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Plant Loses Gallon For Rest Of Season

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By KATHERINE SMITH, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 28, 2007

TAMPA - The Class 4A-District 10 showdown between Plant and Jefferson on Friday night could be without two key components.

Plant will have to defend its district title without starting wide receiver/defensive back Cornelius Gallon. The senior captain and Plant's leading scorer suffered a severe knee injury in the Panthers' 29-22 victory against Chamberlain and will miss the remainder of the season.

On the other sideline, Jefferson might be without Coach Mike Fenton, who was ejected for cursing during a 38-2 victory against Alonso.

Gallon, who said he heard a pop when he went down in the third quarter, had an MRI on Saturday that confirmed Plant coach Robert Weiner's worst fears - a torn ACL.

Weiner not only will have to replace an emotional leader, but also a wideout, defensive back and return specialist. Starting tailback Lovell Jackson, recently back from hamstring and ankle injuries, will handle the return duties and also will be pressed into action at wideout. James Harrell III, who played his first game of the regular season Friday after recovering from a broken foot, would step in at defensive back.

'From top to bottom, Cornelius has been the consistent heart and soul of our team for a couple of years,' Weiner said of Gallon, who has scored 16 touchdowns this season.

On Saturday, while he pored over Plant game film, Fenton said he plans to appeal his suspension, if there is one. FHSAA rules call for a player or coach to serve a one-game suspension if they have been ejected, but Fenton said he believes it's up to the officials to file the proper paperwork for a suspension.

An appeal might buy Fenton time so he can coach against Plant, but then he might have to sit out the regular-season finale against Middleton.

Fenton's ejection stemmed from a second-quarter incident against Alonso when senior linebacker Chris Cox was speared and lay motionless. Cox, who temporarily lost feeling, suffered a back contusion and was undergoing tests Saturday to make sure there were no broken bones.

Fenton said he asked an official if the Alonso player who speared Cox was going to be ejected and was ignored. He turned away from the official to check on Cox when he cursed.

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860

or ksmith@tampatrib.com.

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