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Hawks Hold Strong, Beat Plant

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By ADAM ADKINS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 6, 2008

Updated: 09/06/2008 12:33 am

TAMPA - Angelo Hadley waited all game for a shot at redemption. With Plant driving in the game's final minutes for the potential tying score, his shot came.

And Armwood's senior safety made good on the chance.

Hadley sealed a 9-2 Armwood victory Friday night in front of a sellout crowd at Dad's Stadium and a national television audience on ESPNU when he picked off an Aaron Murray pass deep in Hawks territory with 1:25 left in the game. Hadley had dropped a sure interception early in the game, so he was more than happy to be on the receiving end when it mattered most.

"It feels great," Hadley said. "We'd been waiting on this all day."

For the third consecutive time, Armwood's dominant defense made Murray, regarded as one of the nation's top quarterbacks, look pedestrian. The Hawks defense sacked Murray five times and held him to 121 yards on 17 of 37 passing. Armwood also didn't allow a Murray touchdown pass, remaining the only Murray opponent to accomplish the feat.

"Nobody thinks we can shut him out, but once again Murray didn't throw a touchdown pass," Hawks linebacker Petey Smith said.

The Hawks (1-0) opened the game like they hoped, with the defense forcing Plant's potent offense to punt on its opening drive and then watching their own offense march down the field for a touchdown. Armwood quarterback Mywan Jackson capped a 7-play, 54-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass to Dykerius Cross for an early 7-0 lead.

But things began to sour for Armwood's offense at that point. The Hawks had trouble with the noise echoing from the home stands of Dad's Stadium, and the Panthers defense clamped down to hold the Hawks in check.

But, the Hawks defense continued to stand strong. After limiting Plant (0-1) to 45 yards of offense in the first half, Armwood held the Panthers without a first down until Plant's final drive. And for a moment, it looked as though Murray and the Panthers would finally break through.

However, with Plant facing third-and-5 from the Armwood 24, Murray dropped back to pass but was pressured by defensive lineman Ryne Giddins, who tipped the pass attempt as it left Murray's hand. The ball floated toward the middle of the field and Hadley swooped underneath to make the catch inside the Hawks' 10 to ice the game.

"It's a W," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "We played a good team in a tough spot. We had a tough time communicating with that aluminum roof over there, but we managed to hang in there, and we battled through adversity, and I think we're going to be a better football team because of it all, too."

Reporter Adam Adkins can be reached at (813) 657-4533 or aadkins@tampatrib.com.

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