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Bloomingdale Finally Has A Winner

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By ADAM ADKINS

aadkins@tampatrib.com

Published: November 1, 2008

Updated: 11/01/2008 12:33 am

BRANDON - Finally, Bloomingdale's football program has a winner.

After 21 consecutive losing seasons, dating to when the program began in 1987, the Bulls have put together their first winning season.

Friday night's come-from-behind 27-22 victory against rival Brandon at E.F. McLane Stadium was Bloomingdale's sixth win this season, which means even if the team loses the rest of its games, it will finish above .500.

One of those remaining games will come in the postseason, which also will be a first in program history.

Friday's victory moved Bloomingdale to 3-0 in Class 5A-District 7 play, which clinched the Bulls a playoff spot. They will travel next week to face Newsome in a game that will decide the district title.

"It's hard to explain," Bloomingdale senior linebacker C.J. Curran said. "This team has fought through all the pressure, all the years of adversity. That monkey, that 20-year-old monkey, is gone. It's gone, and this team did it."

There's no question what led to the Bulls' victory against the Eagles - special teams play. Bloomingdale's special-teams units accounted for two touchdowns, two safeties and a blocked field goal, and most of those came at crucial times, including what turned out to be the game-winner.

Brandon (1-7) held a 22-17 lead early in the fourth quarter when the Eagles were forced to punt out of their end zone. As the ball was snapped, Bloomingdale got some pressure up the middle, forcing the Eagles' punter to tuck the ball and head outside. He was met by two Bloomingdale defenders at the goal line and the ball popped loose. It was eventually recovered by Jason Miller and returned 4 yards for a touchdown to put the Bulls ahead for good.

Bloomingdale (6-2) looked like it was going to run away with the game in the first half. The Bulls took a 17-7 lead into the break, and the defense had clamped down after allowing the Eagles to score on their opening possession, a 9-yard scoring pass from Josh Celerin (8-for-19, 123 yards) to receiver Sean Watson (six receptions, 120 yards).

But the Eagles came out determined after halftime and strung together 15 consecutive points to start the second half, getting a pair of touchdown runs from Mike Sevigny, to take a 22-17 lead into the fourth quarter.

However, after the Bulls regained the lead with the fumble return on the botched punt attempt early in the fourth quarter, Brandon had another miscue when the punting unit snapped the ball out of the end zone for a safety for the second time in the game. That gave Bloomingdale the ball back with 4:07 remaining, and the Bulls took the rest of the time off the clock behind the strong running of fullback Anthony Amos (15 carries, 89 yards) to secure the win.

"I'm so proud of these kids. They just deserve it. These kids work hard. They've worked so hard since I got there in January, and they just dug and dug and they believed," Bloomingdale first-year coach Jason Stokes said. "That locker room is so tight, and we've got so many leaders on this team, the seniors. I'm just so proud of these kids. They deserve this. They deserve to go down in history. They do."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533.

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