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QB Ignites Plant Comeback

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By NICK WILLIAMS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2007

Photo Gallery | Friday Night Sights | Game Highlights

TAMPA - With just more than 2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Friday night's football game, Plant High was tied with Chamberlain and 88 yards away from a game-winning touchdown.

Plant junior quarterback Aaron Murray carried his team downfield, aided by Chamberlain penalties for roughing the passer and offsides. Murray ran 37 yards inside the Chamberlain 15, capping the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Lovell Jackson with 1:14 left to give the Panthers a 29-22 victory.

On their 20, the Chiefs tried to pull off their own late drive, but fell short. Quarterback Dontae Aycock was sacked for a loss of 5 yards and on the following play, Chamberlain was penalized for a false start. On fourth-and-20, Aycock tried to connect with receiver Fred Sykes down the left sideline, but was intercepted by Plant's Derek Winter.

'I don't know if it was our best performance, but it showed how tough we are,' said Murray, who completed 14 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for another. 'We're not going to give up and we're not going to roll over.'

The defending Class 5A state champions were in an unfamiliar place, trailing Chamberlain, 16-14, at the half.

'I'm real, real proud of my kids,' Plant coach Robert Weiner said. 'A game like that, it was a tough, tough football game and they're happy to come away with a victory.'

Although Plant will savor the victory, it may be without standout receiver Cornelius Gallon for a while. With 53 seconds left in the third quarter, Gallon went down with a knee injury near the goal line. Plant's team doctor said the injury is a possible ACL sprain.

On the following play, Murray ran up the middle for a 2-yard touchdown and added a 2-point conversion to give Plant a 22-19 lead. Chamberlain drove downfield on the following series and settled for a 47-yard field goal by Austin Pullaro to tie the game.

Aycock finished with 178 yards rushing with one touchdown, while running back Kenny Allen finished with 47 yards on the ground off 13 carries. Winter finished with four catches for 50 yards with two interceptions, while Gallon had three catches for 27 yards and one touchdown.

'We knew it was going to be a battle,' Winter said. 'They came to play. It went back and forth, they were up, we were up ... it was just a great game.'

Plant did not shake hands with Chamberlain after the game because tempers flew when a few defenders tried to tackle Murray when he tried to kneel the ball to close the game.

Weiner said it was nothing personal and that he just 'wanted to get his kids off the field' to prevent anything from happening.

Chamberlain coach Billy Turner saw his players dejected after the game, but said they shouldn't have anything to be ashamed of.

'Our kids battled their hearts out,' Turner said. 'They're a great football team and we played them dead even. We'll build on that game.'

C-Aycock 62 run (Pullaro kick)

P-Gallon 13 pass from Murray (Marvel kick)

C-Persaud 8 run (Pullaro kick)

P-Marvel 88 pass from Murray (Marvel kick)

C-FG Pullaro 27

P-Murray 2 run (Murray run)

C-FG Pullaro 47

P-Jackson 15 pass from Murray (Marvel kick)

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 865-4848 or nwilliams@tampatrib.com.

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