By FRANK PASTOR, BOB PUTNAM, STEVE LEE
Published October 17, 2004
QUOTABLE
"I better be careful what I say. We're probably going to see these guys again."
- DALE CAPARASO, Pasco coach, after his team snapped Wesley Chapel's 15-game regular-season win streak. The teams could be involved in a shootout to break a three-way district tie at the end of the season.
* * *
"This game was our season. A Homecoming victory, well, that's great. But the bottom line is the playoffs."
- MIKE DeGENNARO, River Ridge coach after the victory over Ridgewood
GAME BALLS
ANTHONY VENTO, RIVER RIDGE: The junior lineman recovered two of Ridgewood's five fumbles to lead the Royal Knights to their second victory of the season.
DEVELIN ROBINSON, LAND O'LAKES: The sophomore wide receiver caught six passes for 150 yards, including a momentum-changing 71-yard touchdown, and ran 17 yards for a key first down on a reverse.
SPENCER BROWN, MITCHELL: The senior fullback/linebacker rushed for a game-high 109 yards on 23 carries to help his team to a 20-7 first-half lead.
KYLE HATCHER, HUDSON/ALTON VOSS, GULF: The quarterbacks combined for 368 passing yards and six touchdowns. Hatcher threw for 185 yards and four touchdowns, Voss 183 and two.
TONY SMITH, PASCO: The sophomore quarterback ran for one touchdown, threw for another and returned an interception for a third to help the Pirates past Wesley Chapel.
ANTHONY RAWSON, WESLEY CHAPEL: The senior quarterback played well on both sides of the ball, throwing a touchdown pass and recording two interceptions in a losing effort.
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT
Caparaso always has believed special teams can be the difference in close games. That was the case Friday, as the Pirates fell on an onside kick attempt by Wesley Chapel to seal the win.
"There was not a kid on the sideline who did not think we were going to recover that kick," said Caparaso, who drills his players on the importance of onside kicks every Thursday. "I'm the kicker, and the kids get about four out of five that come their way in practice," Caparaso said.GIVEAWAYS/TAKEAWAYS
One week after a late fumble sealed Land O'Lakes' fate in a 22-21 loss at Pasco, Land O'Lakes fullback/linebacker Scott Mays intercepted a pass to preserve the Gators' win at Mitchell. "This week, it was finishing the game," Mays said. "Last week, I had a lot of mental errors at the end of the game, and it's finishing the game. I think that's a plus. Our team finished the game, our whole team."
MY BAD
Mitchell coach Scott Schmitz pointed the finger at himself after the Mustangs blew a 20-7 first-half lead. "I probably didn't call a very good second half," Schmitz said. "I went a little conservative. When people know we're going to throw, we don't do a great job at that. We went a little conservative the second half. I take the entire blame. This is my loss. This isn't the kids' loss. The kids played hard, and they deserved better."
SOMETHING'S MISSING
Ridgewood, down 24-0 at the half, was penalized 15 yards because someone had to be sent to the locker room to get the Rams before the second-half kickoff. River Ridge kicker Cameron Baker kicked off from the 50, sending the kick through the uprights.
QUICK HITTERS
Hudson entered its game at Gulf with the county's top passer (Kyle Hatcher), rusher (Nate Toole) and second-leading receiver (Tommy Snow). Each added to his numbers, as Hatcher passed for 185 yards, Toole ran for 130 and Snow caught three passes for 125.
Ryan Rigau got Land O'Lakes off on the right foot, recovering a D.J. Crosby fumble at the Mitchell 7 to set up the first of Mays' two touchdown runs.
Former Pasco star Troy Hambrick, who plays for the Arizona Cardinals, attended the Wesley Chapel game.
Mitchell's marching band was invited to perform at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans.
JUST AN OBSERVATION
Mitchell played gutsy, but Land O'Lakes ultimately showed more heart.
No county team is playing better than Pasco right now.
Caparaso aside, no one was happier about the Pirates' win than Hudson coach Mark Nash, whose squad pulled into a three-way tie for first in Class 3A, District 9.
