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Zephyrhills, Ridgewood Look to Future After Tough Season

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BART O’CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 16, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - If Friday's 3-0 Ridgewood victory at Zephyrhills was a sign of the future, both teams still have plenty of work to do.

And the questions of who will do the bulk of the work for each squad next season remain unanswered.

The Rams (4-6) had 138 yards of offense, and averaged two yards per carry (29 rushes, 58 yards) after Coach Chris Taylor benched senior running back Sterling Ross for undisclosed reasons. The four-player committee of backs in his place had little impact, and the biggest offensive plays came from long catches by receiver Michael Graham from quarterback Scott Kujak.

Ross, who was not allowed to speak to reporters by Taylor, was the only consistent source of offense for Ridgewood all season, and watched the final game of his prep career from the sideline, wearing shorts and his jersey.

"Obviously Sterling rushed for 1,400 yards this season, so he was a playmaker for our offense," Taylor said. "We moved the ball and shot ourselves in the foot a couple times, but we were able to overcome it. That's what good football teams have to do."

Taylor later added about Ross, "Well, you know, you hate to do that to a senior on his last game. But that was my decision."

Seniors Jon Balk and Tim Rearden got the bulk of the carries, but Rearden made his biggest impact on special teams, blocking a 46-yard field goal attempt by Tyler Guy in the fourth quarter, the second field goal missed by Zephyrhills on the night.

Promising sophomore Ralphy Dawkins, a consistent defensive performer late in the season, was used sparingly as a ball-carrier and appears to be the Rams' best running prospect moving forward.

The Bulldogs (4-6) only reached the Ridgewood red zone one time, and Guy's 34-yard field goal attempt was hit on a line and sunk under the crossbar. A costly second-half fumble after a first-down catch in Rams territory was returned 31 yards by Bob Peck into Zephyrhills' territory, setting up kicker Josh Gray's game-winning boot from 28 yards.

Coach Tom Fisher, who suffered his first losing season since 1999, laid most of the blame for the defeat on himself.

"Basically, I did a poor job of getting them ready," he said. "The offense wasn't gelling, lackadaisical, some reason, I can't understand it. … No excuse for not scoring when you had opportunities to."

"I tried to emphasize that it would mean a lot to go 5-5. Apparently, I didn't get my point across."

Fisher, who is one win shy of 125 after completing his 20th season as Bulldogs Coach, has not publicly stated that he wants to return for a 21st season at Zephyrhills. But he also was mum on possible retirement.

"That's not on my mind, either. I'm just very upset with myself that I wasn't able to get these kids to perform better," Fisher said, adding Friday's result "didn't matter" when it comes to making a decision about his future.

Correspondent Bart O'Connell can be reached at tampasport@gmail.com.

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