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Victory Gives Pasco District, SAC Titles

By EDDIE DANIELS

edaniels@tampatrib.com

Published: November 8, 2008

DADE CITY - From the outset of Friday night's Class 3A-District 8 showdown, Pasco made sure Gulf understood its eight previous opponents weren't the Pirates.

Of those eight teams, only one entered Week 10 with a .500 record. In fact, those teams combined for an 18-46 ledger.

The Pirates used a productive rushing attack, as well as an opportunistic passing game, and did what it could against Bucs running back Adrian Golden, en route to a 21-20 victory. It also helped that Gulf (8-1, 4-1) missed an extra point with 56 seconds remaining in the game.

The win gave Pasco (8-1, 5-0) its second consecutive district title as well as a Sunshine Athletic Conference crown. Gulf returns to the playoffs for the second time in school history (2006).

"I told the kids today, when you get that trophy, it's an emblem of the work you put in," Pasco coach Tom McHugh said. "I've been here for a little over two years and they've worked extremely hard, all of them."

Pasco scored on its first two possessions, limiting Gulf to one possession in the first quarter. The Pirates ended their first drive with a 43-yard strike to Josh Johnson up the home sideline, catching the defense up at the line prepared for the run.

Gulf converted one fourth down on its first drive, eventually turning the ball over on its second fourth-down conversion attempt. In that first quarter, Golden, who entered the game as the area's rushing leader with 1,824 yards, was held to 11 yards in the first quarter and 58 in the first half.

On Pasco's ensuing drive, Chaise Dunn's 39-yard grab from Johnson inside the Gulf 5, led to D.J. Clower's 1-yard scoring run.

Golden came alive on Gulf's second drive, sprinting 27 yards for a score with 6:40 left in the first half, closing the gap to 14-7. The junior, who came in averaging 228 rushing yards a game, finished with 168 yards and three scores.

The Pirates went ahead, 21-7 on Dominique Wilson's 5-yard score in the third, but it took just 14 seconds for Golden to strike again. He broke free on an 80-yard scamper for a touchdown, cutting the deficit, 21-14 with 1:43 left in the third. Golden scored again with 56 seconds remaining. Gulf originally lined up for a 2-point conversion, but after a Pasco timeout, the Bucs returned with its extra point team. The D.J. Skelton kick sailed left, sealing the Pasco victory.