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Game Of The Week: Spoto At Robinson

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2008

AT STAKE

A spot in the Class 3A playoffs. This is a win-and-you're-in game for both teams. Spoto's 21-14 victory against Jesuit last week and Robinson's 24-21 victory against Sarasota Booker put them in this position. It would be the first playoff spot for Spoto, in its second season of varsity competition.

KEY STAT

SPOTO: As quickly as they opened the season 3-0, the Spartans fell to 0-3 after they were forced to forfeit the games because of an ineligible player. Since then, Spoto is 3-2, including three consecutive victories.

ROBINSON: The Knights haven't made the postseason since the 2005 season. They'll have some added motivation to help them get there. Members of the 1963 Robinson football team, who played in the inaugural FHSAA state championship game, will be in the stands to commemorate the 45th anniversary of that title game.

KEY MATCHUPS

WHEN SPOTO HAS THE BALL: Robinson's defense can expect a heavy dose of the Spartans' leading rusher, Tim Randolph. But Spoto isn't afraid to throw the ball. Leading receiver Alex Byers is the biggest beneficiary when quarterback J.B. Burgess airs it out. Burgess will get a lot of pressure from Robinson defensive lineman D.J. Woods.

WHEN ROBINSON HAS THE BALL: Spoto's defense is all about speed and sound tackling. Robinson's leading receivers, Frankie Williams and Mike Hawthorne, will be challenged to get separation. And the dual-quarterback system of Ruben Gonzalez and A.J. Phillips won't have a lot of time to throw the ball, thanks to two of the county's leading sack artists - Sergio Robinson has nine and Darrell Hernandez has eight.

QUOTABLES

"That's the roll of the dice. It's the nature of the beast around here, since they've gone to the two teams per district making the playoffs. ... We're not the first team to do that. You look at over the years, there's always a 3-7 team in there someplace." - Robinson coach Mike DePue, on the possibility of a three-win team in the playoffs

"Hopefully we maybe beat Spoto. I'm pretty sure we will to get into the playoffs. We have seniors on this team that didn't get to go to the playoffs last year, so we have to work together." - Robinson quarterback Ruben Gonzalez

"Nobody that played in those football games thinks that we lost or they won. Our kids know we won. It was settled on the field. It was a clerical error. It was my fault. It was something that dealt with paperwork. As far as the blood and the sweat, you know all that stuff that goes into a football game, our kids knew that they won." - Spoto coach Dale Caparaso, on his team having to forfeit the first three games of the season because of an ineligible player

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