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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 19, 2002
St. Petersburg 17, Boca Ciega 10
ST. PETERSBURG -- Homecoming never tasted sweeter than it did for St. Petersburg. The Green Devils (1-6) held arguably the hottest team in Pinellas, Boca Ciega (3-4) to 10 points.
PLAY OF THE GAME: With 1:43 left in the game, the Green Devil defense forced Pirate quarterback Jim Connors to fumble and recovered it to seal the deal.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: An inspired St. Petersburg defense forced four turnovers and kept constant pressure on Connors. Offensively, L.J. Hopkins (15 carries for 78 yards) and Sam Saunders (15 for 70) carried the load for the Green Devils.
THEY SAID IT: "They fight every game and they never quit." -- St. Petersburg coach Todd St. Louis.
-- KURT KRAUS
SEMINOLE -- Osceola fumbled five times and lost three. Seminole fumbled four times and lost three. Yet despite the mistakes, the Warhawks kept their undefeated season alive.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Leading 14-7 in the second quarter, Seminole running back Ryan Goshay took the handoff from quarterback Greg Wehr. Instead of continuing to run to the outside, Goshay set up and threw a halfback pass 56 yards to Kyle Read for a touchdown.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Goshay threw one touchdown, ran for another and had an interception.
KEY STATISTIC: Seminole ran 41 times for 296 yards and passed four times with one completion for 56 yards.
THEY SAID IT: "Last year, (Osceola) beat us when we were 5-0, but today we were able to come out on top." -- Sam Roper, Seminole coach.
-- JEFF GUSSOW
PALM HARBOR -- Pinellas Park's offensive line cleared enough room for 315 total rushing yards in the Patriots' win and held the Hurricanes to two first downs in the first half on its way to a 13-0 halftime lead. Jerrick Slocumb ran 39 yards and Jarmarcus Smith ran 51 for touchdowns. Stanford Gulley scored PHU's touchdown in the third quarter on a 74-yard run.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Palm Harbor gained momentum after its only score and recovered the ensuing onside kick. But Pinellas Park's James Adkins made a key tackle on fourth and 2 to end Palm Harbor's chances.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Smith amassed 146 yards on eight carries, more than 18 yards per carry.
KEY STATISTIC: There were 222 yards lost on 23 penalties for both teams.
-- ERIC MUSKATEVC
ST. PETERSBURG -- Keswick Christian's offense amassed 469 yards and the defense helped produce four Indian Rocks Christian turnovers as the Crusaders rolled to a Class A, District 8 victory.
PLAY OF THE GAME: With the Golden Eagles trailing 14-0 in the first quarter, Matt Sitton received the ensuing kickoff. He ran 95 yards to cut the lead in half.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: Keswick's Quentin Scott first touched the ball late in the second quarter, filling in for injured Ryan Carpentieri. Quentin rushed for 163 yards. KEY STATISTIC: The Crusaders' Blake Halverson blocked his fourth kick. THEY SAID IT: "A lot of guys get down when we get on them at practice, and it stops being fun. When they have fun, they are playing the kind of football we want them to play." -- Rick Sanson, Keswick Christian head coach.
-- CHARLES CARDWELL
TEMPLE TERRACE -- Temple Heights Christian (2-3) won the statistical battle, but three lost fumbles and two interceptions helped Northside Christian to its first win after six losses. The game turned during a 1:20 span right before halftime when Northside scored three touchdowns for a commanding 30-13 lead.
After Josh Franklin hit P.K. Keller for a 24-yard score with 1:48 left, a Nathan Lewis fumble three plays later set up Northside at midfield. Franklin hit Keller twice, the second from 23 yards, for another score.
The Mustangs capped their blitz two plays later when Todd Wilkerson scooped up a fumbled lateral and sped 40 yards with 20 seconds left.
-- JOEL POILEY