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Terriers surge to 49-23 win over Alonso

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By KATHERINE SMITH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 26, 2009

TAMPA - They practice patience at Hillsborough.

It paid off in a big way Friday night at Chelo Huerta Field as the Terriers defeated Alonso 49-23 in a nearly three-hour, 15-minute game.

"We just keep telling the kids to be unselfish," Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia said. "We tell them we only have one ball, but at the end of the season, everybody's going to get enough chances to touch it. Today it was Tarean (Austin), Rodney (Johnson) and Charles (Lovett)."

Hillsborough's big three accounted for nearly all of the Terriers' 585 yards. Austin threw for 298 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for two scores. Junior receiver Lovett was the main recipient of Austin's passes, with 192 yards and two touchdowns.

Johnson, a senior running back, rushed for 210 yards and two touchdowns, including 178 in the second half to help the Terriers close out the game.

Hillsborough's defense did its part, particularly in the second half when it held the Ravens scoreless. Alonso's offense usually puts up big numbers like Hillsborough, but it had 265 yards against the Terriers.

Senior running back Jesse Anaya gave Alonso the first lead of the game when he returned the second-half kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to give the Ravens a 23-21 lead.

"That just set us up," said Anaya, who was carted off the field later in the third quarter with cramps but was able to return. "We were in the locker room at halftime talking about how we needed to come back. We thought we had it going."

The Ravens' lead lasted all of two seconds as Hillsborough responded with 28 consecutive points, including a 76-yard touchdown pass from Austin to Terrence Mitchell on the Terriers' first play of the third quarter.

"It was very encouraging that we fell behind and then scored on the very next play," Garcia said. "That's what you want to develop in a team, a mean streak that when you get scored on, you turn around and get it back."

It was a back-and-forth battle in the first half, with Hillsborough striking first to build a 14-0 lead before Alonso got on the board with a field goal.

Just before the end of the first half, Alonso put together an 80-yard scoring drive, capped by C.J. Bennett's 20-yard pass to Anaya to pull the Ravens within five points.

H-Lovett 50 pass from Austin (Ciabatti kick)

A-FG Rodriquez 25

A-Davis 35 pass from Bennett (kick failed)

H-Austin 15 run (Ciabatti kick)

A-Anaya 20 pass from Bennett (Rodriquez kick)

A-Anaya 95 kickoff return (Rodriquez kick)

H-Mitchell 76 pass from Austin (Ciabatti kick)

H-Johnson 85 run (Ciabatti kick)

H-Johnson 14 run (Ciabatti kick)

H-Austin 3 run (Ciabatti kick)

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