The Terriers come up with a big defensive play at the right time.
By KEITH NIEBUHR
Published October 2, 2004
TAMPA - In a game where Hillsborough had two 100-yard rushers, 18 first downs, nearly 400 yards and controlled the point of attack throughout, it wasn't an offensive player who made the biggest play Friday night at Chamberlain.
It was defensive back Shanta Robinson.
With the Terriers clinging to a 9-0 lead early in the fourth quarter and Chamberlain on the move, Robinson stepped in front of a Jet Steele pass and snagged the ball to stop the drive.
Fourteen plays later, Hillsborough sealed it with a 4-yard Jarred Fayson touchdown, and the Terriers remained unbeaten with a convincing 17-0 win.
"I knew they were going to throw to my man first," Robinson said. "I kept thinking, "I've got to get this, I've got to get this."'
Robinson's clutch play was one of many produced by the defense, which held the Chiefs to 141 yards.
Chamberlain (1-3 overall, 1-1 in Class 5A, District 8) averaged 2.2 yards a carry, passed for 84 yards and never seriously threatened to score.
"Our defense played great," Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia said.
"They played great last week and the week before. Right now, the guys are playing their butts off."
If not for some big plays by the Chamberlain defense, Hillsborough's (4-0, 2-0) margin of victory would have been far greater.
Two Terriers drives were stopped deep in Chamberlain territory by turnovers (one was a fumble into the end zone) and another ended when Hillsborough failed to score after having first-and-goal at the 5.
"At the half, I told them I've got good news and bad news," Garcia said. "The
good news was that we had 46 snaps and (more than 200) yards. The bad news was that we had nine points to show for it."
Hillsborough's offense did most of its damage on the ground.
Fayson is noted for having one of the area's best arms, but Friday night his legs did the work.
In addition to his fourth-quarter score, he produced a spectacular 45-yard second-quarter touchdown run. He finished with 114 rushing yards and 60 through the air.
Teammate Stephan Knight added 111 yards on 10 carries, the highlight being a 71-yard third-quarter dash.
"They beat our pants off," Chamberlain coach Billy Turner said. "I can say it in stronger words, but I'm not allowed to. We couldn't get anything going on offense, but our defense battled their hearts out.
"I thought if we could just score that we'd have a chance in the fourth quarter. But we could never put together two or three first downs in a row."
