SPORTS
By Eugenio [email protected]
Sunlake’s historic football seasoncame to a screeching halt at thehands of Gainesville senior ChrisBivins.
Bivins intercepted Seahawks (10-2) quarterback Cameron Stoltz todash Sunlake’s comeback bid andchances of making it to the Class 6Aregional finals against Armwoodwith a 21-14 road loss.
“It’s gonna hurt tonight,”Sunlakecoach Bill Browning said.“It should,they worked extremely hard and wehad an opportunity to win tonight.”
The Seahawks (10-2) were flyinghigh having made it to the playoffs for thefirst time in the school’s five-year historyand nabbing a playoff win on the road 22-21at Ocala Vanguard the previous week.
But against Gainesville (10-2), fourturnovers grounded Sunlake and the offensewasn’t able to generate much rhythm in agame dominated by both defenses.
“It feels good to be part of the first play-off team and the first team to win a playoffgame, but it does stink to go out this way,”said senior linebacker Nick Morrison.
Senior running back Rashaud Danielsadded,“It was special to be able to make his-tory with my team.”
The Hurricanes got on the board first
when Cordero Dixon scooped up a fum-bled Seahawks pitch and returned it 49yards.
Sunlake’s defense responded onGainesville’s next drive. The Hurricaneswere pinned back on their own 7-yard line,when Jerome Samuels stuck his hand up todeflect a Mark Cato pass.The ball landed inPaul Scott’s hands and he scampered to theend zone.
Late in the second quarter, Stoltz threwhis first interception to Dixon,who scoredhis second touchdown of the night with a51-yard return.
The offensively stagnant Seahawks cameout in the third quarter and put together
their best drive of the game — a 68-yardmarch capped off when Stoltz’s pass wastipped by Gainesville’s Tashon Whitehurstand into the alert arms of Eddie Burgos forthe score.
Because Connor Spencer’s extra point at-tempt was blocked earlier, the Seahawkswere forced to go for the two-point conver-sion to tie the game. Stoltz found Morrisonto knot the game up at 14.
The Seahawks were backed up on theirnext series,a three and out,and the ensuingpunt gave the Hurricanes great field posi-tion at the Sunlake 27.Cato found Bivins foran 8-yard touchdown that turned out to bethe game clincher.
By Kyle [email protected]
It wasn’t the prettiest game ever played,but the Gaither football team came out ontop 17-14 in its Class 7A regional semifinalscontest at Tampa Bay Tech (TBT) on Nov.25.
“That was the ugliest game I’ve everbeen a part of,” said first-year Cowboyscoach Jason Stokes.“It wasn’t the way wedrew things up, but we came out with awin.”
Gaither (9-3) forced five Titans (8-4)turnovers,but gave up four including an in-terception returned 20 yards for a score byArmani Sampson on the first possession ofthe second half to give TBT a 14-10 lead itmaintained until 9:54 remaining. That’swhen Cowboys wide receiver Carlo Perellomade the game-changing play.
Perello, who finished with five catchesfor 208 yards,caught a slant pass and shed apair of would-be Titans tacklers.The seniorturned up the field and looked as if hewould run into another defender, butPerello leapt over the stunned TBT player.After that it was off to the races to completethe 73-yard scoring strike to put Gaither upfor good.
“I just don’t want to go home,” Perellosaid.“I knew I had to do something in thegame to get us going.”
It was the second long scoring catch forPerello, following a 76-yard touchdown nearthe end of the first half.The Cowboys hadstruggled to produce much offense untilPerello’s first touchdown,posting 6 yards oftotal offense before the explosive play.
“The whole sideline changed after thatfirst play when we scored, and then thewhole sideline changed again after hescored again,” Stokes said. He then added,“We had some injuries on the offensive line,so we tried to go to our quick passing game.(TBT) did a really good job adjusting and wecouldn’t get anything going running theball. … It was a war of attrition and thankGod the Cowboys found a way.”
Gaither sealed the win when defensiveback Amani Oruwariye picked off Titansquarterback Aaron Midthus in the end zonewith 38 seconds remaining.
“I was confident I was going to make the
play,” Oruwariye said.“Once I got it in myhands I knew the game was over.”
The victory sends the Cowboys to the re-gional finals for just the second time in theprogram’s 27-year history.The nine wins isalso more than the eight recorded by thesquad during the previous three seasonscombined.
“It is unbelievable what these kids havedone this year,”Stokes said.“I’m so proud ofthem. The first thing I told them when I
came here was you need to buy in. Eitherget on board with us or don’t be part of ourprogram.We’re going to do things different-ly, and you may not understand why at firstbut just trust your coaches. Just buy intowhat we’re doing and we’re going to havesuccess.”
The playoff contest was rematch of agame TBT won 17-14 earlier this season.Thewin made the Titans Class 7A-District 7champions and Gaither the runner-up.
“You know district champs, they canhave that,”Perello said.“We’re going for re-gional champs right now.”
Cowboys linebacker Matt Williams,whoforced a fumble, recovered a fumble andrecorded a sack against the Titans, said thechance to avenge that regular season losswas motivation.
“Coach told us all week if we lose, thenthey’re going to own us until next year,”Williams said.“We’d have to wait 365 days toplay them again.Coach said we just can’t letthem beat us twice in one season, so wecame out here and played with our hearts.”
Gaither’s defense limited TBT to 176
yards of total offense while forcing fiveturnovers and recording three sacks.
“I love playing in this defense,”Oruwariye said.“Our defensive coordinatorcoach (Brian) Del Valle makes great schemeseach games. If we do our assignments weknow we’ll make plays.”
Gaither had chances to put up morepoints in the contest.The Cowboys missedfield goals of 34 and 37 yards.They also hada fumble return for a touchdown byWilliams called back because of block-in-the-back penalty and also allowed 10 sacks togo with their four turnovers.
The sloppy play was similar to the firstgame between the squads.
“You know I don’t think we learned any-thing from the first game,”Stokes said.“Thewhole point was to come in here and cutdown on the turnovers and mistakes, andwe did nothing but that. If we don’t im-prove it’s going to be a long ride home fromLakeland next week.”
Gaither travels to Lakeland on Friday,Dec.2 at 7:30 p.m.The winner earns a spotin the 7A state final four.
Gaither exacts vengeance against Tampa Bay Tech
Sunlake downed by Gainesville 21-14
Sunlake seniors Rashaud Daniels, No. 1,and Kyle Fraser bring down a Gainesvilleplayer during the regional semifinals.
Sunlake coach Bill Browning talks with histeam after a 21-14 loss at Gainesville in theregional semifinals on Nov. 25.
Seahawks junior Eddie Burgos, who caught a touchdown against Gainesville, can’t hide his emo-tions after Sunlake’s season came to a close. (Photos by Thomas Matzke of Sunlakesports.com)
Sophomore defensive back AmaniOruwariye brings in an interception late inthe fourth quarter to help give Gaither a 17-14 victory against the Titans.
Dominic Neglio leads the Gaither football team onto the field before the squad’s playoff vic-tory at Tampa Bay Tech on Nov. 25. (Photos by Glenn Gefers of www.photosby3g.com)
Gaither senior wide receiver Carlo Perellocelebrates with a family member after theCowboys’ playoff win.
813-909-2800 / CnewsPubs.com C O M M U N I T Y N E W S P U B L I C A T I O N SNovember 30, 201116
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