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Wake-Up Call: Sickles' O'Donoghue does it all

O’Donoghue led the Gryphons last season with 126 tackles – and he’s already ahead of that pace this season.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 25, 2009

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

In a prep sports world filled with Bulldogs, Tigers and Wildcats – too many of those cookie-cutter nicknames to count, really – Sickles High School has a unique mascot.

They are the Gryphons.

Gryphon (n) – Classical Mythology. A fabled monster, usually having the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.

Gryphons are powerful.

Gryphons are versatile.

Meet Sickles linebacker (and occasional quarterback) Scott O'Donoghue.

Powerful? He'll knock you into yesterday. He'll carry a team by the force of his will.

Versatile? This 4.8 GPA advanced-placement student, a member of the school's culinary arts program, can also whip up a killer meal.

Meet the Head Gryphon.

He's hungry for a big win.

Tonight, the Gryphons (3-0 for the first time ever) host the No. 3-ranked Largo Packers (3-0) in a Class 4A-District 10 game.

For the Gryphons, who achieved the program's only state playoff appearance in 2007, it's the biggest game in school history.

For the Packers (45-8 in the past four seasons with Class 5A state semifinal losses to Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas in the last two), it's another big game for a program accustomed to the spotlight.

"We have one of the best teams in the state coming to our house,'' said O'Donoghue, a 6-foot, 198-pound senior. "How can you not be excited about the opportunity we have before us? We want to make a name for our program.''

O'Donoghue need not worry about making a name for himself.

"I don't normally listen to comments coming from the stands, but when Scott makes a big hit or comes in at quarterback, I heard the people chanting his name,'' Sickles coach Pat O'Brien said. "He's not necessarily a flashy or showy player. But the student body responds to him. The team follows him.''

"Scott is our Tim Tebow,'' said Sickles running back Carey White, who leads Hillsborough County in rushing with 454 yards and three consecutive 100-yard games. "He's our emotional leader, pretty much our all-everything guy.''

And it has been that way almost since the beginning, when O'Donoghue started as a 14-year-old freshman.

O'Donoghue was a youth-football teammate of O'Brien's son. The coach remembers telling his defensive coordinator about a young newcomer that could immediately crack the Sickles lineup.

"Yeah, right,'' the defensive coordinator said.

O'Donoghue quickly made believers out of everyone, though. His first season was an 0-10 nightmare.

Then came the 7-3 turnaround and a playoff berth. This year already has promise, especially with success tonight against Largo.

Whatever happens with Sickles, you can expect O'Donoghue to be in the middle of the action. He led the Gryphons last season with 126 tackles – and he's already ahead of that pace. He's the change-of-pace "wildcat'' quarterback and he's ready for full-time duty in the event of injury to starter John Hendrick.

O'Donoghue is quick to spread the credit, though.

He talks about the impact of White, a 5-9, 195-pound bowling-ball type, on the Sickles' offense.

He credits the defensive line, led by Alonso transfer Ian Hopkins, for occupying blockers and allowing him to clean up on tackles.

And to think, when he was a 10-year-old, O'Donoghue said he was too timid to execute a forceful tackle. That's when his father, Jim, instructed him to hit through the opposing player.

"That has been my mentality ever since,'' O'Donoghue said. "You want them to notice you.''

It sounds a lot like Sickles' objective against Largo tonight.

"Coach (O'Brien) said when we got to 3-0 that it was a legacy game, but against Largo it's more of a game of respect,'' White said. "People have been saying, 'Oh maybe they beat Freedom, but Largo is going to put it to them.' We're trying to prove we are here, that we're not some joke.''

"I've been through a lot of ups and downs,'' O'Donoghue said. "To have a successful season, to go out a winner, that would mean everything to me.''

What's a Gryphon?

O'Donoghue and his teammates can help set that definition tonight.

50 years later, Robinson's win resonates

One of the biggest upsets in Hillsborough County prep football history occurred 50 years ago today.

The Robinson Knights, a first-year school with no seniors, defeated the Plant Panthers 12-7 on Sept. 25, 1959, and a South Tampa rivalry was born.

Coach Frank Lorenzo's Panthers were coming off a 10-0 season.

According to local legend, Hillsborough County school superintendent Crockett Farnell visited Robinson coach Holland Aplin on game week.

"I've spoken to Frank Lorenzo and told him to take it easy on you Friday night,'' Farnell told Aplin.

The reply?

"Coach, we're planning on beating him,'' Aplin said.

Saturday, Robinson High School will hold the Knight Gathering, a celebration of the school's 50th anniversary. All alumni are invited to attend the function, which begins in the school auditorium at 11 a.m.

Gene King, the lone surviving member of Robinson's first football coaching staff, will carry the game ball to Saturday's celebration.

Fifty years later, you can still read the inscribed score.

Robinson 12, Plant 7.

Huge win for Garcia, Gamecocks

University of South Carolina sophomore quarterback Stephen Garcia (Jefferson) was 16 of 34 for 220 yards and one touchdown in Thursday night's 16-10 victory against the No. 4-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.

"His statistics won't jump out at you,'' ESPN analyst Jesse Palmer said after the game. "But he took care of the football. He didn't turn it over and that's so critical to this team's success, particularly when that defense is playing so well.''

The Gamecocks (3-1, 1-1 SEC) came in with a 1-32 lifetime record against top-five ranked teams (the lone victory against No. 3 North Carolina in 1981).

Ole Miss senior running back Dexter McCluster (Largo) rushed 15 times for 85 yards.

Spurrier's return trip to Duke

With the Gamecocks playing on Thursday night, Coach Steve Spurrier is expected to be on hand for Saturday night's 20th anniversary celebration of Duke's 1989 ACC championship team. After that season, Spurrier took the University of Florida job, forever changing the football outlook at his alma mater (and probably the SEC as a whole).

Dreadnaughts off to California

The Lakeland Dreadnaughts (2-0) will play tonight at 10 on ESPN2 against one of the nation's most storied high-school football programs, De La Salle High of Concord, Calif.

De La Salle set a national record with a 151-game winning streak that spanned from 1992-2003.

That's nearly three times longer than the 53-game winning streak the Dreadnaughts had a few seasons ago.

De La Salle (1-1) lost two weeks ago to nationally ranked Don Bosco Prep, 30-6.

Kontodiakos gets conference award

Colorado State University freshman punter Pete Kontodiakos (Countryside) was named Mountain West Conference special teams player of the week. In a 35-20 win against Nevada, he averaged 52.5 yards on five punts, including a 67-yarder that was CSU's longest since Oct. 30, 2004, when Jeff Babcock (Jesuit) unloaded a school-record 89-yarder.

Kontodiakos entered the week ranked 13th nationally with a 44.3-yard gross punting average.

Beck has North Alabama at 4-0

University of North Alabama senior quarterback Harrison Beck (Countryside) completed 20 of 36 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns in last week's 55-7 win against West Georgia.

Coach Terry Bowden's Lions (4-0), ranked third in NCAA Division II, play at Harding on Saturday.

Sheffield: One more year?

New York Mets outfielder Gary Sheffield (Hillsborough) told the New York Post he wants to play one more year. He will train this offseason with St. Petersburg boxer Winky Wright in hopes of reducing his weight to 210 pounds. Sheffield hopes to play 150 games, something he hasn't accomplished since 2005.

Sheffield's wish list for 2010: The Mets (who aren't likely to pursue his return), the Rays, the Florida Marlins, the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers.

Sheffield, who turns 41 on Nov. 18, is batting .277 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs for the Mets. In his career, Sheffield has 2,689 hits, 509 homers and 1,676 RBIs.

Legendary honor for Anthony

Former University of Florida and Bucs wide receiver Reidel Anthony, a first-round pick in 1997, has been selected as part of the 2009 SEC Legends Class that will be honored during the SEC Championship Game at Atlanta's Georgia Dome on Dec. 5.

Anthony, who had been volunteering on Middleton High School's staff through last summer, is now the receivers coach at Ocala Trinity Catholic.

Anthony played for UF from 1994-96. In his junior season, before entering the NFL draft, he had 72 receptions for 1,293 yards and a nation-leading 18 touchdowns for the national-champion Gators. He was a first-team All-American.

Each SEC school has a player in the Legends Class.

Arkansas is represented by Gary Anderson, the former Tampa Bay Bandits and Bucs running back.

Vanderbilt is represented by Jamie Duncan, the former Bucs linebacker.

All about K2

Thursday's edition of The Sporting News Today offered a quick-hitting profile of Bucs tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.

A few highlights:

What I'm reading:The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Worst habit: My wife hates this, but I still bite my nails.

On my office walls: I have my first TD ball on my mantle and team helmets from every year I've played, with all my teammates' signatures on it. Also, I have a huge framed picture of my dad when he was playing with the Chargers.

Talent I'd most like to have: To dance like Michael Jackson. He is the best of all-time.

Favorite value in others: Drive. I really like to see people who work hard at what they love, whether it be a sport or career, or just taking care of your family with initiative.

Dream date: Honestly, my wife Janelle. It was love at first sight.

My motto: Consistency equals excellence.

Arroyo gets 14th win

Cincinnati Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo (Hernando) moved his record to 14-13 on Thursday with a 4-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Arroyo allowed five hits and one run in seven innings of work.

Since the All-Star Break, Arroyo has compiled a 2.34 ERA in 14 starts. Run support has been a problem, though. He is just 5-5 in that stretch.

Raffle for Bucs' trip to London

A Boston-based nonprofit organization is selling raffle tickets for an all-inclusive trip to the Oct. 25 Bucs-Patriots game at London's Wembley Stadium.

Here's an idea for Bucs' fans: Crash the party. Remember, it's a Bucs home game. Take advantage of this. Get creative (you would need to finance arrival at Boston's Logan Airport, where the trip begins). Raffle tickets are only $2 (maximum purchase of five).

The winner gets two tickets to Bucs-Patriots, four nights at the Hilton Kensington Hotel, ground transportation in London, a pregame reception at a London pub and a cash award of $1,071 to mitigate the tax liability.

For more information, visit www.celebritiesforcharity.org. Click on the "raffles'' link.

Birthday wishes

Happy birthday to former Bloomingdale High School basketball player Nick Smith, who appeared in the 2005 Final Four with the University of Illinois. Smith, a 7-foot-2 center, participated in 110 wins during his Illini career, making him the winningest player in program history. He was also an Academic All-Big Ten selection and earned a master's degree in finance. Today, Smith turns 27.

The Answer Man

Here's the answer to Wednesday's trivia question:

USF's Jim Leavitt is trying to become only the second head coach to defeat Florida's Urban Meyer (Leavitt beat Meyer's Bowling Green team in 2002) and Florida State's Bobby Bowden (the Bulls meet the Seminoles on Saturday afternoon).

Who has already accomplished that feat?

Georgia's Mark Richt.

Richt's Bulldogs defeated Bowden's Seminoles 26-13 in the 2003 Sugar Bowl. Richt's Bulldogs defeated Meyer's Gators 42-30 during the 2007 regular season.

Friday trivia

Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

Who was the Sickles High School head football coach when the Gryphons began playing in 1997?

Check for the answer in Monday's Wake-Up Call.

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