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Pirates nearly let this one slip away

PASCO 20, RIVER RIDGE 19: Dropped passes and poor play puts the Pirates in a hole, but they rally.

By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published September 7, 2002

NEW PORT RICHEY -- Speed forgives all.

It can hide 18 penalties. It can erase two fumbles, an interception and a botched punt. It can obscure a misfiring offense. It can make up for showboating players who drop touchdown passes. And it can pound an opponent into submission late, wearing them down under a wave of blitzes.

Pasco wore down River Ridge 20-19 in a come-from-behind clash of brute force versus fleet feet. In the end, the Royal Knights' big offensive line ground to a halt in the second half, as the Pirates' big-play offense and swarming defense erased a 19-6 halftime deficit.

"We had our chances," Pasco coach Ricky Thomas said. "We just dropped two or three touchdown passes. We had to spot River Ridge 19 points. I just want to credit my defense with a great game.

"We had to come from behind in hos-tile territory."

River Ridge took it to Pasco from the opening kickoff, which Jahmaal Osbourne returned 98 yards for a touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. On the Pirates first drive Johnny Peyton drops his first easy touchdown, and then Pasco botches a punt, giving the Knights field position.

But River Ridge could not punch it into the end zone on two scoring drives in the first quarter, settling for Matt Baker field goals of 37 and 22 yards to take a 13-0 lead. On the ensuing Pasco drive, quarterback Ben Alford scrambles for a 26-yard first down after the botched punt snap. Next Marcus Allen scored on a 58-yard scramble to cut the lead 13-6. The Knights answered with Anthony Daugherty's 1-yard touchdown plunge to take a 19-6 halftime lead.

The game was decided in the third, as an Alford pass on third and 14 at the 30 was tipped into the end zone and an open Peyton. Alford ran in the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 19-14. Devorian Burns gave the Pirates the lead, outjumping River Ridge's safety on a 51-yard scoring pass from Alford. The two-point run failed, leaving Pasco with a one-point lead.

Peyton would drop another sure touchdown. River Ridge's David Onorato twice intercepted Alford, but the Knights offense wouldn't budge. The Pirates blitzed quarterback Ryan Mistal, sacking him eight times. River Ridge's best chance: Alex Wilson, open downfield with 2:42 left, losing the ball overhead and having it bounce off his helmet.

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