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County Had No Answers For Shaw

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By SCOTT PURKS

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 20, 2008

PLANT CITY - Again and again, people said Plant City quarterback Techonqueyha Shaw was the county's best flag football player.

Quick? "Oh my gosh, she was incredibly quick," Freedom quarterback and safety Sarah Cardozo said. "And she could do just about anything she wanted to. Run, throw, anything."

The final play of Cardozo's career gives an insight to how good Shaw truly was.

It was an extra point in a regional final that at the time was tied at 26.

Shaw received the snap and ran right. Freedom's defense flowed with her, then surged forward to stop Shaw short of the goal line. Shaw twisted and threw across her body. The ball floated toward the end zone's opposite corner where teammate Tekeyah Clark hauled in the pass.

"We played it just like we were supposed to do," Cardozo said. "But what can you do against something like that?"

With that win Plant City continued onto the state tournament at West Boca Raton High, where it defeated Dunedin (24-19) and Jupiter (26-19) before finally losing in the final 41-16 to Tallahassee Leon.

It was the farthest a Hillsborough County flag football team had ever gone, and, according to Plant City assistant coach Randy Harris, it had a lot to do with Shaw.

"She does bring a lot to the table," Harris said. "She makes great decisions and when things break down she can make something out of nothing. Plus, the girls love having her around. She's a leader."

But she goes about her business, pretty quietly.

No finger pointing. No taunting.

Just give her the ball and watch her go - almost 300 yards combined running and passing a game against Freedom, Dunedin and Jupiter.

Before Shaw traveled with her team to the state tournament, she was her usual matter-of-fact self.

"All we're going to do is go down there, focus, fight hard and come back with a state title trophy," Shaw said. "No, I'm not nervous. I'm focused. I know what I want."

It was that determination, coupled with her athleticism, that made Shaw the hands-down choice for The Tampa Tribune's 2008 Flag Football Athlete of the Year award.

FLAG FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

Sarah Cardozo, Freedom, Sr.

Kristen Garcia, Chamberlain, Sr.

Breanna Moore, Leto, Jr.

Chelsea Hearne, Plant, Sr.

Techonqueyha Shaw, Plant City, Jr.

Charlet Davis, Freedom, Sr.

Samantha Wicker, Plant City, Jr.

Coach of the Year: Michael Paul, Plant City

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