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TONIGHT'S PREP FOOTBALL MATCHUPS

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 23, 2009

Land O' Lakes (6-0, 4-0 3A-7)

at Pasco (5-1, 4-0)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./W.F. Edwards Stadium, 36850 SR 52, Dade City
COACHES: Matt Kitchie (Land O' Lakes), Tom McHugh (Pasco)

LAST WEEK: Land O' Lakes 56, Wesley Chapel 6; Pasco 56, Anclote 6

LAST MEETING: Pasco 26, Land O' Lakes 6 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: This is a matchup full of cliches. Both teams have stout defensive and offensive lines; each team is stacked at receiver; both have dangerous running backs; each squad has linebackers who can get after you; and more than anything, both offenses are guided by prolific passers (D.J. Clower, Pasco; Stephen Weatherford, Land O' Lakes). Simply put, the team that makes the least amount of mistakes should earn a victory. ... This is a crucial Class 3A-District 7 game that can thin out the three-team logjam at the top. ... Unfortunately for Land O' Lakes, the last time it claimed a victory vs. Pasco was in 2006. ... Both coaches are well aware of that and Kitchie even admitted it could be a situation where both teams trade big play after big play. So where does one gain an advantage? It could be Land O' Lakes with its very deep roster. The Gators use a platoon system in which very few players line up on both sides of the ball. They've also got a size advantage. Then again, Pasco has been able to get scores out of its defense as well as offense.

Mitchell (7-0, 4-0 3A-7) at

Sunlake (3-3, 3-1 3A-7)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Seahawk Stadium, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O' Lakes

COACHES: Brian Wachtel (Mitchell), Bill Browning (Sunlake)

LAST WEEK: Mitchell 28, Gulf 7; Sunlake 7, Zephyrhills 0

LAST MEETING: Mitchell 24, Sunlake 7 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: This is arguably the biggest game in Sunlake's four-year history. A win against Mitchell keeps the Seahawks in the mix for a playoff spot and would tie them with the Mustangs and the loser of the Land O' Lakes-Pasco game for second place. Both teams still have Land O' Lakes and Pasco left on their schedules. Mitchell's current eight-game winning streak began with a win against Sunlake in the final game of last season. Mitchell QB Matt Michaels is coming off a huge game against Gulf where he rushed for 161 yards on seven carries. RB Ricky Trinidad has rushed 133 times for 1,153 yards and 15 TDs.

Wiregrass (4-2, 2-0 4A-6) at

Tarpon Springs (5-2, 2-0)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Sponger Stadium, 1411 Gulf Road, Tarpon Springs

COACHES: Jeremy Shobe (Wiregrass Ranch), George Kotis (Tarpon Springs)

LAST WEEK: Palm Bay 24, Wiregrass 13; Countryside 21, Tarpon Springs 10

LAST MEETING: First meeting

NEED TO KNOW: Kotis made it painfully obvious he held the remaining Pasco County competitors on their schedule with little regard. Following the Spongers' 49-3 clubbing of River Ridge, Kotis told reporters: "We know what we're going to face (in the playoffs) talent-wise, Gainesville or Lake Weir in the first round and maybe second round, and we believe we have the talent to be at that level." ... Don't think the group at Wiregrass wasn't listening. The Bulls stopped a strong Crystal River team and a week later traveled to Palm Bay, where it had opportunities to win. ... Despite the loss of two starters to suspension, the Bulls maintain a strong running attack and can air it out.

Ridgewood (2-5, 0-2 4A-6)

at Hudson (3-3, 1-0)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Cobra Stadium, 14414 Cobra Way, Hudson

COACHES: Chris Taylor (Ridgewood), Mark Nash (Hudson)

LAST WEEK: Ridgewood 35, Brooksville Central 0; Fleming Island 42, Hudson 14

LAST MEETING: Ridgewood 35, Hudson 12 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: The Rams got 161 yards from Cameron Rodriguez in a 35-0 win vs. Central. But it was Ridgewood's defense that produced the most. With a 14-0 halftime lead, Nick Martino scored on a 50-yard interception and Scott Kujak added an 18-yard fumble recovery for a TD in the third quarter to put the game away. The Rams also blocked two field-goal attempts and held winless Central to 92 yards. ... While Hudson controls its own playoff destiny, the Rams need to win all of their remaining district games, have Hudson finish with two district losses, and have Wiregrass Ranch or Tarpon Springs lose exactly two district games in order to have any chance of making the playoffs. Since the Rams have already lost to Wiregrass and Tarpon Springs, they cannot win a tiebreaker involving either or both squads and would need to get in via three-way tiebreaker with Hudson involved. ... A win for Hudson will make them one of two undefeated teams left with Wiregrass and Tarpon Springs playing each other tonight. ... Cobras QB Zack Wynn leads the Tampa Bay area in passing yards (1,590), and is coming off back-to-back 300-yard games.

Anclote (0-6, 0-4 3A-7)

at Gulf (3-4, 0-4)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./W.D. "Des" Little Stadium, 5355 School Road, New Port Richey

COACHES: Matt Wicks (Anclote), Jay Fulmer (Gulf)

LAST WEEK: Pasco 56, Anclote 6; Mitchell 28, Gulf 7

LAST MEETING: First meeting

NEED TO KNOW: The Sharks are still looking for their first victory. Anclote has been outscored 145-6 in its last three games (Sunlake, Land O' Lakes and Pasco) but will have RB Travis Hendrix back this week after serving a one-game suspension for his ejection against Land O' Lakes. Wicks has done some house-cleaning since the beginning of the season and is down to 23 players. ... Wicks hopes facing Gulf, where some of the students were rezoned to Anclote when the school opened, will give his players a boost this week. Gulf is on a four-game losing streak (Sunlake, Land O' Lakes, Pasco and Mitchell). Fulmer wasn't sure who would start at quarterback this week. Against Mitchell, sophomore Tyshawn Peters was the signal caller for all but the third quarter and regular starting QB Madison Burr played wide receiver and running back. Peters was able to move the ball against Mitchell with Burr his favorite target.

Zephyrhills (0-6, 0-4 3A-7) at

Wesley Chapel (2-5, 1-3)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Wildcat Stadium, 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
COACHES: Troy Hochstetler/Greg Mathis (Zephyrhills), John Castelamare (Wesley Chapel)

LAST WEEK: Sunlake 7, Zephyrhills 0; Land O' Lakes 56, Wesley Chapel 6

LAST MEETING: Zephyrhills 28, Wesley Chapel 0 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: In the ongoing Bulldogs' quarterback saga, QB Chuck Smith looked the strongest of the three quarterbacks during last week's loss to Sunlake. But it's likely that Smith, Chris Reaves and Jamal Roberts will continue to get looks at the position. Roberts, in particular, only touched the ball one time last week - a fumbled snap under center - and figures to get more looks this week against his former team. ... Last week the Wildcats were outmatched. Land O' Lakes had the ability to pass and run at will and used a solid defense to keep Wesley Chapel bottled up. That said, Wildcats RB Jon Mahan still got more than 100 yards rushing.

Shorecrest Prep (1-5) at

Bishop McLaughlin (1-5)

WHEN/WHERE: 7 p.m./Bishop McLaughlin Stadium, 13651 Hays Road, Shady Hills

COACHES: Phil Hayford (Shorecrest), Marty Williams (Bishop McLaughlin)

LAST WEEK: Sarasota Out-of-Door 48, Shorecrest 6; Canterbury 21, Bishop McLaughlin 7

LAST MEETING: First meeting

NEED TO KNOW: With a key Sunshine State Athletic Conference South Division game looming next week against Carrollwood Day, the Hurricanes tune up with an opponent that has had similar struggles. On paper these teams look evenly matched, with identical records and similar offensive numbers. They share two common opponents - Canterbury and Indian Rocks Christian. They are both 0-2 against those teams; Shorecrest was outscored by 46 points and Bishop McLaughlin by 48. ... Despite struggles in the passing game, Hurricanes QB Mitch Ritter has emerged as the team's leading rusher, as well as a top contributor on defense as a safety. ... Shorecrest has had a 100-yard rusher in five of its six games, including three different backs in the last four games.

Eddie Daniels, Rick Harmon,

Bart O'Connell

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