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Durant to guard a home game streak

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: September 23, 2009

PLANT CITY - Having settled into the pattern of playing football in a four-team district the past four years, the Durant High Cougars could always break their season into two distinct halves.

District play for Durant did not begin until Week 6, meaning in effect the first half was all a warm-up for when the games really mattered.

Durant realizes that's all changed, and Friday the process of having outcomes count toward playoff standing begins. The Cougars are playing host to Bloomingdale, while Plant City is taking on Newsome High in another District 5A-6 contest.

Only games played against district opponents matter as far as determining which teams in the state make the postseason. Both the Cougars and Raiders will play four contests among their 10-game schedule. The top two teams in the final standings advance to the playoffs.

Durant is looking to keep a tremendous streak going. The Cougars have won their last nine games at home, including all five last year and the first two to start this season.

The last home defeat for the Cougars came Oct. 5, 2007, against Sarasota.

Thursday, Durant was shut down by Jesuit 24-0, but the Cougars are still the lone team in 5A-6 with a winning record, 2-1. Bloomingdale is 0-3.

Bloomingdale did make the playoffs last season as a district runner-up, but the Bulls are not being picked to make a repeat trip. Kickoff at the Ron Frost Athletic Complex is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Plant City can make a big statement Friday. Newsome won 5A-7 last season and most reporters covering Bay area sports are picking the Wolves to win the district again this year.

However, the Wolves are off to a winless start, getting blown out Thursday by Alonso. C.J. Bennett of Alonso had a big night passing the ball. That might bode well for the Raiders, who have gotten solid play thus far from their sophomore quarterback, Bennie Coney.

Plant City fell to 1-2 with a disappointing effort Thursday at Brandon, falling 21-12 to the Eagles. Running back Dazmond Patterson ran for 100 yards and both Raider touchdowns.

Newsome has built a tradition of being led by its running game and this year is no different. Brothers Conner and Keller Powers lead the way with third-year starter Conner getting most of the carries.

The Wolves opened the season by getting blown out, but understandably, as it was at the hands of top-ranked Armwood. Then the Wolves ended up in a strange "no decision" of sorts against Jefferson.

On Sept. 11, the night rain affected play across the area, Newsome led Jefferson 28-14 in the third quarter. But the Dragons rallied, and after a two-point conversion they took a 29-28 lead late in the third quarter.

At the end of the quarter, Jefferson officials called Hillsborough County Athletic Director Lanness Robinson, who ruled the fourth quarter could not be played because it was past the county-imposed curfew of 11 p.m. Jefferson was declared the winner at the time, as Newsome (which wanted to continue the game that night) turned down an offer to resume play the following morning.

A few days later the game was declared unofficial, so it was considered a non-contest. Both teams can decide to play out the fourth quarter at any point this season.

On that same night the Raiders got their first win of the year, 16-7 over Middleton. To get to the fourth quarter before 11 p.m., the teams had a five-minute halftime. Plant City linebacker Art Knight kicked the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter and the Raiders iced it in the final minute on an interception return by Javonte Sykes.

Kickoff from Raider Stadium is at 7:30 p.m.

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