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Johnson, Packers Take Victory

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By LEE DIEKEMPER Tribune correspondent

Published: November 24, 2007

DUNEDIN - In a battle of star running backs pitting Largo's Brynn Harvey and Dunedin's Adaris Bellamy, it was the legs of Largo quarterback Leonard Johnson that stole the show.

Oh yeah, his arm isn't too shabby either.

Johnson ran for touchdowns of 6 and 17 yards and later threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Reginald McCray that gave the visiting Packers a big lead early in the second half in a 31-0 win in a Class 5A-Region 3 semifinal.

With the victory, Largo (12-0) will host Cape Coral in the Region 3 final Friday.

The game was a rematch of Largo's double-overtime 37-31 win over Dunedin on Sept. 28. In that game, Johnson hurt Dunedin (7-5) with timely carries in the second half to keep drives alive and also scored a 27-yard touchdown. But he didn't wait that long Friday.

Midway through the first quarter, with a third-and-goal from the Falcons 6, Johnson rolled left on a pass play but pulled up near the left sideline. With no receivers open, he broke right, got a few key blocks, and just got past the pylon for a touchdown.

On the next possession, Largo's Hans Lytle got the first of his two fumble recoveries (and first of four Dunedin turnovers) on the Dunedin 23. Three plays later, out of a formation with three receivers wide left, Johnson pulled off a near instant replay by rolling left, cutting right behind a few blockers and scored as he somersaulted a few would-be tacklers at the goal line near the right sideline.

"When I ran left, I noticed the entire defense flow to the left side of the field," Johnson said of his touchdown runs. "So I thought, 'If the defense is all on the left side of the field, why not take it to the right?'"

Johnson wasn't quite finished. On the Packers' first possession of the second half, with the ball on the Dunedin 29, Harvey was stopped for no gain on first down. Johnson immediately came running to the sideline yelling for his coaches. After a quick consultation, Johnson threw to his right for McCray. Despite tight coverage, McCray made an acrobatic catch to put the Packers up 21-0.

"We've known each other since we were kids," Johnson said of Dunedin cornerback Avery Chisholm. "I knew there was no way Avery could cover Reginald. I noticed Avery was going to cover him and I told the coaches we could make that play."

But Chisholm almost did make the play. He had the ball in his hands as he was between McCray and the ball. But McCray reached over Chisholm, pulled the ball out of his hands, then fell back for the touchdown.

"He was hurt the first time and he still hurt us," Dunedin coach Mark Everett said of Johnson. "He's 100 percent healthy now, so he was even more of a force than he was the last time. We thought we had him contained on his touchdown runs. He's just tremendous."

With Dunedin trailing by three touchdowns, the Falcons couldn't rely on Bellamy and had to take to the air. And it cost Dunedin on the possession following McCray's score. Mike Lang intercepted a pass near the left sideline and ran 77 yards for a 28-0 lead.

L-Johnson 17 (Marroquin kick)

L-McCray 29 pass from Johnson (Marroquin kick)

L-Lang 77 interception return (Marroquin kick)

L-FG Marroquin 22

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