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Game of the Week: Alonso (6-1) at Chamberlain (7-0)

Tribune photos by BILL WARD

Alonso quarterback C.J. Bennett and Chamberlain DE James Wilder get ready for tonight's district showdown.

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By NICK WILLIAMS

nwilliams@tampatrib.com

Published: October 24, 2008

Updated: 10/24/2008 02:29 am

AT STAKE

CHAMBERLAIN: Billy Turner said the team's 7-0 record is the program's best start to a season during his 30 years as coach. Armwood and Plant have had perfect seasons en route to state titles and the Chiefs feel it is their turn to make history.

ALONSO: R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Alonso is off to a 6-1 start, its best record in more than four years, but has yet to earn a win against a dominant team. The Ravens defeated Chamberlain 14-8 in 2006, but the Chiefs were 6-6 that season. If Alonso wants to be considered one of the top teams in the area, a win against Chamberlain will certainly make that happen.

KEY STAT

CHAMBERLAIN: Alonso's offense has averaged 30.7 points a game this season, but it will face a Chamberlain defense that is allowing only 11.9 points a game. Last season, Chamberlain shut out the Ravens, 41-0, highlighted by four defensive turnovers.

ALONSO: Alonso senior defensive tackle and FSU commit Demonte McAllister leads Hillsborough County in sacks with 15. According to Turner, McAllister gets into the backfield better than anyone in the county.

WHEN CHAMBERLAIN HAS THE BALL: Senior quarterback Dontae Aycock runs the triple option with such ease, it could very well have been imprinted into his genetic code. With running back Kenny Allen serving a one-game suspension, look for Aycock to keep the ball for himself on the option run or pitch it to Lamond Scott.

WHEN ALONSO HAS THE BALL: Junior quarterback C.J. Bennett leads the state in passing yards with 1,739 yards and 20 touchdowns. Bennett has a number of options at receiver, so expect the Ravens to move through the air against a Chamberlain secondary that struggled against Jefferson last week.

QUOTABLES

"He is one of those QBs that likes to stay in the pocket and throw. He doesn't like to run. We're looking forward to putting the blitz on him and put him under pressure." - Chamberlain sophomore defensive end James Wilder Jr., on Alonso quarterback C.J. Bennett

"It's going to take 11 men to the ball. All pursuit, that's what we say all the time. We just have to tackle him and make him cough up the ball and get turnovers." - Alonso senior defensive tackle Demonte McAllister, on Chamberlain quarterback Dontae Aycock

"This is a big district game. I guarantee you the team that wins this wins the district. It's that simple. We're trying to get ready for it and I think we're ready." - - Alonso coach Mike Heldt

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