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Wildcats Secure District Crown

By GREGG BECNEL

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 8, 2008

Updated: 11/08/2008 12:44 am

TAMPA - Wharton scored on its first four possessions of the second half to rally past Gaither, 42-35, and capture the Class 5A-District 5 championship on Friday.

Both teams had secured a playoff berth going into the game, but with the win the Wildcats (8-2, 3-0) will host a first-round playoff game Nov. 21, while the Cowboys (4-6, 2-1) will begin postseason play on the road.

After starting 0-2, Wharton is riding high heading into the playoffs. The Wildcats closed the regular season with eight consecutive wins, having scored at least 28 points in their past seven games and at least 36 in their past four.

"It was important for us not to get down after we dropped those first two," Wharton coach David Mitchell said. "Everything's not always going to be easy. We had to face adversity and rise above it. And that's what we did."

Wildcats quarterback Andrew Clifford accounted for four touchdowns (one passing, three rushing). He ran in from 11 yards for the game's first score and later added two short touchdown runs (2, 1).

Clifford was effective through the air, as well, finishing 16-of-27 for 300 yards, including a 59-yard scoring pass to sophomore Xavier Fisher (three receptions, 94 yards). Jairus Jones led Wharton with seven receptions for 137 yards.
Gaither running back Jarvis Giles, who is rethinking his commitment to Tennessee after it was announced Coach Phillip Fulmer won't return in 2009, rushed 24 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns (16, 53, 16).

"It's all about trying to stop No. 3," Mitchell said of Giles. "He's a great all-around back and he showed it Friday. Gaither stayed in it the whole time."

The Cowboys were without Coach Mark Kantor, whose wife was in the late stages of pregnancy.

"Wharton's a great ballclub," Gaither offensive coordinator Brian Emanuel said. "Our kids played their tails off, we just ran out of time. To score 35 points on Wharton's defense says something."

After the Cowboys got within 35-28 with 10 minutes remaining, they tried to catch the Wildcats off guard with an onside kick, but it was unsuccessful.

And after taking over at the Gaither 49, Wharton needed just five plays to increase its lead to 42-28 on Malik Williams' 10-yard run with 7:29 remaining.

"Sometimes you hit the panic button," Mitchell said. "I think that's what happened there."