Gryphons, Titans Run Reverses

Before the season began, the Week 3 matchup between Sickles and Tampa Bay Tech looked to be a potential Repus Bowl. Now, it's one of the most intriguing games on the Hillsborough County schedule this week.

While there have been plenty of surprises through the first two weeks of the season, there are none bigger than the stories of the Gryphons and Titans, who each have enjoyed dramatic turnarounds after winless seasons in 2006 (Tampa Bay Tech was also winless in 2005).

Sickles' Pat O'Brien and Tampa Bay Tech's C.C. Culpepper (early coach of the year candidates?) have done admirable jobs to help their teams reverse the trends of seasons past. They seemingly have these programs headed in new directions.

And instead of Sickles and Tampa Bay Tech squaring off this week to prove which team is not the county's worst, the Gryphons and Titans will play Friday night for a 3-0 start to the season. That's something the Titans haven't accomplished since 2002 and something the Gryphons have never done.

•If not for a pair of miscues by Plant's special teams Friday night, Gaither was facing a 40-point loss. As it was, the 48-21 score left Cowboys coach Mark Kantor shaking his head and questioning the direction of the team.

For the second week in a row, Gaither gave up 40-plus points. It's one of the main reasons the Cowboys are 0-2, but it's not the only reason. Running back Jarvis Giles, a week removed from his 210-yard performance against Chamberlain, contributed just 39 rushing yards to the Cowboys' 199 yards of offense. Not able to get the ground game going against Plant's defense, Giles was pulled late in the game to save him from injury.

Racked with frustration because of the program's potential and promise, Kantor now is faced with the challenge of motivating a team that has dug itself a deep hole.

'I don't know what to say, I really don't. I really don't know what to say,' Kantor said. 'No matter what question you give me, I don't know what to say because I don't have the answers.

'Maybe I'm not the right coach for this football team, I'm telling you that right now.'

•There's every reason to think Armwood can go 10-0 during the regular season, especially with how the Hawks have performed through the first two weeks. However, eight teams in the county will say the Hawks won't finish any better than 9-1. And why shouldn't we believe them? No game is a given (see Appalachian State-Michigan).

The next to get a crack at the mighty Hawks is Brandon, and this team won't be a pushover. Coach John Lima has some players - including senior standout Samir Baker, who accounted for six touchdowns in Friday's win at King - and if not for a late turnover in the season opener against Middleton, the Eagles could be entering this game 2-0.

Are the Eagles good enough to take down Armwood? We'll find out Friday. But one thing is certain: Brandon has a much better chance at winning with Armwood standout lineman Matt Patchan out of the lineup, something Hawks coach Sean Callahan thinks will be the case when the FHSAA renders its final decision early this week on whether Patchan will have to serve a one-game suspension.

•For the second consecutive week, Coach Kevin Kelley's Plant City squad has enjoyed a great turnaround after halftime to post a come-from-behind victory, the latest Friday night against Blake. The Raiders, who started 0-5 in 2006 before reeling off five consecutive victories to reach the state playoffs, have quietly won seven consecutive regular-season games dating to last season.

•Newsome moved to 2-0 with a home victory against Jesuit, and freshman fullback Connor Powers has been stellar, rushing for more than 200 yards through his first two varsity games to power the Wolves. But we'll find out how good this team really is over the next two weeks, when Newsome leaves the friendly confines of its home stadium and goes on the road to face Durant and Armwood, respectively.

•There's a running back across the bay people might want to keep an eye on: Jeff Brinson. The Northeast standout is on pace for - are you ready for this? - 3,000-plus yards and 50-plus touchdowns. OK, so Brinson probably won't reach those gaudy numbers, but his 681 yards and 11 touchdowns through two games are pretty impressive.