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Pirates continue hold over Gators

Staff photo by FRED BELLET

Pasco High School QB D.J. Clower looks for an open receiver before making a run for it.

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By EDDIE DANIELS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2009

Updated: 10/24/2009 01:19 am

DADE CITY - And the drought continues.

The last time Land O' Lakes beat Pasco was in 2006. Armed with arguably their best team since then, the Gators still came up short, 28-16 in a Class 3A-District 7 showdown.

And they didn't do themselves any favors, fumbling the ball away twice and tossing an interception.

"Our guys on defense, I tell them not to be prideful, but be proud of what you do as a team and I think they have a lot of pride on defense and they do hit you," Pasco coach Tom McHugh said. "And they will try to take the ball away from you."

Land O' Lakes (6-1, 4-1) opened the game with an eight-play, 80-yard drive, capped by a 10-yard Stephen Weatherford-to-Will Irwin scoring pass.

Weatherford finished 16 of 27 for 270 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Two plays later, the Gators defense gave the offense the ball back on an interception, but a fumble on second-and-13 killed the drive and a shot to increase the lead.

Just over two minutes later, Pasco quarterback D.J. Clower laced a pass up the home sideline to Mitch Wozniak for a 41-yard touchdown.

Clower, who finished the night 6 of 16 for 119 yards, one score, two rushing TDs and two interceptions, handled the Gators' pressure well. When flushed out of the pocket, he either ran for yardage or he would look up field for the deep ball - often connecting.

"Tonight, I basically told myself if I see (someone blitzing) I was going to take off," Clower said. "The previous game I tried to sit back there and tried to wait to see if anything came open, but I told myself, if I see somebody come in, just go. Get what you can get."

After Land O' Lakes fumbled on its second consecutive offensive series, Pasco (6-1, 5-0) needed one play to capitalize. Clower ran 21 yards on a draw for the touchdown and a 14-7 lead with 2:18 left in the first quarter.

An Evan Stack 34-yard field goal cut the deficit to 14-10 in the third quarter.

The Gators had a chance to tie the game in the second quarter with the ball at the Pirates 23, but a Mike Clower interception killed the drive.

D.J. Clower's 1-yard score in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach, 28-10 with 6:05 left in the game.

The victory loosened the district rankings, which was knotted three ways with Land O' Lakes, Mitchell and Pasco. Now it's Pasco and Mitchell at the top.

P-Wozniak 41 pass from Clower (Allen kick)

P-Clower 21 run (Allen kick)

L-FG Stack 34 FG

P-Phillips 1 run (Allen kick)

P-Clower 1 run (Allen kick)

L-Taylor 3 pass from Weatherford (run failed)

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