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Duo Has Plant Running At Full Force

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Cobb, who averages 6.9 yards per carry, leads the team with 78 carries for 538 yards and four touchdowns.

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 9, 2008

TAMPA - The Thunder and Lightning moniker already has been taken.

Plant tailback Marco Cobb and fullback Chris Hesson will have to come up with another nickname, though the duo does impact a game much like their pro counterparts, Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn, used to do.

"I want to be Barry Sanders," Cobb said.

"I don't mind being the Mike Alstott," Hesson said.

A nickname will have to wait.

Cobb and Hesson are focused on Friday night's Class 4A semifinal game against Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer. A victory puts the Panthers in the state championship game for the second time in three years.

Plant's ground game, anchored by an improved, physical offensive line, deserves a lot of credit for getting the team to this point. During this postseason, the Panthers have averaged 132.3 rushing yards per game.

Cobb, who averages 6.9 yards per carry, leads the team with 78 carries for 538 yards and four touchdowns. Hesson is second with 54 carries for 240 yards (4.4 yards per carry).

"We've really concentrated on creating a run attitude this year," Coach Robert Weiner said. "We've talked about it since the first week and it took some time for that to take hold. It's a different mentality and we've really worked with our kids to try to get them to change mentalities when we're in the run game and when we're in the pass game."

Against Bradenton Southeast in the second round of the playoffs, that attitude was never more evident than the second half, where the Panthers used the ground game to control the clock and also to help the team come from behind to win. Cobb scored the winning touchdown on a drive that Hesson helped keep going with key first downs.

The seniors motivate each other with their different styles of play. Cobb (5-foot-5, 160 pounds) is a bundle of speed, and Hesson (5-11, 230) is more of a bruiser.

"It's great when both of us have great runs and help the team," Cobb said. "Now the coach has some confidence in us and we're getting known for our run game."

That balanced attack will serve the Panthers well as they try to win a second state championship.

"It feels good to see that we're more than just a team that throws the ball," Hesson said.

Reporter Katherine Smith can be reached at (813) 259-7860.

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