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Mitchell Can't Overcome Big Plays Vs. Wharton

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By EDDIE DANIELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 21, 2007

NEW TAMPA - Scott Schmitz's job just got a lot more interesting.

As if battling through a 2-5 season hasn't been trying enough, the Mitchell football coach now has to keep his team focused on finishing out its 2007 campaign without giving up.

After Friday night's 27-14 loss to Wharton, the Mustangs (2-4, 0-2 Class 5A-District 5) are no longer in contention for the playoffs. Who's to say some players won't quit on Schmitz?

'It's extremely tough. It's a very, very difficult loss for all of us,' Schmitz said. 'We put in a lot of work in the summer, put in a lot of work in the offseason and it's hard.

'Our pride is going to keep us focused and that's what it's all about.

It was that pride that kept Mitchell quarterback Tate Humphrey nailed to the aluminum bench inside Mitchell D. Muley Stadium, dejected after he re-injured his right ankle on the final play of the second quarter.

'It was real tough because if we would have won we would have a chance to go to the playoffs, but I guess we got to go home now,' Humphrey said. 'It's more pain in losing than in my ankle.

'We just got to keep playing. I'm going to tell them to keep their heads up.'

Despite the loss, Mitchell didn't leave the field embarrassed. Minus a handful of big plays by Wharton (5-3, 2-0), the Mustangs weren't as far off as the score indicated. The Mitchell defense pitched a shutout in the first quarter as it played with a 7-0 advantage.

On Wharton's first possession, the Mustangs defense gave up 8 yards on the first three plays, but on the punt, Mitchell was flagged for roughing the kicker, giving the Wildcats a fresh set of downs after the 15-yard penalty was accessed.

Even so, the defense choose not to budge, allowing just 5-yards on the following three pays, forcing Wharton to punt again.

The Wildcats tied the game, 7-7, on a lengthy, 12-play drive, which began at the end of the first quarter, when running back Marquis Thomas clipped the plane of the goal line from a yard out.
Wharton stretched out its lead when Thomas broke free from tacklers, sprinting 42-yards for his second score with 7:03 left in the second quarter. That drive took one play and 11-seconds.

Things nearly fell apart when Wharton defender Dominique White snagged Humphrey's third-and-4 pass, which careened off Yaz Grabowski's hands. Again, the Mitchell defense held tough, forcing the Wildcats to attempt a 35-yard field goal, which was blocked by Colt Cardwell.

'I felt we did better against the run today, but we gave up some big plays in the second half that hurt us,' Schmitz said, 'but I felt like we fought. I felt like we did that.'

The second-half big plays came via the Wharton air attack in the third quarter on back-to-back Wildcats possessions.

One of those plays was a 57-yard deep ball from Andrew Clifford to Dominique White. That put Wharton ahead 21-7 with 9:41 left in the third. On the next Wharton series, White made a reception for a decent gain, but then spun out of one tackle and spun out of another, darting ahead for a 34-yard score.

'Together we've got three games left and we're not going to the playoffs, but we still have three games to play football,' Schmitz said. 'For our seniors, I hope those last three ballgames are special for them.'

Only time will tell.

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