Gaither's celebration of a 3-0 win is muted by a red card.
By MIKE READLING
Published February 21, 2004
TAMPA - All of the lights at Cowboy Stadium were off except for the one shining down on Gaither's bench.
About 150 mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters and girlfriends waited in the dark across the field but they were a mere murmur when head coach Eric Sims called his team into a huddle.
The first thing he told them was they were going to clean up the trash Lakeland George Jenkins left around its bench. The second part of his speech was a pep talk, telling the Cowboys they had to believe in themselves.
It seemed an improbable time for such a motivational talk, especially since Gaither handled Jenkins 3-0 to advance to next week's state tournament in Fort Lauderdale. But it also showed what an accomplishment it was for a young team with a somewhat fragile psyche to make it as far as it had.
The Cowboys will play Davie Nova on Wednesday in their first state semifinal since 2001. They won the state championship in 2000.
Sims waited for Friday's game for the three years since he took over as coach. It was also a game the Cowboys have dreaded all season as they lost captain Trevor Scott to a red card with just over 18 minutes remaining.
Though the Cowboys can appeal to the FHSAA, the red card means Scott is ineligible for the state tournament.
"They're down because of Trevor," Sims said, motioning to the very quiet Cowboys as they changed out of their game jerseys into T-shirts. "We have to prepare like he's not going to be there."
For that reason, Gaither's celebration at the end was very subdued. A couple of high fives here, a hug there. There was no mob in the middle of the field, and not until the team regrouped did someone remember to douse Sims with ice water.
The trouble began when Scott collided with an Eagles player while trying to challenge for the ball. The Jenkins player fell hard; Scott drew a yellow card and immediately left the field as Eagles coaches tended to their player for about five minutes.
In the meantime, the center referee was called over by his linesman. After the Jenkins player walked off, the referee went to the Gaither bench and changed his yellow card to red, saying Scott threw an elbow.
Gaither was forced to play a man down the remainder of the game.
By then the Cowboys had dominated on both sides of the ball and led 3-0.
Ryan Henriquez started the scoring when he controlled a Ben Foerstner flick-on of a Scott free kick and buried a shot low in the far corner just before the half.
Gustavo Cornejo followed by blowing past the last line of Eagles defense when an errant trap landed at his feet, setting up a 1-on-1 with the keeper. But perhaps the prettiest goal of the night came from freshman Eddie Ababio.
The Cowboys had an indirect free kick just outside of the Eagles penalty box. Scott and a teammate ran past the ball which was touched by Tony Barekat, who pushed it around the wall to Scott. Scott quickly crossed it in front of the goal mouth to Ababio on the far post who had an empty net in front of him.
