EAST LAKE 21, PINELLAS PARK 19: The Eagles improve to 2-0 in Class 5A, District 9.
By JOHN C. COTEY
Published October 17, 2003
LARGO - It's true what Patriots coach Luke Kademoff told his players after their critical Class 5A, District 9 game with East Lake on Thursday. Pinellas Park is faster. It is more athletic. The Patriots are flashier and more dangerous. So East Lake wants to know - what's your point?
"I told our kids that in probably nine of 10 weeks, we will play a team that is more athletic, that is bigger," Eagles rookie coach Bob Hudson said. "But we'll never play a team with more heart."
Even Kademoff had to admit Hudson had a point as the Eagles outplayed the Patriots in a 21-19 win that all but assured East Lake will head to the postseason.
The Eagles, the only 2-0 team in 5A-9, needs only to beat Clearwater on Halloween night to clinch a district title. And even a loss would send it to a district tiebreaker.
Behind Leo Deartiaga's 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns, the Eagles (4-3) controlled the ball and their emotions, committing just one penalty, a kickoff out of bounds.
"They just wanted it more than we did," said Kademoff, whose team dropped to 0-2 in the district.
But the Patriots still cling to life. A win in their district finale over Palm Harbor U. and an East Lake win over Clearwater forces a tiebreaker between everyone but the Eagles for second. The Park (4-3) could have enhanced its postseason chances had it continued to play as well as it did on its first two drives Thursday. Brandon Lawson scored on 16- and 14-yard runs to make it 13-7. But East Lake controlled the ball for 12 of the next 15 minutes and retook the lead early in the third quarter on quarterback Lewis Caralla's 25-yard run around left end.
The Patriots squandered their last chances. Though they scored on Jerrick Slocumb's 3-yard run with 9:47 left, they botched the two-point conversion, failed on two fourth downs and committed a holding penalty with four minutes left to stall their final drive.
On third and 6 with two minutes left, Deartiaga crashed forward for 15 yards to allow East Lake to take a knee for the final three plays.
