instead address them after the game by pointing out areas to improve.

It wasn't as if the Pirates (6-4) were resting their top players, either. McHugh used triple threat Josh Johnson, running back Jamall Haynes, quarterback D.J. Clower and receiver Demetrious Larry well into the fourth quarter.

Nonetheless, McHugh described the offense as "sputtering" late in the contest and said it will be worked on all this week.

By far the most encouraging thing for the Pirates was the strong play of their defense and special teams, each of which produced a touchdown to keep the team comfortably ahead.

Leading 13-0 in the third quarter with Hernando in punt formation, Timmy Saylor broke through the line and took advantage of a high snap to smother Leopards punter Josh Harvey's boot, and a scrum for the ball ensued.

The ball squirted toward junior defensive lineman Mylon Brown, who scooped it up and chugged 27 yards for his first career touchdown. The 6-foot-4, 280-pounder followed up with two sacks of Hernando quarterback Jason Davies.

Brown, a three-year starter, described it as, "the best game I've ever had in my whole life".

"It was important for guys like Mylon to have a big game," McHugh said. "He's a good football player and he needs to show it now."

Then, leading 20-7 in the fourth, defensive back Jorge Jarimillo picked off a Jason Davies pass and scooted 24 yards for another touchdown. The returns produced Pasco's only points of the second half.

Friday's game against Eustis at W.F. Edwards Stadium presents a formidable challenge. Eustis has made the playoffs the past two seasons, advancing to the regional semifinals each time (with wins against Zephyrhills).

"We need to work that hard on defense," McHugh said, "and we need to get the offense back tuned up."

Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@tampatrib.com.

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