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Sarasota 22, Durant 19, FINAL

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Jarrett Guthrie

Published: October 8, 2007

CITY Durant coach Mike Gottman stood in the rain at 10:15 Friday evening, disappointed his team couldn't play the second half of its game against Class 6A-District 6 rival Sarasota with a 13-7 lead.
"We wanted to finish no doubt about it," Gottman said Friday. "Playing in a wet condition would have given us an advantage."
Friday night the rain poured. dumped. The field was spotted with puddles. The Cougar run game was grinding it out. And Sarasota quarterback Casey Kelly wasn't driving his team down field. Then the lightning came and the game was postponed until Monday evening.
Monday, Gottman's fears about dry conditions seemed prophetic as the skies were clear and Kelly took advantage, leading the Sailors to a 22-19 victory.
Sarasota (3-3) opened the third quarter with a 67-yard touchdown strike to Robin Rothenbach on the Sailors' first play. Not to be outdone, Durant quarterback Jeremy Fussell responded on the Cougars next drive with a 38-yard run followed by a 32-yard touchdown pass to Royce Rose.

Ryan Rice carried most of the load for the Cougars adding 100 yards to his first half total of 110 yards, but Durant (2-4) couldn't find the end zone again in the game. In the fourth quarter, a fumble on the Sailors' 4-yard line was answered with a 95-yard drive ending in a 36-yard pass again from Kelly to Rothenbach.

Later, Durant took over with 2:12 left in the game, but saw its final chance at a win end in an interception by Sarasota cornerback Tyler Dawn as Fussell was hit while he threw.

Jarrett Guthrie

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