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Wharton ecstatic at Wildcats' winning ways
By JOEL POILEY They tailgate in the parking lot. They paint their faces blue. Cheering wildly and leading fans in the wave, Ian Baldwin and Dan Jordan have helped make Wharton home games must-see football. "As a freshman you would come to the game and hang out and talk to friends. Now you want to watch the game," said Baldwin, a senior at the sixth-year high school. "I see new faces at every game, people I'd never expect to come to a football game ... students and teachers are talking about it, asking what we're going to do at the next game." Lots of people are talking about Wharton, and not just about the fanatical fans who call themselves "The Blue Crew." Surprising fans and local pundits, coach Richard Wood is leading the Wildcats on a maiden voyage through the Class 5A football playoffs. Jefferson High in Town 'N Country faces a parallel journey as the potentially season-ending games continue tonight. The Buccaneers of Daytona Beach Mainland (12-1) invade Wharton (12-1) for a 5A state semifinal at 7:30, with the victor earning a trip next weekend to the championship game at Tallahassee's Doak Campbell Stadium. The Blue Crew will watch their team face another big, fast unit in Mainland. The Buccaneers feature junior running back Vince Wilson, who rushed for more than 1,100 yards during the regular season, and sophomore quarterback Jon Garner, a rangy lefty at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds. Linebacker Don Golphin leads a Mainland defense that registered seven shutouts during the regular season and allowed only 61 points. That should not intimidate Wharton, whose stingy defense permitted only 62 points and has limited opponents to seven points a contest. Mainland sails into Wharton a seasoned postseason performer, in its seventh consecutive year in the playoffs. The Bucs have been road warriors during the playoffs, with victories after long trips to the Panhandle. But Wharton has played with purpose and poise in its first playoff foray, peaking at the right time. "The kids are playing with tremendous passion," Wood said. "Lakeland (last week's opponent) could have made some plays, but the kids were flying to the ball. They really believe in themselves the way the coaching staff does, and they have the prize in their sights." A nine-year veteran at linebacker with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Wood experienced his first championship as a high school sophomore in Elizabeth, N.J. He's enjoying reliving those memories through his team, pointing out the sign he posted above the weight room door: "48 minutes to play, a lifetime to remember." "It's a special bond you never forget," said Wood, 49. "You cannot forget one guy you played with. You still want to know how everybody is doing. You still go visit your coach when you go home. "Those people were a positive influence in your life. We were the only football team in town, and it was an honor to play. You feel like you're a winner for the rest of your life." The community also wins, said Wood, who lauded The Blue Crew's efforts at pumping up the crowds. "The school spirit is higher than it has ever been in the fall," Wood said. "I know you attribute it to the football team, but it's like the Bucs. When they win, everybody feels like a winner. Your school football team is like your local army in the community. I've always felt that since my high school days." Spirit is similarly elevated at Jefferson, whose Dragons seem to be meeting their appointed destiny in tonight's Class 4A semifinal at Punta Gorda Charlotte. Loaded with talent, the Dragons figured to advance deep into the playoffs after reaching this level last season. But Jefferson (12-1) has been tested by injuries to key players. Two-way lineman Donnie Woods, one of the highest-rated recruits in the state, and speedy senior running back Rashaun Grant both went down midseason. Jefferson never missed a beat, as senior quarterback Andre Caldwell and senior running back Josh Balloon kept the Dragons moving, along with senior two-way lineman Jermaine Lemons. "I love this team's heart," coach Mike Simmonds said. "Nothing was going to stop them from getting back here and having the chance to redeem themselves. They've handled the expectations people placed on them very well all year." Charlotte (13-0) provides a formidable foe, with 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior quarterback Justin Midgett throwing for nearly 2,400 yards. Midgett has already committed to play next year at the University of Florida. "He's as good a quarterback as we've seen," Simmonds said. "They have a couple good running backs to complement Midgett, and their receivers can stretch the field." Like Wood at Wharton, Simmonds is an ex-Buccaneer who has enjoyed passing along his football acumen. "Neither of us are from here originally," Simmonds said. "But we both settled here and it's great that you have two guys that have dedicated themselves to the community and helping young men improve in the classroom and on the field, and helping them get to the next level."
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