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Pack uses injured QB for OT win

LARGO 9, TARPON 6 (OT): Fred Marshall fights Spongers tackler, bad ankle for touchdown.

By DUNN NEUGEBAUER
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 19, 2002

LARGO -- For Largo, Friday's game came down to a play called 18 Naked and would be run by a quarterback with a bad ankle.

Down 6-3 to Tarpon Springs in overtime, Packers quarterback Fred Marshall faked right and ran left on third down from the 10-yard line. Fighting off a tackler behind the line of scrimmage, Marshall turned the corner and dove into the end zone, giving the Largo a 9-6 Region 4A win and keeping its playoff hopes alive.

"Once I turned the corner, I knew I was in," Marshall said. "My ankle didn't bother me at all."

Largo moved to 4-3, 1-2 in region play, while Tarpon fell to 3-4, 0-3.

"We saw earlier that that play would work," Packers coach Rick Rodriquez said. "The kids did a good job out there. Hopefully, this game will take us to the next level."

Tarpon moved a yard on the first drive of overtime before kicker Chris Bannon hit a 27-yarder to put the Spongers up by 3.

On Largo's possession, Marshall misfired on two straight passes, the second of which almost resulted in an interception in the end zone, before the winning touchdown.

Early in the second, the Spongers moved from their 23 to the Packers 6. Tailback Anthony Houllis gained 54 yards on four carries during the drive, and Bannon hit a 23-yarder to put Tarpon up 3-0. Tarpon lost Houllis when he was ejected with 3:40 left in the half for fighting after he was knocked out of bounds on a punt return.

In the fourth Largo's Elijah McGill intercepted Alex Kidmanand returned it 48 yards to the Sponger 5. The two teams then traded turnovers, with Marshall and Kidman both fumbling snaps.

Packers kicker Jonathan Segretemade a 28-yarder to tie the game at 3.

After trading punts late, Segrete almost ended itwith a 52-yarder, but the kick was partially blocked at the line of scrimmage.

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