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BRANDON WRIGHTThe Indians stuff a late drive at the 10 to take second in 5A-7.
GIBSONTON - East Bay coach Brian Thornton admitted his team shouldn't have won Friday against Plant City. After all, the Indians fumbled a punt in their territory, came up empty twice inside the Raiders' 5-yard line and were penalized nine times.
But Brandon Zackery capped a fourth-quarter comeback on a 6-yard touchdown with 1:20 to play and the defense thwarted a furious rally as the Indians (5-1, 4-1) won 24-20 to take over sole possession of second place in Class 5A, District 7.
"After getting waxed by Lakeland (Sept. 17), we could have folded or got our butts back up off the ground," Thornton said. "These kids got back off the ground."
Zackery led all rushers with 177 yards, threw a touchdown and ran for the winning score, but the senior quarterback nearly cost East Bay the game. With the ball on the Raiders 1 and nursing a 17-14 lead, Zackery was intercepted in the end zone by Sherrod Lott with 3:28 to play.
"I saw the cornerback coming up and I tried to float it over his head but (Lott) came up with it," Zackery said.
The Raiders' Derrick Hallback (19 carries for 122 yards, three touchdowns) then took a screen pass 55 yards to the East Bay 25. He scored three plays later from 8 yards with 2:43 remaining, but the extra point was missed for a 20-17 Plant City lead.
The Indians returned the kickoff to their 37 and Zackery started the drive with a 26-yard run. Four plays later, Zackery scooted off left tackle for the winner.
But Plant City (3-3, 2-2) refused to go away. Coach Todd Long called a reverse on the ensuing kickoff from Hallback to Jason Brown, who took it back to the Raiders 45. Brown drove Plant City to the East Bay 15, but the junior quarterback was stopped on a scramble at the 10 as time expired.