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Panthers' D Ready To Swarm

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Published: December 4, 2008

Armwood offensive coordinator Chris Taylor said Plant's defense is the best at getting off their blocks and getting to the ball of any team they've faced this season. Led by defensive lineman Javon Mention, team leader in sacks with 19, and Austin Clark, linebackers Beau Hume, team leader in tackles with 101 tackles, Mike Mirabella and Josh Varon and safety Hunter Baldwin, the Panthers have a knack for swarming to the ball.

That collective effort has helped produce 35 sacks in Plant's past five games.

"They have a real desire to play with a defensive attitude," Coach Robert Weiner said. "And that means to play smart and understand what's going on, and just to play super aggressively and fly around. We've really made some good athletic quarterbacks look not very good."

That will be the goal Friday night against Armwood. In the first game against the Hawks, Mywan Jackson looked extremely uncomfortable. Since then, he's established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the county.

"They live and die with Mywan. That's the guy right there," co-defensive coordinator James Harrell said. "As he goes, so goes the offense. He's a lot like Chamberlain's Dontae Aycock. You have to hold him to 10 yards or less on every carry. If you do that, you've got a chance."

TWO IMPORTANT AREAS: There are two important areas Armwood coach Sean Callahan has his team focusing on this week, the two he believes will determine the winner and loser in Friday night's Class 4A region final against Plant.

"It's going to come down to turnovers and penalties," Callahan said.

Of course, coaches say those areas are important in any game, but penalties and, especially, turnovers have proved big in this series between the Hawks and Panthers, especially in the games played at Dad's Stadium.

"We had some of those turnovers in the first game and it worked out to our favor," Callahan said. "The last time before that when we were there we turned it over six times and lost."

The Hawks fared pretty well in those areas during last week's win against Tampa Bay Tech. Armwood's defense forced six turnovers and scored three defensive touchdowns, while the offense committed just one turnover. While the Hawks were penalized nine times for 99 yards, three of those penalties (resulting in 35 yards) were against the Hawks defense on Tampa Bay Tech's first offensive drive.

CHIEFS SEEK NATIONAL RECOGNITION: Although Chamberlain has earned state recognition this season, the Chiefs are hoping to jump into the national spotlight by beating Lakeland (13-0) on Friday.

The Dreadnaughts, who have won five Class 5A state titles and three this decade (2004, 2005, 2006), are ranked No. 8 by USA Today No. 13 in the ESPN RISE Fab 50 poll.

"If we beat Lakeland, we will be heard of across the country," Chamberlain junior defensive tackle Eric Hammond said.

INVALUABLE LEG: Give it up for Matt McLaughlin.

Never heard of him? He's Tampa Catholic's kicker, and he's about as good as there is in the state.

So far, McLaughlin has converted 10 field goals, punted 34 times for a 38.5 average (11 inside the 20-yard line), and sailed 16 of 54 kickoffs into the end zone.

"He's been invaluable," TC coach Bob Henriquez said.

In Friday's 10-0 Class 2A state quarterfinal victory against Mulberry, McLaughlin hit a 38-yard field goal and punted six times for a 46-yard average, placing two of those punts inside the Panthers' 15 yard line.

PIRATE OF THE PAST: Former Pasco coach Perry Brown was selected to coach the North squad in the North-South Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Game, which will be Dec. 23 at Lakeland's Bryant Stadium. Brown, the coach of Lynn Haven Mosley High School near Panama City, is the only coach to have led Pasco High to a state title (Class 3A, 1992). The Pirates (11-1), which will host Citra North Marion (9-3) in Friday's Class 3A-Region 2 final, haven't been this deep in the playoffs since that championship season.

Brown, who led the Pirates from 1989 to 1995, has been keeping an eye on the program.

"They're having a great year," said Brown, who just finished his fourth season at Mosley. "I've got a lot of good memories there, and I wish the best for them."

Adam Adkins, Eddie Daniels,

Scott Purks, Katherine Smith,

Nick Williams

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