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Wildcats become a force on field

WHARTON 21, HILLSBOROUGH 0: Two touchdowns in 39 seconds ensure team's first winning season in six years.

By SCOTT PURKS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 18, 2002

TAMPA -- Wharton is no longer a weak, little, fumbling group of kids who happen to be wearing football helmets and blue and white uniforms.

It no longer can be called losers.

Wharton is now a winner. On Thursday it not only won 21-0 over previously undefeated Hillsborough (ranked No. 7 in Class 5A) but it also sealed its first winning season in its six-year history.

The Wildcats are now 6-1 and are 4-1 in 5A, District 6, putting them one step closer to their first playoff berth. Hillsborough is 6-1 and 3-1 in the district.

"Oh yeah! We've come a long way," Wharton quarterback Ross Corcoran said. "Last year Hillsborough whipped us so bad. They had us 31-0 at the half (en route to a 38-10 loss), and that hurt.

"That's part of the reason this feels so good."

The best part for Corcoran began in the third quarter as the Wildcats drove 76 yards in 18 plays, the last a 7-yard touchdown run by Larry Edwards, pushing the lead to 21-0.

The drive lasted more than 8 minutes, involved six third-down conversions and gave Hillsborough less than 10 minutes for a fourth-quarter comeback.

"We came together as a team on that drive," Corcoran said. "We knew we were doing it against a great defense. I'd have to say that was the biggest drive in school history. You'd have to say that."

The first 14 points didn't require near as much labor, and came much, much quicker.

With 1:19 remaining in the first half, Corcoran threw an interception that Ricky Ponton returned 44 yards for a touchdown ... until it was nullified by a blocking-in-the-back penalty.

On the following play, Hillsborough fumbled. Wharton's Jeff Johnson picked it up and raced 55 yards for a touchdown. Then on the first play of Hillsborough's next series, the ball again was dropped, and Wharton recovered on Hillsborough's 21-yard line.

Two plays later, Edwards was in the end zone on a 3-yard run.

Two Wharton touchdowns. 39 seconds.

When it was over, Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia said it didn't help that his top player, major Division I recruit Ronnie McCullough, was on the sideline with a season-ending knee injury.

But he quickly added, "(Missing McCullough) wasn't the reason we lost. Wharton beat us in every facet. They had a great performance and we didn't. That's it."

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