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Covert Colts Come To Dade City Tonight

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 5, 2008

North Marion football coach Craig Damon isn't much into returning phone calls from reporters. Maybe he's too busy figuring out how to stop the Pasco offense. Or maybe he just doesn't want Pasco County to know too much about his Colts.

Either way, that won't stop us from giving you the rundown on Citra North Marion, the Class 3A-District 5 champs and Pasco's opponent tonight in the Region 2 final at W.F. Edwards Stadium in Dade City.

With the help of the Ocala Star-Banner and MaxPreps.com, here's a look at the Colts:

ON OFFENSE: Quarterback Chuckie Looney has passed for 1,196 yards (71 of 146) and nine touchdowns. His favorite target is Shaquille Neal, who has 27 catches for 601 yards. On the ground, Eddie Rocker gets most of the touches - 155 carries for 1,365 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Rocker's numbers are more impressive considering he missed four games with a hamstring injury.

"A guy who played all those games and maybe got 20 carries a game might be a little more banged up than Eddie is right now," Damon told the Star-Banner. "For the most part, after that injury he's done really well."

Rocker rushed for 231 yards and four touchdowns in the Colts' 49-7 semifinals win against Williston, which got to the semifinals when Nature Coast was forced to forfeit its quarterfinal game. Nature Coast is the only team to beat Pasco (18-17 in Week 5). Rocker scored a 65-yard touchdown run on the Colts' third play from scrimmage, an 84-yard TD in the second quarter and a 50-yarder in the third quarter.

The senior has received offers from Ball State and Boston College.

ON DEFENSE: Defensive end Laroyal Beard leads the Colts with 72 solo tackles and Courtland Thomas has nine sacks. As a team, North Marion has 33.5 sacks for a total of 220 yards lost.

The Colts have 13 interceptions, five by Jordan Fulford and four by Latroy Pittman. Add in 11 fumble recoveries and the Colts are a plus-14 in turnovers this season.

Against Williston, North Marion's defense only gave up 77 total yards.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Punter Kyle Freimuth is averaging 35.3 yards per punt and 14 of his 37 kicks have landed inside the 20. Freshman Jamie Gilmore gives the Colts a lift every time he returns a kickoff, averaging 23.5 a return, including an 89-yarder for a touchdown against Ocala Vanguard.

Kicker Braden Camire has made 47 of 53 conversion kicks and four field goals (longest is 31 yards), but has only missed one PAT (36 of 37) since missing three Oct. 10.

MEET THE COLTS

WHERE: North Marion, 151 W. Highway 329, Citra, Marion County

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR/FOOTBALL COACH: Craig Damon

CLASS-DISTRICT: 3A-5

STATE PLAYOFF HISTORY: 13-13 overall, 11-8 under Damon. Advanced to Class 3A state semifinals in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Has never reached the state final.

2008 GAME-BY-GAME RESULTS

Opponent

Results

at Ponte Vedra Nease

L, 30-14

at Belleview

W, 54-0

Gainesville Buchholz

L, 41-14

Ocala West Port

W, 30-6

Green Cove Springs Clay

W, 49-14

at Gainesville

L, 19-17

at Alachua Santa Fe

W, 46-14

Williston

W, 21-19

at Dunnellon

W, 21-14

Ocala Vanguard

W, 62-19

REGION TOURNAMENT

Crystal River

W, 42-0

Williston

W, 49-7

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