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Flag Football: Plant City holds on vs. Tarpon Springs

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By JOSEPH KAIRALLA

Tribune correspondent

Published: May 9, 2009

BOCA RATON - Behind the standout play of senior quarterback Quet Shaw, Plant City built a big early lead and held on late to defeat Tarpon Springs 35-33 in the flag football state quarterfinals Friday afternoon.

The Raiders (15-0) scored in the game's opening minutes when Shaw sprinted in from 25 yards.

The Spongers (15-2) answered when Jess Amlaw returned a Shaw interception 40 yards for a touchdown.

After the teams exchanged scores, Shaw connected with Jessica Bullard for a 3-yard touchdown, then ran in the 2-point conversion. Then after a Samantha Wicket interception gave the Raiders the ball back, Shaw threw a touchdown to Tekeyha Clark, making it 29-12 at halftime.

"There's not much to say that hasn't been said about Quet," Raiders coach Randy Harris said. "She's a game changer who always makes plays."

Tarpon Springs' Marcelina Chavez scored on a 66-yard run to cut the lead, and though Shaw answered with another touchdown pass to Wicker, the Spongers' scored on the first play of the next drive, Chavez again scoring on a long run to make it 35-26.

Tarpon Springs cut the lead to 35-33 when Ali Corbett hauled in a 24-yard touchdown pass from Jen Hunter with 9:30 left.

From then on, however, the Raiders' defense held firm, snuffing out the Spongers' last chance on a fourth-and-9 with less than a minute left.

Plant City will face Tallahassee Leon in the semifinals at 2 p.m. today in a rematch of last year's state championship game.

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