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Balanced Attack Lifts Land O' Lakes

By EDDIE DANIELS

edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: November 1, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - Any dialogue involving offense with Land O' Lakes coach John Benedetto will likely lead to a rule he swears by - balance. He wants to hurt an opposing defense with both his running and passing attacks.

Friday night at Gator Stadium provided a prime example, as Land O' Lakes beat River Ridge 31-14 in a crucial Class 4A-District 8 matchup.

Land O' Lakes (6-2, 3-1) remained in the hunt for its 12th consecutive playoff appearance. Tarpon Springs and Springstead also have only one district loss.

The Gators churned up 166 yards and one touchdown on the ground, and 96 yards and two scores in the air.

They also added a punt return for a touchdown and a field goal.

"If you can hurt teams throwing the ball, it opens up the run," Benedetto said. "If you can run the ball effectively, then you're going to be able to pass, and that's what we strive for.

"We want balance offensively - and you'll see it."

It was that use of the running game on Land O' Lakes' opening drive that led to a 7-yard touchdown pass from Stevie Weatherford to Andrew Moore at the 6:55 mark of the first quarter. Five runs for 24 yards, followed by a 23-yard pop pass over the middle, set up that score.

Two possessions later, Alex Spock booted a 39-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage.

The Gators' final scoring drive of the first half came on a seven-play, 52-yard drive - all runs - capped by Ben Hipps' 2-yard TD. Hipps ended the night with 52 yards on nine carries, second to Weatherford's 60 yards on seven carries.

"They were physically stronger than us on both sides of the ball at the line of scrimmage, and I think that was really evident," said River Ridge coach Tim Stevens, a Land O' Lakes assistant for 12 years before taking the River Ridge job in 2006.

"I kind of got the feeling we were a little flat. I don't know why we would've been, but it seemed like there wasn't a lot of intensity."

It might have been because River Ridge was coming off an upset of district-leader Springstead.

Land O' Lakes extended the lead on its second drive of the third quarter when tight end Will Irwin took a short Weatherford pass and turned it into a 34-yard touchdown. Less than two minutes later, Moore returned a punt 55 yards for a score.

Trevor Shoun helped River Ridge avert the shutout with a 3-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and teammate Stavros Arianas added a 2-yard score.