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Gulf Survives 3A Track Meet

By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 22, 2008

ST. CLOUD - Gulf coach Jay Fulmer knew his team's Class 3A-Region 2 quarterfinal game against St. Cloud would be a track meet.

What he didn't know was which team would break the tape first.

Thanks to a 412-yard rushing output, the Buccaneers won their first playoff game 49-35 to advance to the region semifinals. Gulf (10-1) will face its District 8 rival Pasco on Friday at Dade City. Three weeks ago, the Bucs missed an extra point late in the game and lost to the Pirates 21-20.

"I'd really like to enjoy this one," said Fulmer when asked about the rematch with Pasco. "This is the first playoff win in school history. We're excited about playing Pasco again. They've got a real good football team. They have been a well-scouted team. We've seen a lot of them and they've seen a lot of us. It will be two good teams from Pasco County battling to go to the region finals."

Once again, it was Adrian Golden leading the Buccaneers offense. The junior, who broke the Pasco county record for rushing yards (2,197) last week, added 258 yards to his total on 27 carries. He had eight carries for 10 yards or more and scored three TDs, giving him 34 on the season, two short of breaking the county record. One of his scores was a 75-yarder in the third quarter.

But as good as Golden was, it was quarterback Madison Burr who made the offense click. The junior called all the plays the first three quarters and kept St. Cloud's defense off-balance the entire night.

"Maybe someone will notice and understand what a great player Madison Burr is," Fulmer said. "It's hard for him to get the credit he deserves when you have a player like Adrian Golden. Madison is a great quarterback and a great leader."

Burr scored two TDs, including a 63-yarder in the second quarter. He finished with 85 rushing yards and 46 passing yards. He also passed for two 2-point conversions and ran for another.

Gulf scored on its first two possessions. Burr capped a seven-play, 65-yard drive with a 1-yard run. The Buccaneers got the ball right back as Leon Orr sacked Bulldogs quarterback E.J. White, knocking the ball loose and Joe Mesiana recovered on the Bulldogs 31. Seven plays later, Will Burbridge scored from the 2. Burr hit Orr in the end zone for the 2-point conversion and Gulf led 14-0.

St. Cloud ended 9-2.