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Wiregrass not panicking after loss to Tarpon Springs

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By BART O’CONNELL

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 24, 2009

TARPON SPRINGS - It was, with little debate, the biggest game in Wiregrass Ranch history.

So it stands to reason that Friday's 44-7 loss to Tarpon Springs, which dropped the Bulls to third place in Class 4A-District 6, would also be the program's biggest disappointment – the kind of loss that takes weeks to recover from mentally.

But that's not the style of Wiregrass coach Jeremy Shobe, or his players.

"We'll be fine. We know we're a much better football team than 44-7," Shobe said. "The offense was struggling, we dropped passes and they shut our back (Josh Johnson) down."

The Bulls (4-3, 1-1) remain alive for a playoff spot, but most likely must win their next two games – River Ridge next week and Hudson in two weeks – to get in. Tarpon Springs (6-2, 3-0) can wrap up the district title if they beat the Cobras next week, and Hudson (4-3, 2-0) also controls its own district title destiny if it wins out. But if Hudson beats the Spongers and the Bulls win out, it would force a three-way tiebreaker for two playoff spots.

The only other scenarios for the Bulls to get in involves them losing to River Ridge (2-5, 0-2), beating Hudson, and having Tarpon Springs beat Hudson. In that case, if Ridgewood (2-6, 0-3) beats River Ridge that would get Wiregrass in by virtue of its head-to-head victory against the Cobras (both teams would have 2-2 district records). But if River Ridge beats Ridgewood, that would create a three-way tiebreaker between Wiregrass, Hudson and River Ridge for the runner-up spot.

All of this means that the Hudson game is the only game the Bulls cannot afford to lose under any circumstances. But Shobe is not going to allow his team to look ahead with a physical Royal Knights squad to prepare for this week.

"All we're doing is thinking about River Ridge next week," Shobe said. "We're looking at River Ridge as if it's our game to lose."

Against Tarpon Springs, Wiregrass lost control of the game when they couldn't contain the speed of running back Darius Daniels, who piled up 185 yards rushing on just 13 carries, including breakaway runs of 50 and 84 yards. He also cost the Bulls a touchdown when he caught Blake Burch from behind on a breakaway 85-yard kickoff return.

Wiregrass also allowed a 63-yard touchdown pass with only six seconds remaining in the half, a devastating blow that made it 30-7 at halftime.

Forced to throw the ball more than usual, quarterback James Tringali was intercepted twice and sacked seven times (once for a safety), resulting in Wiregrass' minus-10 net rushing yards on the night. Johnson finished with 30 rushing yards on 11 carries. The Bulls biggest play on offense was their first snap of the game, a reverse pass from Blake Burch to Tringali that netted 40 yards.

"We also haven't given up big plays like that before (Friday)," Shobe said. "We have to not drop as many passes and play better defense."

Correspondent Bart O'Connell can be reached at tampasport@gmail.com.

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