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BROOKSVILLE - Dale Caparaso claims he does not care one whit about the rivalry. In fact, for the second year in a row, he asked what exactly all the commotion is about.
Easy for him to say. For one thing Caparaso, the Pasco coach, is in his second year on the job, having moved here from up north. He's not expected to know what a game with Hernando means to Pasco.
For another thing, Pasco has not lost the rivalry game since 1999, making the entire affair look a little one-sided.
But all is not lost. Talk to Hernando, and you'll see. The border rivalry is very much alive.
"For me, it's a big deal. It's a big deal around here," senior lineman Windham Rotunda said. "It's just one of the games I look on the schedule and say, "We've got to get that one.' "
That's as true as ever this year, with Hernando losing the previous four installments of the series. The Leopards lead 34-18-2 all-time, but have lost nine of the past 12 games. Tonight they travel to Dade City to face the 0-2 Pirates, hoping to build on last week's 30-20 win over Ridgewood.
"It's make or break. This is the point where we need to turn our season," Rotunda said. "We need to go into district season with a full head of confidence."
Against Pasco, keeping one's head is the key. Over the years emotions have run high. Veteran seniors like Rotunda remember 2001, when Pasco planted its skull-and-crossbones flag at midfield in Tom Fisher Stadium, receiving a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before the game even started.
Chad Sanders lost his head before halftime last year, scrapping with a Pasco receiver after the whistle. Both threw punches and were ejected, and Sanders had to sit out another week's game.
"We don't like them, they don't like us," said Sanders, the Leopards' leading rusher this year. "It's a real attitude game, but you've got to stay focused with it at the same time."
Caparaso agrees with staying focused, yet all the fuss baffles him.
"It's no bigger deal than any other," Caparaso said. "I prep for this just like any other game."
Hernando will agree to disagree. "It's just an intense football game," coach Matt Smith said. "Our kids really want to get out there and get after it."