Countryside lets opponents know it has more weapons than just Harrison Beck with a 31-7 win over Clearwater.
By JOHN C. COTEY
Published September 11, 2004
CLEARWATER - The fans waited for Harrison Beck to start winging the ball around the field. They waited for the bombs, the quick screens, the vaunted air attack.
They waited ... and waited ... and waited.
The highly hyped Beck didn't throw his first pass until one minute was left in the first quarter, but once he did the Cougars started rolling, all the way to a 31-7 victory over Clearwater on Friday night at Cougar Stadium.
But Beck was only part of a multi-layered story for the Cougars, who got big debuts from transfers Mike James and Bobby Floyd (Clearwater Central Catholic) and Anthony Graham (Northeast), an outstanding defensive effort and a performance by the offensive line that left Beck and coach John Davis beaming.
"You want to know the real story here tonight?" Beck said. "The offensive line. I mean, wow. I could sit back there all day."
Countryside made it clear from the start that despite its image as a passing team, it would not be painted into a one-dimensional corner. Beck completed 11 of 14 passes as the Cougars threw for 173 yards and rushed for 151.
"You can't be one-dimensional and win the district we're in," said Davis, whose team will be challenged by Dunedin, Largo and Dixie Hollins in league play. All four teams won Friday.
"I thought the offensive line was as good (as Beck said they were)," Davis added. "We did about what we wanted to tonight."
So did Clearwater - for one quarter, the first. Quarterback Bryce Lawrence capped a 12-play, 50-yard, six minute drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jabez Mitchem to give the Tornadoes a 7-0 lead.
Two players later, Beck completed his first pass, a 26-yarder to tight end Parker Miles, and a 25-yard screen pass to James set up the first of two Greg Meyer touchdown runs to tie the game.
Clearwater lost a fumble its next drive, and then Lawrence had an interception returned for 23 yards by lineman Mike Ralat with 8:46 left in the first half to give Countryside the lead for good.
The Cougars ground Clearwater into the submission in the second half. Casey Roebuck (69 yards) and Graham (53 yards) delivered some bruising runs, and Beck even caught a touchdown pass for the final score midway through the fourth quarter.
On the play, Floyd took the handoff and ran right before stopping and hitting Beck, who bowled over a defender to get into the end zone.
The Cougars' defense held Clearwater to zero first downs in the second half and minus-4 yards. Harris, one of the county's top returning ball carriers, had 69 yards, but just five after the halftime break before leaving with cramps.
"They made the plays and we didn't," said Clearwater coach Tom Bostic, whose team has started 0-3 the last four seasons and hasn't won an opener since 1999. "We were cramping up there at the end, and that's something we'll have to look at."
