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Panthers Tough It Out

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By KATHERINE SMITH

ksmith@tampatrib.com

Published: December 13, 2008

Updated: 12/13/2008 12:43 am

TAMPA - Before they took the field Friday night, Plant players gathered in their field house for a motivational video.

With the strains of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" in the background, highlights from last week's victory against Armwood played out on the screen. Then, nine words flashed across the screen: "It Stinks To Be The Visitor In Our House."

Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer certainly knows that feeling after Plant came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat the other Panthers, 33-21 in a Class 4A semifinal game at Dad's Stadium. Plant advances to the Dec. 20 title game against Tallahassee Lincoln at Orlando's Citrus Bowl.

It is Plant's second state championship game appearance in three years. They won it all in 2006.

"That game was so hard-fought - every single moment, it was tough," said Plant coach Robert Weiner. "We say in our huddle before every thing that we do, every single day, that football's a tough game, and the players chant 'for tough people.' And that game was about toughness."

Down 21-20 heading into the fourth quarter, Plant showed off its running prowess with an 80-yard scoring drive to go ahead 26-21 with 6:41 remaining in the game. Junior wideout DeAndre Queen went 55 yards on an end-around play, setting the Panthers up at Dwyer's 25-yard line.

Senior tailback Marco Cobb, whose fumble in the second quarter resulted in a touchdown for Dwyer, redeemed himself with a 21-yard run to set up first-and-goal, then he capped the winning drive with a 4-yard touchdown run. Cobb iced the game for the Panthers with a 10-yard touchdown run with 19 seconds remaining.

The Plant defense also showed its resilience. The unit, which entered the game as one of the main reasons the Panthers had reached this point, uncharacteristically allowed 213 total yards in the first half.

Dwyer's two-headed monster at quarterback, senior Bradley Wallace and freshman Jacoby Brissett, picked apart the defense for most of the game. Wallace finished with 190 passing yards and a touchdown, and Brissett had 88 passing yards and a touchdown and added 49 rushing yards.

But Plant's defense came up with a key stop on fourth-and-4 with five minutes remaining in the game when it pressured Wallace and tipped his pass to give the ball back to the Panthers.

"We gave up big plays all night, but when it came down to it, we wanted it on the defense," said defensive lineman Austin Clark. "We got some pressure on them, and he threw it up and it got batted down. That was the play of the game."

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

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