MAINLAND 23: DURANT 14: The school's best season ever ends in the semifinals.
By MIKE READLING
Published December 6, 2003
DAYTONA BEACH - The goal posts in the south end zone at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium were tilted slightly to the late right Friday night, the result of an unsuccessful attempt by some Mainland High players to tear them down.
Unfortunately for Durant, the inability to uproot the uprights was about the only thing that went wrong for the Buccaneers all night.
Mainland got every break it needed, passed for key third downs, rushed for touchdowns when necessary and held on just long enough to come away with a 23-14 win in a Class 5A state semifinal. Mainland (12-1) will play Naples on Friday night at 7 p.m. at the University of Florida.
When that game kicks off, the Bucs will become the first Volusia County football team to play in a state final. Durant, meanwhile, will remain at home lamenting the end to its most successful season, which ended at 12-2.
"You can't take anything away from us," first-year coach Mike Gottman said. "These kids will be winners for life."
The Cougars were this close to winning the biggest game in school history.
After taking a 7-6 lead into the half, thanks to a Sean Zentmeyer 2-yard run and Mainland's failed pass attempt on a two-point conversion, they tightened down on defense and blocked a Buc field-goal attempt in the third quarter.
Rather than rally the offense, however, Durant's first two possessions flew by in eight plays as the Cougars didn't record their first first down of the second half until Mainland was whistled for roughing the passer just before the end of the third quarter. By that time the Cougars were trailing 9-7. Three plays later they were forced to punt. Again.
Mainland, meanwhile, garnered four first downs on the next possession alone, capping the 10-play, 74-yard drive with an 11-yard run by Vince Wilson to make it 16-7. Wilson finished with 150 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
"We had our opportunities," Gottman said. "We just couldn't capitalize."
The Cougars came out firing on the ensuing possession, realizing that time was of the essence as they found themselves down by nine with 6:41 remaining in their season.
Fred Andrew returned the kickoff 61 yards to the Mainland 23 and sophomore Chip Bowden completed two of his next four passes, including an 8-yarder to Zentmeyer in the end zone that the senior held on to despite a vicious, chest-high hit. Bowden's other completion on that drive was a 15-yarder to Andrew, who made a spectacular grab on the sideline among a group of Buc defenders.
The success of the passing game on that drive was enough to stir discussion on whether the Cougars should have passed more during the game - Bowden was 7 for 13 with two interceptions on the night - but Gottman stuck to his game plan.
"Whenever you have success like that you think about changing," he said. "But I didn't want to throw into what I considered the speed of their defense. We got here by running the ball."
The pressure was then on the Durant defense to make a stop and get the ball back to allow the offense one more chance. Mainland proved too strong one more time, however, reeling off 69 yards over the next eight plays and scoring on an Avery Atkins 29-yard reverse to seal the game.
