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Thursday's Prep Football Notes

Tribune photo by KEVIN HOWE

Plant's Phillip Ely has come a long way since replacing injured starting QB Aaron Murray.

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Tribune staff

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2008

Updated: 11/27/2008 12:26 am

Plant's Ely Balancing Youth With Success

Before every game, Plant sophomore quarterback Phillip Ely writes down goals he'd like to accomplish. There are always 12 to represent his jersey number.

For Friday's playoff game against Lakewood, his first postseason game as a starting quarterback, Ely penned several objectives and ended with two that made reference to his status as one of the youngest players on the team.

"No. 11 was be tough and courageous and don't be a 15-year-old," Plant coach Robert Weiner said. "And then No. 12 was have fun, go enjoy the game and be a 15-year-old."

In replacing all-everything Aaron Murray, who broke his leg against Hillsborough on Oct. 16, Ely's been able to find a balance between assuming a greater role and responsibility, while at the same time retaining some his naivety that helps him not get caught up in the pressure-packed position he's found himself in.

In the Panthers 67-7 victory vs. Lakewood, Ely threw for four touchdowns and no interceptions, looking as if he was playing in his 10th playoff game, not his first. He's improved with every game and even surprised his coach at times.

"I've been really proud of him to not be overwhelmed by the whole thing," Weiner said. "It's been a good surprise.

"I had a pretty good idea of what he had and he's improved every week, which is all we've ever asked of him."

In other Plant news, wide receiver Allen Sampson returned to the practice field, in a limited role Wednesday, exactly a week after suffering an ankle sprain. The junior wideout dressed, but did not play in Plant's playoff game Friday, but Weiner expects him to play Friday against Bradenton Southeast.

Starting safety Hunter Baldwin did not practice Wednesday. Baldwin was resting an inflamed Achilles' tendon, an injury he sustained in the Nov. 7 game against Jefferson. Baldwin said to be on the safe side, he's going to rest it for a couple of days to get ready for the Southeast game.

A LITTLE BACKWARD

Wharton coach David Mitchell can't understand it.

Whenever there is simulation of an opponent's offense in practice, his defense can't stop it. In fact, they lose in every practice.

"When we had to play East Bay, that wishbone killed them," he said.

Oddly enough, when the defense loses in the practice, the Wildcats win Friday.

"Every time," Mitchell said.

Wharton, which is currently on a nine-game win streak, plays at Chamberlain in the Class 5A region semifinals Friday.

Mitchell said somewhere between Thursday's practice and Friday's game, his defensive players magically understand how to stop the other team.

"It doesn't make sense," he said, laughing.

DECEMBER HOPES

During his 30 years at Chamberlain, Billy Turner has advanced to the state championship game once, when his Chiefs went in 2001.

"I've had only one 15-week season," he said. "I've had plenty 13-week seasons."

As Hillsborough County's all-time winningest coach with 253 career victories, Turner has figured out how to keep his players fresh when the postseason grind starts to wear.

"You try to do things in practice, do something different to break the monotony," he said.

HAWKS PLAYMAKER BACK

Armwood's offense will get a boost for Friday's Class 4A region semifinal against Tampa Bay Tech with the return of junior running back Sherman Jessie, who has been out for more than a month after suffering an MCL sprain during practice.

Jessie, who hasn't played since an Oct. 16 win vs. Plant City, is a threat in both the run and pass game. He accounted for 652 total yards of offense (341 rushing, 311 receiving) and five touchdowns prior to the injury.

Junior Tavari Grant has performed well as the starting tailback since Jessie went down, rushing for 536 yards and seven touchdowns, and Grant will continue to see ample time in the backfield even with Jessie returning. However, the addition is a welcomed one for an Armwood squad facing a tough challenge from the upstart Titans.

While Armwood had its way against the Titans in a 45-6 victory in Week 6 of the regular season, Hawks coach Sean Callahan expects a much tougher game this time around.

"It's hard playing somebody twice in football because everything we did to excel, now they know about it and they are countering it," Callahan said. "So, they have an advantage there."

Even if the Hawks get off to another quick start Friday, Callahan doesn't expect things to be easy-going at any time.

"The one thing that Coach C.C Culpepper has done over there that is really, really good is those kids over at Tech don't quit. Even when we got up on them, they played until the last down of the game," Callahan said. "We recognize that as a staff, that those kids are going to be ready to play."

AVOID BAD START

The last time Tampa Bay Tech lined up against Armwood, the Titans were seemingly out of the game before they could even blink their eyes.

A lack of execution early coupled with some costly turnovers had the Titans in a 29-0 hole just one play into the second quarter of that Oct. 10 matchup with the Hawks, and Tampa Bay Tech never recovered in an eventual 45-6 loss.

"We saw it spiraling out of control and we tried to put it back together," senior quarterback Angel Rodriguez said, "but it was too late."

The key for the Titans in their rematch with Armwood in Friday's Class 4A region semifinal is to avoid another horrendous start, and to do it the Titans plan on turning to their powerful ground game that has carried them to this point.

"Our biggest thing this week is control the ball with our run game, regardless of whether it worked or not the first time," Tampa Bay Tech coach C.C. Culpepper said.

Much of the workload will likely fall on the shoulders of junior fullback Maurice Hagens, who rushed for a team-best 1,019 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season.

"We've got to come out early and run the ball down their throat," Hagens said.

CHECKING EMOTIONS

The last two times Tampa Catholic has met Mulberry, there's been some "chippiness," said Crusaders coach Bob Henriquez. In other words, there's been some extracurricular activities by players after the whistle is blown.

As a result, in each of those two meetings, Henriquez said the Mulberry coaches decided not to allow their players to perform the usual postgame handshakes with the Crusaders. Henriquez said it was a sound decision by the Mulberry staff but he believes it could have a lingering effect in Friday's game at TC.

"We have to guard against letting our emotions run away with us," Henriquez said. "I know there's been some words exchanged leading up to this game and I'd rather our players not get into that and I'm sure their coach doesn't want that, too."

TC has won the last two meetings with Mulberry, 24-13 this season and 17-16 last fall.

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