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Spartans Focused After Tough Week

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2008

It has been a roller-coaster week for the Spoto High football team.

After beating Lennard, 46-16, last week, the Spartans were in the Tribune's Top 10 for the first time in school history.

Its 3-0 record was also the best start to a season in the two-year existence of the program.

But as of Wednesday, the team forfeited its three wins for using an academically ineligible player. The violation was self-reported to the Florida High School Athletic Association. Spoto principal Clyde Trathowen said it was an administrative error.

Spoto coach Dale Caparaso said the player started against Lennard, but he did not believe the player participated in the first two games of the season. However, according to FHSAA bylaw 11.12.1, "only students who are currently eligible to participate in an interscholastic athletic contest shall appear at the contest in the uniform of their school. An ineligible student shall not be allowed on the players' bench, in the team box or on the field of play, in athletic uniform during an athletic contest. A student in athletic uniform during an athletic contest is defined as having participated."

Academic eligibility is based on the required grade-point average of 2.0 for the previous semester, which in this case would be the spring semester of the 2007-08 school year, spokeswoman Cristina Alvarez said.

Caparaso said he and the players are moving forward.

"I told the guys after practice Wednesday that it would be in the paper and two seniors looked at me and said 'Who cares? We're playing Palmetto.'"

Palmetto won last year's meeting, 40-0.

"I looked at them on film and I think we can beat them," Caparaso said. "If we win, we hold our destiny in our own hands."

BROTHERLY LOVE: Last year at this time, the McAllister brothers were on a cruise with their family and missed the opportunity to face each other in a football game.

This year, no vacation is planned, so when Kenny McAllister's Leto team travels to Alonso to face Demonte McAllister's Ravens, it will pit brother versus brother for the first time.

Kenny, a defensive end, leads Leto in tackles and sacks. Demonte, a defensive tackle who has committed to FSU, is one of the county leaders with seven sacks.

Demonte admits to a bit of trash-talking between the two. He also said their mother hasn't decided which side of the stadium she will sit on. She may have to stand in the middle.

Demonte is coming off one of his best games. After nearly missing Friday's game against Blake with a cut on his hand that required six stitches, Demonte had a career-high five sacks. But he also reinjured the left hand.

"I sprained my wrist," he said. "There was a big pile and some guys fell on it and bent it back. It's just a little sore right now. I'll be ready for the game."

WELCOME BACK: One player Newsome coach Kenneth Hiscock has been glad to see back in pads this season is senior Kyle Copack.

Copack opted not to play football in 2007, instead choosing to focus on baseball. His return this season has been a boost, as Copack is contributing heavily on offense, defense and special teams.

"I guess he got his mind right," Hiscock said with a smile, referring to Copack's decision to return. "He's been a very good player for us. We love to have him."

Copack is the team's leading tackler and averages 12 stops per game. He also serves as the team's punter (39.2 average), kick returner (19.1 on punts; 28.2 on kickoffs) and got some extended reps this week at quarterback, the position at which he started for the junior varsity squad in 2006.

EAGLES, KNIGHTS ADD TO RIVALRY: Faith Baptist and Providence Christian will face off for the first time on the football field tonight. Faith Baptist (2-1) started an 11-man football team this season and joined Providence in the Florida Christian Conference.

Providence Christian (2-1), located in Riverview, has been to nine consecutive conference championship games. Until the emergence of Faith Baptist's program, located in Brandon, the Knights' shortest road game was an hour's drive.

"I don't know if it's developed into a rivalry," Providence coach Dave Hubbart said. "It could grow into a rivalry. We expect a tough ballgame."

WHARTON WARY: Coach David Mitchell knows Sickles may be winless this season, but he isn't overlooking the program that defeated his Wildcats, 21-14, last year.

"We can't let them sneak up on us," he said.

Wharton (1-2) avoided an 0-3 start with a win against East Bay last week.

OFFENSE BEST DEFENSE: It's no secret Plant has one of the best offenses in the area, and that fact is not lost on Riverview coach Bruce Gifford, whose Sharks host the Panthers tonight.

But Gifford hopes he doesn't have to ask his defense to shoulder the load of shutting down the Panthers' vaunted attack this week. Instead, he's hoping the Sharks offense will be the one to slow down Aaron Murray and Co. - by keeping Plant's offense off the field.

"I guess the game plan in playing them is to try and keep your offense on the field as long as you can," Gifford said. "We have to sustain some long drives and eat up the clock. That's the main thing, because if you go out there and go three-and-out, three-and-out and let their offense keep getting on the field, they're going to find a way to close it out."

The Sharks likely will turn to the ground game to get things going early. Junior RB Ronnie Johnson, the team's leading rusher, sustained a minor elbow injury last week against Plant City but will play against the Panthers. Senior Eric Lampe could also see more carries. .

NO SIMILARITIES: Through three games in 2008, Brandon is in the same spot as 2007 with a 1-2 record. Last season, the Eagles' game against East Bay was the start of a tremendous run in which the Eagles won six of their last seven games en route to claiming the Class 5A-District 7 title.

So, is Eagles coach John Lima hoping tonight's game against the Indians will be the start of another tremendous run in 2008? Not exactly.

"I wouldn't compare this season to last season in any way," Lima said. "We're just trying to patch together an offensive line and defensive line right now."

The Eagles have been ravaged by injuries up front. They lost another lineman, DT Travis Green, in Friday's loss to Armwood, adding to an already lengthy list of injured big men. While there is possible good news on the horizon - a few of those injured linemen could return next week - Lima is focusing his attention on his next patchwork attempts to solve the problem.

"We're really focusing on ourselves more right now than we are on East Bay," Lima said.

Nick Williams, Katherine Smith, Adam Adkins

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