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Tonight's Pasco prep football matchups

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 30, 2009

PASCO (6-1, 5-0 3A-DISTRICT 7)

AT MITCHELL (8-0, 5-0)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Mitchell Stadium, 2323 Little Road, Trinity

COACHES: Tom McHugh (Pasco), Brian Wachtel (Mitchell)

LAST WEEK: Pasco 28, Land O' Lakes 16; Mitchell 24, Sunlake 3

LAST MEETING: Mitchell 22, Pasco 18 (2006)

NEED TO KNOW: This is familiar territory for most of Pasco's players. A win tonight and the Pirates will collect their third consecutive district title. There's no issue with the Pirates losing focus or getting ahead of themselves. McHugh reminds the Pirates of the South Sumter loss earlier this year and the players have kept each other in line. ... Pasco has made sure it has prepared itself for the Mitchell running game regardless of whether Ricky Trinidad plays or not. The Pirates also are well aware that the Mustangs can be effective with their passing attack. ... Mitchell has not lost to the Pirates since 2003, but they did not play in 2007 or 2008. The Mustangs' starting running back is still a question. Trinidad hurt his back against Sunlake last week and hasn't practiced this week. Wachtel says he will be a game-time decision. If Trinidad can't go, Freddie Jones will move from fullback to the tailback position. Against Sunlake, he rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns. A Pasco win clinches the district title for the Pirates because they would hold the tiebreaker against Mitchell and Land O' Lakes. A Mitchell win would move the Mustangs into first place with one district game left (Nov. 6 vs. Land O' Lakes).

SUNLAKE (3-4, 3-2 3A-7) AT

LAND O' LAKES (6-1, 4-1)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Gator Stadium, 20325 Gator Lane, Land O' Lakes

COACHES: Bill Browning (Sunlake), Matt Kitchie (Land O' Lakes)

LAST WEEK: Mitchell 16, Sunlake 3; Pasco 28, Land O' Lakes 16

LAST MEETING: Land O' Lakes 28, Sunlake 0 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: The Seahawks finish the season with crosstown rival Land O' Lakes and Pasco, and they must win both to have any chance of making the playoffs. Sunlake struggled in the second half against Mitchell after battling to a 0-0 halftime score. The Seahawks only had five first downs and 123 yards in the second half - with 58 of those yards coming from Rashaud Daniels on the first play of the half. ... There is no looking beyond Sunlake. Land O' Lakes must earn a victory to keep its playoff hopes alive. Because of that, Kitchie said this week has seen the most focused and physical practices to date. ... Punt returner Andrew Moore is questionable with ligament damage in his hand. An examination revealed a strain, and he likely will play. ... Kitchie, who described the Seahawks as a tough, downhill running team, said he and his players are entering the game with a chip on their shoulders. According to Kitchie, the Land O' Lakes weight room and locker room was broken into. The culprits spray painted "Sunlake" on the weight-room mirrors and walls, as well as in the locker room. Additionally, newly ordered equipment (shoes, gloves, etc.) were taken from the facility, he said. Kitchie said his team is looking forward to taking its respect back.

RIVER RIDGE (2-5, 0-2 4A-6) AT

WIREGRASS RANCH (4-3, 1-1)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Wiregrass Ranch Stadium, 2909 Mansfield Road, Wesley Chapel

COACHES: Tim Stevens (River Ridge), Jeremy Shobe (Wiregrass Ranch)

LAST WEEK: Springstead 22, River Ridge 6; Tarpon Springs 44, Wiregrass Ranch 6

LAST MEETING: First meeting

NEED TO KNOW: The Bulls are in the midst of the season's first losing streak after losing to Palm Bay and Tarpon Springs. Those losses, in addition to the win against Crystal River, have prepared the squad to face a decent running attack, which River Ridge has in big back Stavros Arianas. ... Wiregrass is in a must-win situation and hopes to set up a meaningful showdown for a playoff spot against Hudson next week with a victory. In order to do that, the mistakes - dropped balls and turnovers - must be eliminated. ... According to Shobe, in the past two games, the offense has cost the team 16 points off turnovers. ... The Bulls will be without two starters due to suspensions.

GULF (4-4, 1-4 3A-7) AT

ZEPHYRHILLS (1-6, 1-4)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Bulldogs Stadium, 1540 6335 12th St., Zephyrhills

COACHES: Jay Fulmer (Gulf), Troy Hochstetler/Greg Mathis (Zephyrhills)

LAST WEEK: Gulf 48, Anclote 6; Zephyrhills 14, Wesley Chapel 7

LAST MEETING: Gulf 30, Zephyrhills 14 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: The Buccaneers ended a four-game losing streak with the win against Anclote. It looks like the Tyshawn Peters era has officially begun as the sophomore was 5-for-9 for 105 yards against the Sharks. Senior Madison Burr has moved to tailback/wide receiver and responded with 226 yards rushing and 62 receiving. Gulf is another school that will benefit from seeing the junior varsity season end, as the Bucs have played with roughly 23 players on varsity this season. ... The Bulldogs have endured a long, hard season on offense, but after winning their first game last week in overtime, it is time to start praising the defense, which has fought through the struggles and allowed just seven points in each of the past two games. Add in just 21 points allowed against Mitchell and 14 against Land O' Lakes, and it's clearly one of the better units in the county.

WESLEY CHAPEL (2-6, 1-4 3A-7)

AT ANCLOTE (0-7, 0-5)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Anclote Stadium, 1540 Sweetbriar Drive, Holiday

COACHES: John Castelamare (Wesley Chapel), Matt Wicks (Anclote)

LAST WEEK: Zephyrhills 14, Wesley Chapel 7; Gulf 48, Anclote 6

LAST MEETING: First meeting

NEED TO KNOW: The Wildcats understand Anclote is looking at them as a beatable team. Wesley Chapel hasn't fared well this season, but it has put up a fight in a few of its losses. ... Castelamare insists this is the time where his coaching will have to be geared toward getting his players to believe they can play well. ... Twice this season the Wildcats have gone to overtime - last week against Zephyrhills and two weeks before that in a 27-21 double-OT win against Sunlake. ... The good news for Anclote is the junior varsity season is over and Wicks will have more than 23 players on the sideline. The bad news is the Sharks are still having trouble stopping their opponent on defense. Against Gulf, running back Kris Aratchiysky had 134 yards rushing and the team finished with 191 yards, but the Buccaneers put up 423 yards and jumped out to a 22-0 lead in just 13 offensive plays.

TARPON SPRINGS (6-2, 3-0 4A-6)

AT HUDSON (4-3, 2-0)

WHEN/WHERE: 7:30 p.m./Cobra Stadium, 14410 Cobra Way, Hudson

COACHES: George Kotis (Tarpon Springs), Mark Nash (Hudson)

LAST WEEK: Tarpon Springs 44, Wiregrass Ranch 7; Hudson 22, Ridgewood 21

NEED TO KNOW: Tarpon Springs can clinch the district title with a win, while Hudson needs to win and have River Ridge beat Wiregrass Ranch to clinch a playoff spot. A loss would not eliminate either team from playoff contention. ... Cobras QB Zack Wynn ran for a career-high 151 yards last week, and he has had more than 300 yards from scrimmage in each of his last three games, and five of the last six. ... Tarpon Springs has dominated on the ground, including a 300-yard rushing game last week against Wiregrass Ranch despite not having full use of heavily recruited RB Adrian Golden because of what Kotis said was a hip injury that forced him to play only defense. Nash expects Golden to be used more on offense this week due to the game's importance. Nash added that he's not satisfied with his team's run defense, and said he wants to force the Spongers to pass, which has been Tarpon's only weakness this year. Said Nash, "They need to develop some kind of passing game if they want to have any success down the road (in the playoffs)."

CARROLLWOOD DAY (7-0, 2-0) AT

BISHOP MCLAUGHLIN (1-6, 1-1)

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

CONFERENCE: Sunshine State Athletic (South Division)

COACHES: Lane McLaughlin (CDS); Marty Williams (Bishop McLaughlin)

LAST WEEK: CDS 56, Naples First Baptist 7; Shorecrest 20, Bishop McLaughlin 6

LAST MEETING: Bishop McLaughlin 42, CDS 20 (2008)

NEED TO KNOW: The Hurricanes' home finale will have implications in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference, which appears to be CDS's to lose if it can get by the Hurricanes as well as Canterbury next week. ... To describe the changing fortunes of these squads, Williams said, "They got older, and we got younger. Our age dropped on average about two years, and theirs gained a year. And their skill kids are talented to begin with." The Hurricanes will need to control the clock on offense to compete, Williams said. ... The Patriots have averaged 55 points on offense, with only one touchdown allowed on defense, in their last three games. QB Billy Embody (17 passing touchdowns) and RB Darius Bing (717 rushing yards, 10 TDs) are the top players to watch for CDS.

Eddie Daniels, Rick Harmon, Bart O'Connell

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