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Harmony KO's Hudson

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2007

HARMONY - For the past two weeks, Hudson has had to adopt the boxer Rocky Balboa mentality: no matter how any times you get whacked, keep coming.

The Cobras lost their starting quarterback Zack Wynn after he suffered a torn left ACL Nov. 4. He was held out of Friday night's contest when his knee brace didn't arrive in time.

Then on the first Hudson series, leading rusher Sean Scott went down with a left knee injury. He returned on the second series, but left the game for good after one play.

Ultimately, the Cobras could only take so much as Harmony advanced to the next round of the Class 3A playoffs with a 28-6 victory.

"We went down swinging," Hudson coach Mark Nash said. "We didn't have a whole lot of ammo, but by the time we got done with MCLs and ACLs and LCLs. ... I've learned more about that than I've ever wanted to know. But we didn't quit. We went down swinging."

The Cobras coaching staff spent a heavy part of the week implementing practically a brand new offense. On nearly every play, linemen Paul James and Travis Tindell lined up in the back field as up backs and someone would take the direct snap and run. All the formation missed was Florida's Tim Tebow.

Harmony (9-2) scored on its first drive, using nine plays to get to the Hudson 2. On the final play, Semaj Washington ran the ball in for the 7-0 advantage with 5:36 left in the first quarter.

Hudson converted two third downs and a pair of fourth downs on its next drive to answer back. Freshman quarterback Scott Kujak found Anthony Germano open in the middle of the defense. Germano turned back to the ball, leapt in the air for the catch and scored from 18 yards out. The conversion pass was incomplete and Harmony held on to a 7-6 lead.

Hudson (7-4) got the ball back with 51 seconds left in the half on a fourth-and-7 sack by Cobras defensive end Mike Magli. It appeared the half would end on that drive until the Longhorns' free safety O'Neill Chambers snatched Kujak's tipped pass, returning it 40 yards for the score and the 14-6 lead.

"We planned on Wynn playing, that was in our game plan," Harmony coach Tyler Anderson said. "I feel sorry for the kid that he couldn't play. They lost their running back Scott, a 1,600-yard rusher. I feel bad for those kids."

Harmony pulled away in the third quarter on a pair of Washington scoring runs in the third quarter.

"It's tough to go down, but we went out fighting," Scott said.

Hu-Germano 18 pass from Kujak (pass failed)

Ha-Chambers 40 interception return (Rogers kick)

Ha-Washington 1 run (Rogers kick)

Ha-Washington 6 run (Rogers kick)

Reporter Eddie Daniels can be reached at (813) 948-4214 or edaniels@tampatrib.com.

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