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Injury may sideline Newsome's Powers

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By ADAM ADKINS

aadkins@tampatrib.com

Published: October 22, 2009

Newsome standout junior FB Conner Powers said he likely will miss the next couple of weeks after injuring the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Originally, Newsome coach Kenneth Hiscock thought Powers might miss the rest of the season. The MRI results will be reviewed today, but Powers said the initial diagnosis was that the ligament was not torn. If that is the case and the injury doesn't require surgery, Powers said he would be able to come back in a few weeks.

Powers was injured while being tackled in the first half of the Wolves' victory Friday against Leto. He said he thought it was a hamstring injury, but the knee started to swell in the days following the game.

Powers entered the 2009 season with more than 2,000 career rushing yards. He ranks among Hillsborough County's leading rushers this season with 616 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.

Hiscock said Vince Pennington and Powers' younger brother, Keller, would step into the fullback role in Newsome's Wing-T offense. Newsome travels to Bloomingdale on Friday for a Class 5A-District 6 matchup.

Robinson's Smith out for season

Robinson junior FB/DL Bob Smith broke his left ankle during Friday's game and will miss the rest of the season.

Knights coach Mike DePue said Smith had surgery Saturday and cannot participate in football activities for at least six weeks. DePue said Smith suffered no ligament damage.

DePue said freshman Chequille Williams will step into Smith's starting fullback role.

Williams, nicknamed "Ox" because he moved to Tampa from Oxford, Miss., before the season, moved up from junior varsity about three weeks ago and has played well, according to DePue.

King QB Windham injured

King will have to play its most important game of the season Friday night without its starting quarterback.

Sophomore Greg Windham suffered a cut on his throwing arm during Friday's loss to Tampa Bay Tech, and the injury will keep him out of the Lions' big district game this week against East Bay, King coach Alvin Davis said. King needs a victory to keep its playoff hopes alive.

Davis said a metal clasp on the opposing player's helmet caused the gash, which required 22 stitches to close.

Junior Reese Sturgis will move from receiver to replace Windham, Davis said. Sturgis, who was King's starting quarterback in 2008 before a broken arm cut short his season, was penciled in as the Lions' starting quarterback in 2009 before Windham transferred into the program during the summer.

Armwood wants white, Hillsborough wants black

Armwood is hoping for a "Whiteout" for Friday night's big district home game against Hillsborough. The Terriers, meanwhile, want the opposite.

Armwood is asking all Hawks fans to wear white for Friday's game against the Terriers at Lyle Flagg Field. The Hawks will don their white uniforms for the first time at home, Armwood coach Sean Callahan said this week.

Meanwhile, the Terriers are hoping for a "Blackout" on their side of the field, and are asking fans to wear black. Hillsborough will wear all-black uniforms. Hillsborough debuted its black uniforms this season.

Robinson plans reunion

This has been a big year for Robinson, as the school is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It has also been a big year for the school's football program, which has been among Hillsborough County's most surprising teams and is making a run at the program's first district title since 1977.

And DePue, who has been affiliated with the school for nearly three decades as a coach and teacher, is heading a reunion for former Knights players at the team's final regular-season home game.

DePue is asking all former Robinson football players to attend the Knights' Nov. 6 matchup against Strawberry Crest at Jack Peters Field. DePue plans to recognize all of the players on the field during halftime.

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