Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

Mustangs use breaks

MITCHELL 27, SPRINGSTEAD 21 (2 OT): Big plays and some help keep the home team in the playoff hunt.

By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 19, 2002

TRINITY -- Is it better to be lucky than good?

Actually, it is better to be both.

Mitchell caught some breaks early and made some big plays late to knock Springstead off 27-21 in double overtime Friday night at Mustang Stadium and stay alive in the Class 4A, District 6 playoff race.

"It's big," Mustangs coach Scott Schmitz said. "It was a character-builder. We had plenty of chances to pack it in and we didn't. That's why I'm so proud of them.

"We had some breaks, but when you work hard good things happen."

Springstead (1-6, 0-3) was unstoppable in the first half, rushing for 134 yards on two drives, as fullback Tim Dow ran in touchdowns in the first and second quarters.

Mitchell (3-4, 2-1) answered with quarterback Spencer Brown and junior varsity tailback D.J. Crosby making their first starts. Ryan Villiard caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from Brown in the first and Rob Metz scored on a 1-yard plunge in the second. But the Mustangs had two tipped Brown passes fall into Villiard's and Scott Frazier's hands for big gains and Crosby recovered a forward quarterback fumble.

"Mitchell played hard," Springstead coach Bill Vonada said. "But we had some bad breaks."

Late in the game the Mustangs drove to the opposing 29 but stalled. Mitchell tried for a fake field goal, but holder Donnie Josephik overthrew a wide-open Ricky Moise. The Eagles' Mike Hibbard attempted a 35-yard winning field goal with 1:13 left. But the kick was low and blocked.

In the first overtime, under pressure, Brown fired a 5-yard touchdown pass to James Campbell to give the Mustangs a 21-14 lead. Dow's 4-yard touchdown run tied it.

The Eagles won the toss in the second overtime and took possession. It was third-and-goal at the 3 when Ian Wald took the snap, faked the handoff and tried to pitch outside. He collided with Mitchell end Mike Pijanowski and linebacker Tony Hart, the ball popped out and Frazier recovered.

"Thank the lord," Frazier said.

Three plays later Metz scored from 3 yards out as Mitchell players stormed the field, mobbing Schmitz.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright