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Pirates Push On To Greater Heights

By EDDIE DANIELS

edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: December 6, 2008

DADE CITY - Tom McHugh could have snatched down Jupiter first.

Then Saturn, followed by Mars.

For a man of his stature, the leaps he performed as the final seconds dissolved from the game clock Friday night, nothing was impossible.

McHugh's Pasco Pirates knocked off visiting Citra North Marion, 13-12, in the Class 3A-Region 2 finals at W.F. Edwards Stadium. It's the first time the Pirates (12-1) have reached this point since their 1992 championship.

"It's history," McHugh said. "We talked about it with the kids. That's an event in their lives that they'll never forget, that will always be there."

Pasco will host Tallahassee Godby next Friday.

There were tell-tale signs this would be a defensive struggle early on.

On North Marion's opening offensive play, quarterback Chuckie Looney reared back, lacing a pass up the home sideline. Pasco DBs Josh Johnson and Chaise Dunn got their hands on the ball, and Johnson pulled it away, ending the Colts' drive.

Pasco swiftly took advantage, ending a five play drive with a 10-yard Jamaal Sampson scoring run with 9:54 to go in the first quarter.

More indication of the defensive nature of the game was in the amount of fumbles. North Marion (9-4) lost three fumbles and Looney was picked off three times, while Pasco lost two fumbles and threw one interception.

Brennan Allen's 46-yard field goal on Pasco's opening drive of the third quarter put them ahead, 10-6, but North Marion answered that score with a 6-yard touchdown run by fullback Matthew Pringle. Braden Camire's extra point attempt resembled more of a sand wedge shot then a kick, falling short.

On the Pirates' ensuing possession, Allen booted a 27-yarder, putting his team ahead, 13-12.

With 1:49 remaining in the game, North Marion took over with the ball at the Pasco 35, poised for a go-ahead score. On the first play of the series, running back Eddie Rocker was stripped by outside linebacker Jarrod Carmody, who then pounced on the ball.

Fresh off Carmody's strip and recovery, Pasco faced a third-and-8 from the Pirate 37. At that time, Jamal Haynes had just 24 yards rushing and compounding matters, on the previous series, left the game with an injury to his left knee.

On that third-and-8, Haynes took the ball off the left side of the formation, ripping off nine yards with 58 seconds remaining his second-longest run of the night. That conversion iced the game, sending McHugh into a bouncing frenzy.