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Panther pride ends Armwood's home streak

Staff photo by BILL WARD

Plant's James Wilder breaks into the open in the fourth quarter against Armwood Friday.

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 3, 2009

Updated: 10/03/2009 12:44 am

SEFFNER - As the final seconds evaporated Friday night, the contents of a Gatorade jug went flying at Plant High football coach Robert Weiner. That was the first drenching, but it wasn't the last. By the time Plant's 17-7 victory over Armwood became official a few moments later, Weiner had been doused four - count 'em - four times.

Big game?

You betcha.

"It was a weird game," Weiner said, soaked but smiling. "But any victory is always a good one."

Indeed, the Panthers had come to Lyle Flagg Field and beaten the mighty Hawks, the first time in 44 regular-season games that Armwood had lost in its own house. There was that technicality a few years ago - a victory against Middleton was overturned because of an ineligible player - but you get the idea.

Armwood just doesn't lose here.

So the Panthers justly celebrated and danced on Armwood's field afterward, posing for pictures while shouting their trademark chant Plant! Plant! Plant! over and over and over again. If you've ever been to a Panthers game, you know what I mean.

"I'll remember this night for the rest of my life," Panthers senior running back T.J. Glover said. As well he should. His 65-yard touchdown run on a reverse with 55 seconds left in the first half gave Plant its first score of the night, just when it seemed both teams might go into next month before they scored.

Fun fact: Plant had only 9 yards of offense before Glover broke free.

But while his teammates celebrated the victory, Glover added the exclamation mark to a big night for the Panthers.

"Armwood is not invincible to us anymore," he said.

Plant has a way of spoiling the party for Armwood, but it usually that happens at playoff time. This was the Panthers' only chance this year, though, because the two Hillsborough County powerhouse programs are in different classifications now.

Remember Weiner's quip about it being a weird game?

Well, it was.

Armwood had an astounding 20 penalties for 170 yards. Plant wasn't far behind, with 16 flags for 128 yards. Three of those penalties came on the extra point following Glover's touchdown - two by the Hawks, one by Plant.

Armwood had 70 yards in penalties IN THE FIRST QUARTER!

Get the idea?

A game like that is going to be a gut check eventually, and it was for Plant in the second half. The Panthers shut the Hawks down with 36 total yards when the game was in the balance. And they got big running from James Wilder, with 72 yards and a touchdown in those final 30 minutes.

As the night wound on, you could see Plant's confidence growing. That's what you'd expect from a program with two state championships in the past three years, of course, but we've gotten used to Armwood showing the same swagger. That just didn't happen on this night, though. Plant wouldn't allow it.

"This game was about toughness," Weiner said. "and they (Armwood) are tough as heck. We were just that much tougher."

He held his thumb and finger about an inch apart.

Watching this, it's hard to believe the Panthers were suspect just a few weeks ago. Their defense was giving up a lot of points and couldn't protect a big lead at home against Tampa Bay Tech in the season opener. They were more than ready for whatever the Hawks threw at them, though, and that goes to solid kids and a coaching staff that knows how to adjust.

They surely did on this night.

Both these teams most likely will move on to the playoffs, because that's what these programs do. They'll always remember these games, though. They're special. Plant's players will look back on the pictures in dusty scrapbooks years from now and remember the night they came to Armwood's house and beat the Hawks.

And they'll remember their coach and how they gave his shirt and head an extra-large soaking for an extra-large win.

"They wanted to make sure they got me tonight," Weiner said with a smile. "And they sure did."

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