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Friday Night Recap

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A TRIBUNE STAFF REPORT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2008

A VERY SHORT WEEK

Riverview and Durant won't have long before each team hits the field again. The Sharks and Cougars will take part in a three-team district tiebreaker with Sarasota on Monday to determine the Class 6A-District 6 runner-up.

All three teams ended their district slates with 1-2 records, thanks to Durant's win over Riverview and Sarasota Riverview's win over Sarasota on Friday. Sarasota Riverview, which finished 3-0 in district play, earned the district title with its win Friday.

Because Durant has the best overall record of the three teams, the Cougars get to host the tiebreaker and receive a first-round bye, so to speak, in the one-quarter tiebreaker system. Riverview (1-8) and Sarasota (3-6) will play first, with the winner advancing to face the Cougars (5-4) for the right to advance to the postseason.

The Sharks and Cougars also play Friday in their regular-season finales.

SENT PACKING, BUT FOR HOW LONG?

Plant coach Robert Weiner swears he has never been kicked out of anything before Friday night. Not class, not school, heck, he even said he's never been put in timeout.

His ejection from the Panthers' game against Jefferson was a first for the fifth-year head coach and it may cost him, not only financially, but also with at least a one-game suspension. Weiner was ejected in the fourth quarter after drawing multiple unsportsmanlike penalties for arguing calls.

Per FHSAA rules, an ejection from a game, for a player or a coach, is subject to at least a one-game suspension, but could be as many as six if it is deemed gross unsportsmanlike conduct. The length of the suspension likely will hinge on what the game officials write in the report they submit to the FHSAA. That is, of course, if anything about the ejection is written.

For instance, Spoto wideout/safety Alex Byers was ejected near the end of third quarter of Friday's game against Robinson for back-to-back unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, the first for a late hit and the second after he "ran his mouth," according to Spartans coach Dale Caparaso. However, Caparaso said the officials told him they would not be writing Byers up.

Caparaso said he'll check with Hillsborough County athletic director Lanness Robinson regarding Byers' status for Spoto's regular-season finale this week against East Bay.

COWBOYS, KANTOR WELCOME NEW ADDITION

If C.J. Kantor's entrance into the world is any indication of his speed, his father Mark Kantor doesn't have great expectations.

"He'll probably run the slowest 40 time known to man," the Gaither coach said.

Carson James "C.J." Kantor (7 pounds, 8 ounces, 20 inches) was born at 5:37 Saturday morning, 10 hours after his mother went into labor. Kantor said the labor pains began just as the Cowboys were kicking off Friday against Wharton to decide the Class 5A-District 5 champion. He received a call at halftime, so he left for the hospital. And then, he waited.

"I could have stayed and coached the rest of the game," Kantor joked. "And I hear it was a hell of a game after I left."

The Cowboys led 20-14 when Kantor left and ended up losing in a shootout to the Wildcats, 42-35.

"I'm proud of my kids that they didn't quit," Kantor said. "It was there for us to take, but Wharton is a very good football team."

BY THE NUMBERS

2 - Times in Earl Garcia's tenure as Hillsborough's head coach, which began in 1993, that the Terriers have not made the playoffs. Hillsborough's streak of 10 consecutive playoff appearances was snapped with Friday's loss to Tampa Bay Tech.

4 - Consecutive district titles for Plant, the longest streak for a Hillsborough County team.

8 - Consecutive victories for Jesuit against archrival Tampa Catholic. The two teams square off Thursday.

25 - Consecutive regular-season victories for Armwood, which completed its second consecutive undefeated regular season Friday.

PLAYOFF MATCHUPS

Here's a look at the first-round playoff matchups involving Hillsborough County teams that have secured postseason berths (records are through Friday):

All games Nov. 21

Class 5A

Gaither (4-6) at Chamberlain (9-1)

Alonso (7-3) at Wharton (8-2)

Kissimmee Osceola (6-3) at Newsome (8-2)

Bloomingdale (6-3) at Lakeland (9-0)

Class 4A

Tampa Bay Tech (8-1) at Auburndale (4-5)

Winter Haven (6-4) at Armwood (10-0)

TBD at Plant (8-1)

Jefferson (5-4) at TBD

Class 3A

Spoto (4-5) at Arcadia DeSoto County (7-2)

Class 2A

Riviera Beach Inlet Grove (6-3) at Tampa Catholic (7-2)

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