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Mitchell duo putting their names, tallies on the gridiron scoreboard

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BY ERIC HORCHY, The Suncoast News

Published: September 11, 2007

TRINITY – If you follow high school football and don't know the names Tate Humphrey or Tyrone Hendrix, you will soon.

It's only two games into the 2007 season and the J.W. Mitchell High School tandem is catching eyes and getting looks as fast as they leave would-be tacklers in their wake.

Both flew out of the gates in their home opening 41-13 throttling of Gulf, unimpeded by the soggy conditions.

Humphrey combined for five touchdowns alone – three aerial, two rushing – and racked up 178 yards passing with 95 on the ground.

One of those connections was a perfectly executed mid-range toss down the left sideline to Hendrix in stride, who took care of business in a flash by darting untouched for a 55-yard score.

On top of his receiving touchdown and 62 total yards, Hendrix, who also plays defensive back, thwarted a late game Gulf push when he cut laterally to step in front of a Madison Burr pass for an 81-yard pick-six.

Humphrey followed that up with a four-score performance at Zephyrhills and more than 350 all-purpose yards, despite falling in a nailbiter 35-33. Hendrix added another receiving score and also came up huge late while sacking Bulldog punter Louis Ferguson to set up what could have been the winning field goal.

As impressive as both displays were individually, both will tell you it's the "W" that matters most.

"Playoffs," Hendrix said without hesitation when asked about his goal. "Playoffs and just winning."

Catch me if you can

Speed is always the one thing coaches say you can't teach, and that – among other tangible and intangible traits – is exactly what head coach Scott Schmitz has with this pairing.

"Both are excellent football players and also great kids," Schmitz said. "They do what they're supposed to do on and off the field. That's why they're both captains of this team."

Hendrix does not hesitate to name that aforementioned speed as being his favorite weapon in a growing repertoire of skills.

"I like catching it, too, but I prefer running the ball," he said, mentioning a partiality to end-around handoffs and dump passes that let him cut loose in the open field.

Seeing Humphrey tuck the ball and slash out of the pocket is always a sight as well, but standing his ground and finding the open man down field is his preferred style of quarterback.

"I want to throw more than I run," Humphrey said with a smile as he stressed the fact. "But, you know, sometimes stuff happens. Gotta run."

Both also intend to go out for the Mustang track team as well this season to compete in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.

"I burn him," Humphrey said jokingly – kind of – with a quick 'is that right?' laugh from Hendrix, showing a flash of the competitive nature both possess.

While Humphrey and Hendrix – who have been playing together since Tarpon Springs youth league days – are all smiles chatting off the field, that quality gets set aside for a few hours when the lights shine down Friday night.

"We're mean," Humphrey said of the team as a whole. Breaking out another grin, he told a reporter, "Make sure that's in there."

Exciting season

One thing the teammates and Schmitz have anticipated coming into this season is an opened-up, spread offense with the proper tools to make it work.

Along with Hendrix outside, senior receivers Jesse Dustin and Yaz Grabowski give Humphrey an ample amount of quality looks when the Mustangs line up in three- or four-wide sets.

Being the dual threat he is by playing both sides of the ball, Hendrix made sure to mention the defense as being perhaps the most overlooked aspect of this team. After all, it can be easy to get lost in the shuffle with such an eye- catching offense.

Following the Zephyrhills loss, Mitchell's senior leaders have three weeks to rebound and get the squad ready for what Hendrix described as the two biggest games of everyone's young career: Gaither and Ridgewood, back-to- back.

How those two season-depending games unfold is yet to be seen, but preparation and motivation are not two factors that will be lacking.

"We're hardworking," Hendrix said in quick response when both were asked why this year's Mustangs are for real. "We don't let up."

"More heart," Humphrey added. "A lot more heart this season."

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