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Similar teams to face off

East Bay and Durant meet tonight with familiar offenses, defenses and, most important, 6-0 records.

By EMILY NIPPS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 17, 2002

TAMPA -- East Bay coach Brian Thornton has seen Durant's crowds on game film. He has seen their bleacher coverage, heard their chants and cheers, felt their intensity.

"They're a pretty noisy and enthusiastic bunch," Thornton said.

But the Indians said they aren't fazed; not by the Cougars, not by the possible sellout crowd at their E.G. Simmons Field tonight, and not even by the sheer importance of the game itself.

"Our guys know what they have to do," Thornton said. "If I have to say anything to get them fired up for this game, then something is wrong."

Class 5A, District 5's East Bay and Durant are undefeated, and have proved they can match up well against some of the area's toughest teams.

East Bay beat 5A state finalist Chamberlain last season and again this season. Durant shocked district juggernaut Lakeland, winning 28-17 against a team whose 60-game regular-season win streak ended last season. "At first, it felt like we won a state championship," Durant running back Trae Williams said.

"But this game (against East Bay) is big."

It's not that the teams are rivals (they are) or they share a long history (they don't).

The biggest thing each looks forward to is seeing how it copes with a team similar to itself. "We have a lot of confidence in the wishbone offense we run," Thornton said. "And they have a lot of confidence in the wing-T they run.

"We have a lot of confidence in our defense. They have a lot of confidence in their defense."

Both rely on physical, fundamental ground games, and neither considers itself to have one or two key players. Durant (6-0, 2-0) has three running backs (Williams, Sean Zentmeyer and R.J. Pollard) who have rushed for more than 300 yards.

East Bay (6-0, 2-0) has four running backs (J.B. Garris, Reggie Doby, Billy McPhaul and Keith Smith) who have rushed for more than 400 yards.

"We don't have any superstars," Durant linebacker Will Salley said.

Tonight will be one of the biggest tests for the Indians and Cougars, but neither said they are concerned with the other.

Both believe they can finish the weekend with perfect records, whether it is with a wing-T or wishbone, a sellout crowd or skimpy one.

"I think my guys are mature enough to focus on the game," Thornton said. "The crowd's not going to hurt them."

"It's going to be a close game," Pollard said.

"We know we can compete with any team, though."

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