TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Seniors Will Lead The Way

ADVERTISEMENT

By BART O'CONNELL, Tribune correspondent

Published: October 31, 2007

HUDSON - Hidden beneath the gaudy statistics of quarterback Zack Wynn and running back Sean Scott lies perhaps the biggest reason Hudson is one win from returning to the playoffs.

The Cobras' three senior captains - linebacker Paul James and linemen Travis Tindell and Lance Moore - know what it takes to make the postseason, and win those do-or-die games.

Though Friday's game against Zephyrhills is technically a regular season game in Class 3A-District 8, the winner is going to the playoffs and the loser isn't. That makes it as pressure-packed as any game could be.

'Ten years ago, I would've said I don't think it matters,' Hudson coach Mark Nash said of the trio's impact. 'But after having been there myself, getting older and wiser as a coach, it definitely makes a difference.'

Each has a distinctive personality. Nash described James as 'a rebel with 500 causes ... a loose cannon,' while Moore, an exceptional student, is nicknamed 'The Cerebral Assassin' for his smarts and versatility on the field. Tindell doesn't really have a nickname - he is simply known for being the strongest player in the county, able to push around just about anyone.

The pressure has been different for Hudson's senior leaders this time around. In 2005, a 10-3 campaign that included two playoff victories, they were sophomores, looking up to 23 seniors whom they were literally afraid to let down.

'It means a lot. It's a culmination of four years of our lives,' Moore said. 'I mean, when we went through the 10-3 year, it was a great experience, but it wasn't our experience. We were more than happy to help the seniors experience it. This is our battle, this is our year.'

The final game of that season, a 42-0 loss to Citra North Marion, illustrated just how committed they were to that cause. Early in the second quarter, Tindell had his helmet dislodged and his jaw broken by a North Marion player. Unable to speak, he played the rest of the half before his uncle informed the coaching staff something was wrong.

Nash still recalls seeing Tindell in the locker room at halftime - his head down, face swelling, tears in his eyes - determined to stay in. When the decision was made to not play him, the coaching staff had to hide his helmet to make sure he didn't re-enter the game on his own.

'It sends chills running down my spine just thinking about it,' Nash said.

'That meant so much to me, and I knew I could contribute so much to help, being in there and doing everything for them,' Tindell said. 'And I felt helpless, being on the sidelines.'

James suffered a punctured lung in that game and had to be hospitalized. Another sophomore, lineman Aaron Lovell, played three quarters with a broken leg. Moore was the only one that knew until the next week, when he wore a cast almost as big as his leg to school. Lovell is also a senior on this year's team.

This season, James and Tindell have dealt with a different set of challenges, and at times their careers appeared in serious jeopardy. James was suspended for an on-campus altercation three weeks ago, causing him to miss games against River Ridge and Gulf. He said he has learned from his mistake.

'He's had his moments this year, but when it comes to football, between the lines, he's a captain,' Nash said. 'And there's no one's motor that runs any harder, except maybe Travis.'
Tindell came down with a mysterious illness following the River Ridge game, which required a hospital stay. While doctors struggled to diagnose the ailment, it became unclear whether or not he would return. He also missed the Gulf game before returning last week.

Moore was the player relied on to fill in for James at linebacker, and in subsequent weeks he has given the team additional options on defense.

'We wouldn't want to have to play a do-or-die situation without them,' Nash said.

Bart O'Connell can be reached at boconnell@pop.tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT