TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Hillsborough football preview: Week 9

ADVERTISEMENT

TBO.com

Published: October 29, 2009

THURSDAY

STEINBRENNER (0-4) AT ROBINSON (6-1)

NEED TO KNOW: The Knights can clinch their first district title since 1977 with a win against the first-year Warriors.

Robinson, coming off a big road win over Lennard, hasn't lost this season at Jack Peters Field. Knights quarterback Blake Rice has multiple touchdown passes in four of his last five games, and he's thrown for seven touchdowns in the last two games combined.

Steinbrenner, which lost to fellow first-year program Strawberry Crest last week, is led by quarterback Christian Carriere, who ran for a touchdown and threw for another in the Warriors' last game.

ARMWOOD (6-1) AT GAITHER (1-6)

NEED TO KNOW: The Hawks are coming off a big district win over Hillsborough, while the Cowboys enter this game after a disappointing loss to Chamberlain.

Armwood, which has won three consecutive games, will be without three starters for this game – running back Matt Jones and defensive backs Khiri McQuay and Quinton Brown. All three have injuries and will be held out as a precaution. Hawks players, coaches and trainers will wear pink apparel in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Gaither has lost five straight and has managed just 18 total points during the losing streak.

ALONSO (3-4) AT SICKLES (6-2)

NEED TO KNOW: This is Sickles' Homecoming game. And this is personal. Both teams swapped transfers in the offseason, adding intensity to an already natural neighborhood rivalry. Alonso is coming off a district loss to Plant and much like most of their losses this season, the Ravens held strong in the first half behind the arm of quarterback C.J. Bennett, but then their lack of depth led to a lackluster second half.

Sickles, fresh off a blowout victory against Leto, has had just the opposite problem this season. The Gryphons, in a victory against Boca Ciega and a loss to Durant, struggled in the first half. Behind Hillsborough County's leading rusher Cary White, Sickles can get off to a quicker start against a young Alonso defense. The Ravens will get help from starting defensive lineman Anthony Chickillo, who returned from a broken collarbone injury last week, and receiver Franklin Mosley, who has been cleared to play this week.

SPOTO (6-2) AT SEMINOLE OSCEOLA (2-6)

NEED TO KNOW: The Spartans have lost two consecutive games, their most recent a 24-21 defeat to district opponent Jefferson.

Senior running back Jamar Burns continues to lead Spoto's run-oriented offense with a team-high 730 yards and six touchdowns. Charlie Waits is the second leading rusher with 459 yards and three touchdowns.

Spoto's defense has given up more points in the last two games than it had in its previous six games. Still, the Spartans possess one of the most athletic and aggressive defensive units in Hillsborough County, led by junior linebacker Rodney Williams and senior defensive end John Akins.

Spoto needs a win if they hope to advance to the playoffs. Lakewood can improve to 3-1 in the district if they defeat Blake this week. Spoto meets Lakewood on Nov. 6, which could determine the district runner-up, given Jefferson's dominance in the league this season at 3-0.

FRIDAY

LAKEWOOD (5-2) AT BLAKE (1-6)

NEED TO KNOW: Blake earned its first win of the season last week, defeating district opponent Dixie Hollins in a 14-13 comeback. Clarence Peterson scored on an 80-yard touchdown pass with less than 7 minutes remaining in the game to give the Yellow Jackets the lead and the eventual win. Dixie Hollins led 13-0 entering the fourth quarter. Phillip Davis put Blake on the scoreboard with an 88-yard punt return.

Junior quarterback Eugene Davenport leads Blake's offense with 809 passing yards and three touchdowns. He's also the team's leading rusher with 216 yards and one touchdown run. Linebacker Mike Moore leads the defense with 74 tackles.

Lakewood is coming off a 48-14 district win over Seminole Osceola. With a win, the Spartans would improve to 3-1 in district play, making its game against Spoto on Nov. 6 a meeting that will determine a district runner-up.

WHARTON (2-5) AT EAST BAY (4-4)

NEED TO KNOW: Wharton was eliminated from playoff contention last week in a 16-7 loss to neighborhood rival Freedom. In the loss, junior quarterback Ryan Hatter completed 15-of-20 passes for 152 yards.

John Collins leads Wharton's defense with 68 tackles. Malik Williams has been Wharton's playmaker on both sides of the ball, with a team-high three sacks along with 59 tackles. He's also one of the team's leading rushers.

East Bay quarterback Aaron Mills scored on a 1-yard run with 11 seconds left in the game to life the Indians to a 44-41 win over King last week in a district game.

DJ Richmond scored on an 85-yard kickoff return and a 1-yard run, DeAndre Reddick scored two rushing touchdowns, both from 4-yards out, in the win.

Richmond leads East Bay's offense with 328 rushing yards and one touchdown. Defensive back Calvin Sanders is the Indians' leading tackler with 52.

Wharton won last year's meeting, 22-19.

LETO (1-6) AT FREEDOM (4-2)

NEED TO KNOW: Leto was held scoreless in a 38-0 loss to Sickles last week, its second shutout loss of the season. Through seven games, the Falcons have been outscored 199-61.

Division I prospect Jeremy Deering leads Leto with 688 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Dominic Marino has 545 passing yards with three touchdowns.

Leto's lone win of the year is a 22-15 victory over winless Bloomingdale.

Freedom moved one step closer to reaching the playoffs with a 16-7 win over district and neighborhood rival Wharton last week. The Patriots scored on a 2-yard run by junior Keith Lewis and a 73-yard kickoff return by senior TJ Mutcherson to lead 16-7 at the half. Neither team scored in the second half. Senior quarterback Tyler Guy passed for 92 yards and ran for 26 in the win.

So far, Guy has passed for 908 yards with seven touchdowns. His favorite target has been Division I prospect Mutcherson, who leads all receivers with 403 yards and two touchdowns.

KING (2-4) AT BLOOMINGDALE (0-7)

NEED TO KNOW: The Lions aim to snap a three-game losing streak against the winless Bulls in this late-season non-district matchup.

King lost in the final seconds of a shootout with East Bay last week. Reese Sturgis filled in admirably for injured quarterback Greg Windham, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another.

Bloomingdale, still in search of its first victory under Coach John Booth, got a big game last week from Derrick Johnson, who rushed for 161 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Newsome.

CHAMBERLAIN (1-7) AT BRANDON (1-6)

NEED TO KNOW: The Chiefs enter this game following their first win under Coach Joe Severino, while the Eagles are hoping to get back into the win column for the first time since Week 3.

Chamberlain matched its season-high point total (13) in last week's win over Gaither, getting touchdown runs from Andra Hubbard and Blake Bell. The difference was the Chiefs defense, which held an opponent to fewer than 10 points for the first time this season.

Sean Watson continues to stand out during a tough season for Brandon. Watson scored two touchdowns in last week's loss to Tampa Bay Tech – one on a reception and the other on a punt return – and also kicked a field goal.

CAMBRIDGE CHRISTIAN (3-4) AT WINTER HAVEN ALL SAINTS (2-5)

NEED TO KNOW: Cambridge Christian still has hope – albeit very slim – of reaching the playoffs and aim to get back on the winning track this week against All Saints.

The Lancers were shut out last week against Admiral Farragut, their third shutout loss this season. The loss snapped Cambridge's two-game win streak.

All Saints snapped a five-game losing streak with a win over Central Florida Prep last week. It was the first time this season the Saints held an opponent to fewer than 10 points.

Cambridge needs Admiral Farragut to defeat Lakeland Victory Christian this week and would need a win over Victory Christian next week to set up a three-way tie for the district runner-up spot. Victory Christian is undefeated this season and ranked No. 4 in Class 1B in the latest Associated Press state football poll.

PLANT CITY (5-3) AT DURANT (6-1)

NEED TO KNOW: The Raiders need a win against their neighborhood rival to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the Cougars can clinch a playoff spot for the second consecutive season with a victory.

Plant City has won four consecutive games. The Raiders defense has posted three consecutive shutouts, while quarterback Bennie Coney has thrown for 631 yards and four touchdowns in the last four games.

Durant, coming off a bye week, is off to its best start since 2003, when the Cougars reached the state semifinals in Coach Mike Gottman's first season.

The Cougars are 4-3 against the Raiders since 2002 in this annual meeting.

CARROLLWOOD DAY (7-0) AT BISHOP MCLAUGLIN (1-6)

NEED TO KNOW: Carrollwood Day is one of only two remaining undefeated Hillsborough County teams.

The Patriots scored 50 or more points for the third consecutive game in last week's win over Naples First Baptist, not counting a forfeit win over Leesburg First Academy. Running back Darius Bing has a big game against First Baptist, rushing for 183 yards and two touchdowns. Over his last two games, Bing has 384 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Bishop McLaughlin had a lot of trouble slowing down the opposition early in the season, allowing an average of 36 points per game. The Hurricanes' defense has performed much better lately, however, surrendering 55 total points over the last three games (Bishop McLaughlin is 1-2 during that stretch).

JEFFERSON (5-1) AT DIXIE HOLLINS (0-7)

NEED TO KNOW: The Dragons can wrap up their first district title since 2004 with a win against the winless Rebels.

Jefferson had arguably its biggest win of the season last week against Spoto, which put them in position to win Class 3A-District 8. Quarterback Quentin Williams had another big game with three touchdown passes, and receiver Eric Royster had one of his best games of the season with two long touchdown receptions (64 and 57 yards).

Dixie Hollins lost last week to Blake in a battle of winless teams. The Rebels surrendered two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 14-13 loss.

LENNARD (1-5) AT STRAWBERRY CREST (1-3)

NEED TO KNOW: The Longhorns have lost five straight following a season-opening win. They hope to get back in the win column against the first-year Chargers, who are coming off a big victory over fellow first-year program Steinbrenner.

Lennard has gotten solid contributions offensively this season from quarterback Fred Porter and receiver Demyco Winston, among others. The Longhorns defense has struggled most of the season and has allowed 90 total points over the last two games.

Strawberry Crest has continued to make strides but has struggled against full-varsity squads. Quarterback Brandon Reaves had a big game against Steinbrenner, throwing a touchdown and running for two more scores in the comeback win.

RIVERVIEW (2-5) AT NEWSOME (4-2)

NEED TO KNOW: The Sharks are playing the rest of this season for pride after being eliminated from playoff contention last week.

Newsome, which has won four straight, can secure a state playoff berth for the second consecutive season with a victory and a win by Durant over Plant City. If those scenarios happen, next week's Newsome-Durant matchup would be for the district title.

Sharks running back Ronnie Johnson could top the 1,000-yard mark for the season in this game. Johnson ranks among the area's leading rushers with 892 yards, and he has more than 300 yards rushing combined in the Sharks' last two games.

Newsome's Wing-T offense racked up 278 rushing yards in last week's win over Bloomingdale. Vince Pennington topped the 100-yard rushing mark and Keller Powers scored three rushing touchdowns to power the Wolves.

WINTER PARK TRINITY PREP (3-5) AT BERKELEY PREP (4-2)

NEED TO KNOW: Berkeley Prep went toe-to-toe with the top Class 1A team in the state last week, but was unable to hang with the veteran Fort Meade team in the end. Bucs coach Dominick Ciao said that district game would show how far the program had come and how far they had yet to go. That the score was tied 22-22 at the half proved Berkeley Prep is a legitimate playoff contender. Now, the Bucs set their sites on Trinity Prep, who lost last week to Clearwater Central Catholic, a team Berkeley Prep beat 42-14 earlier this season.

Trinity Prep has struggled with offensive consistency this season, averaging only 17 points per game. That hasn't been a problem for Berkeley Prep. With help from quarterback Destin Nichols and running back Nelson Agholor, the Bucs have averaged 28 points per game.

JESUIT (5-2) AT MIDDLETON (5-2)

NEED TO KNOW: Both teams suffered disappointing district blowout losses to Robinson, so this one's for Class 2A-5 second place and a playoff spot. Jesuit, who hasn't made the postseason the past two years, has outscored opponents 204-20 in its five victories. With quarterback Bobby Eveld at the helm, the Tigers are capable of putting up a lot of points.

The other Tigers are too, having averaged 47 points in their past three games. But Middleton will face a very tough Jesuit defense, which has shutout four opponents this season. Middleton's offense is led by Earnest Mingo, who had 145 rushing yards in last week's come-from-behind victory and who has averaged 83.7 rushing yards per game this season.

MULBERRY (2-5) AT TAMPA CATHOLIC (6-0)

NEED TO KNOW: With Tampa Catholic 2-0 in Class 2B-District 5 and every other team there owning at least one loss within the division, the Crusaders can lock up a playoff spot with a home win here. Mulberry is 1-1 in the district and fighting to stay alive for the other postseason berth, but Orlando Lake Highland Prep (7-1, 2-1) is the school most expect to take it. Its one loss came to Tampa Catholic.

TC is ranked No. 3 in the 2B state poll and off to its best start in 13 years under coach Bob Henriquez. The key to the Crusaders' success has been a balanced offense and a defense that seems to be getting better each week. With players like quarterback Christian Green (272 yards passing, 452 rushing), running backs Hank McCloud (97 carries for 834 yards and 10 TDs) and Hunter Joyer (39 carries for 222 yards and 3 TDs) and an offensive line anchored by 6-foot-6, 295-pound Chaz Green, everyone expected TC's offense to roll this fall.

But the Crusaders' defense was hit hard by graduation last spring, particularly at the front seven, and that's where defensive coordinator David Lewis has managed to mold together a solid unit. Led by senior linebacker Brandon Mendoza, who has a team-high 32 tackles, TC has allowed an average of just 9.5 points a game this season and just 5.3 in its last three games.

Defense is precisely where Mulberry is struggling. The Panthers have been surrendering an average of 32 points per outing and in last week's district game against Lake Highland Prep, lost 38-15. If the Crusaders take care of the football like they have this season, they can start making playoff plans after this game.

Compiled by Nick Williams, Katherine Smith, Adam Adkins and Bill Ward.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT