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Pinellas football roundup: Week 10

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TBO.com

Published: November 6, 2009

CLEARWATER - For years, the Countryside High football team was all about offense. If the defense played well, it was a luxury.

In beating Largo, 26-7, Friday night to run its record to 9-1, Countryside relied on its defense.

With just more than 2 minutes left in a six-point game, Countryside allowed Largo to slip off the hook, fumbling on the Packers 3.

A few seconds later, the host Cougars had a 19-point cushion. Tyler Walker returned a fumble 14 yards for a 20-7 lead and on the first play of the ensuing possession, Brenton Conley had a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown.

"I can't say enough about that effort," Countryside coach John Davis said of his defense. "That was a statement game, one that we needed before we go into the playoffs."

It wasn't that the Packers (7-2) didn't move the ball -- they did, 17 first downs to Countryside's 11. But whenever the Packers threatened, the Cougars defense clamped down.

"The defense kept us in the game and we won it," Conley said.

"We stepped up big time tonight," Walker said. "They tried to shove the ball down our throats and we shut them down."

Countryside will play host to Freedom in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 20.

Lee Diekemper

Largo 0 0 0 7-7
Countryside 7 0 6 13-26

C-Taylor 2 run (Griswold kick)
C-Pendergist 1 run (kick failed)
L-Brown 4 run (Sever kick)
C-Walker 14 fumble return (Griswold kick)
C-Conley 37 interception return (kick failed)

St. Petersburg 45, Pinellas Park 0

PINELLAS PARK -- Fullback Ben Sams rushed for 45 yards and three touchdowns as the visiting Green Devils shut out the Patriots on their homecoming night.

Sams' first of his three touchdowns came in the second quarter with an untouched 35-yard run up the middle. It only took one half of play for running back Malik Wilson to rush for 123 yards and a touchdown as he was rested in the second half.

The victory improved St. Petersburg to 8-1 and a 5A-9 runner-up spot. St. Petersburg will play at Venice in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 20. Pinellas Park dropped to 4-6.

St. Petersburg has scored 148 points in its last three games.

Quarterback David Jones led his Green Devils and converted two fourth down conversions and started the game's scoring with a 3-yard run. When Jones did throw, he found Marquel Davis on multiple long passes. In the second, Cody Pogorelc scooped up a fumble and ran it in for a score.

If the first half belonged to Sams and Wilson, the second belonged to Rashad Lewis and Ryan Shultz, as the tandem kept finding their way into the Patriot secondary. An interception by Donde Davis and a 37-yard field goal by Devon Papandrew in the third quarter sealed the game.

Chris Daughtery

St. Petersburg 14 21 10 0 - 45
Pinellas Park 0 0 0 0 - 0

S– Jones 3 run (Papandrew kick)
S – Pogorelc 10 fumble return (Papandrew kick)
S – Wilson 29 run (Papandrew kick)
S – Sams 35 run (Papandrew kick)
S – Sams 3 run (Papandrew kick)
S – Papandrew field goal
S – Sams 2 run (Papandrew kick)

East Lake 22, Dunedin 0

DUNEDIN - East Lake locked up the Class 5A, District 8 runner-up playoff berth with the shutout.

East Lake will play at Tampa Bay Tech in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 20.

Two big gains by running back Jamaal Wilburn set up each of his 1-yard touchdown plunges in the first quarter and the Eagles defense took care of the rest.

East Lake blanked the Dunedin ground attack and allowed only 119 yards passing from backup Falcons quarterback Anthony Diviney. Starter Ryan Singer was out because of a suspension.

Typically a run-heavy offense, East Lake and quarterback Sam Shaffer displayed a little balance by passing for 172 yards and a touchdown.

Shaffer consistently connected with senior Tyler Higbee throughout the night, hooking up eight times for 98 yards.

"(Shaffer) has greatly improved with his technique and his arm strength, everything is so much better," East Lake coach Bob Hudson said. "It's a testament to him and his hard work."

Although East Lake controlled most of the night's action, yellow flags constantly slowed momentum for both sidelines. East Lake racked up 127 yards on 12 infractions to Dunedin's 8 for 75.

Eric Horchy

East Lake 13 0 2 7 - 22
Dunedin 0 0 0 0 - 0

EL - Wilburn 1 run. (Mitchell kick)
EL - Wilburn 1 run. (Kick blocked)
EL - Hastie safety.
EL - Harwood 15 pass from Shaffer (Mitchell kick)

Palm Harbor 29, Clearwater 14

PALM HARBOR -- The Hurricanes shut out Clearwater in the second half while organizing three scoring drives.

Billy Pavlock scored on a 28-yard run, his second rushing touchdown of the evening, to give Palm Harbor a 23-14 lead. Hurricanes kicker Patrick McDonald then added two field goals.

Osceola 34, Dixie Hollins 28

SEMINOLE -- The host Warriors scored 20 fourth quarter points to put away Dixie Hollins.

Edwin McKinney scored two fourth quarter touchdowns on runs of 19 and 31. Tyler Lewis' 13-yard plunge proved to be the game-winner.

Boca Ciega 36, Northeast 22

GULFPORT -- The host Pirates broke a 22-22 tie with two fourth quarter touchdowns for the win. Denzel Dillard had a 5-yard run and Boca Ciega quarterback Shaquille Bradford ran one in from 7 yards to put the game away.

Bradford also connected with Tyree Green for an 8-yard touchdown pass.

Gibbs 35, Seminole 0

ST. PETERSBURG -- Seminole appeared to be on the verge of the biggest upset of the season in Pinellas County until Gibbs woke up in the fourth quarter.

The host Gladiators racked up four fourth quarter touchdowns to blow the game open. Mike Kendricks' 36-yard interception return highlighted the fourth quarter outburst.

The return was Kendricks' second touchdown of the quarter. He also had a 36-yard touchdown run.

Calvary Christian 23, Santa Fe Catholic 19

CLEARWATER -- Johnny Hubbard's second touchdown came in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard plunge, giving Calvary Christian the lead for good at 23-19.

Steven Rice also added a five-yard rushing touchdown.

Keswick Christian 66, Vanguard 22

ST. PETERSBURG -- Keswick Christian's Jaylin Coleman nearly outscored Vanguard by himself as he was part of three touchdowns in a Crusaders rout.

The Keswick quarterback/defensive back returned an interception 58-yards for his first touchdown, ran for a 22-yard score and hooked up with Andrew Logue for a 44-yard touchdown pass.

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