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Lecanto, Hernando top area teams entering 3A district competition

By DAWN REISS
Published September 14, 2005

It's Week 4 and Class 3A, District-6 games are scheduled to start.

Lecanto and Hernando (each 1-1) lead the area after wins last week. Nature Coast Tech, Crystal River and Citrus are 0-3.

Lecanto seems like the only program to have come through unscathed from the past few weeks, where as the other four teams lost key players to injuries or they quit.

Nature Coast is minus star running back Rian Williams, who sustained a season-ending knee injury Aug. 26 against Frostproof. Hernando, which won 35-28 over Ocala Lake Weir last week, lost senior running back Fabian Jackson during the second quarter of a loss to Central on Aug. 26 to an ankle injury that could keep him out as many as six weeks.

Citrus lost quarterback Walter Howard, who said he bruised his left shoulder, on Sept. 2 in the last three minutes of a 29-15 loss to Ocala Lake Weir. Hurricanes coach Rik Haines said Howard "should start on Friday." Crystal River quarterback Kyle Daquanna quit a week ago, leaving last year's junior varsity back-up (Shay Newcomer) to fill the void.

Defense will be a key this week, as Citrus and Lecanto are gearing for the renewal of their crosstown rivalry. The Panthers are riding an emotional high after recovering from a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit and stopping Leesburg on the 1-yard line for a 28-26 victory last week.

"Whichever team plays the best defense will win this week," Haines said.

It's something the 'Canes are struggling to overcome after last week's 68-40 loss to Gulf. Citrus showed signs of promise, with a Dane Moore 42-yard interception return that staked the Hurricanes to 20-18 lead.

After Gulf scored again, Mark Xenophon caught a 15-yard pass from reserve quarterback Bradley Paul to tie it at 26. A quarterback keeper opened the door for the Bucs, who exploded for 28 points in the second quarter. "We've just got to get better," Haines said. "There's no miracle cure. It's called hard work. We've got a great chance to win if we play defensively. Anything beside that, we come home with our tails between our legs."

On the other side of the county, Crystal River coach Craig Frederick also is dealing with defense. The Pirates missed 45 tackles last week in a 41-6 loss to Central, so they will be focusing on that area in preparation for Friday's game against Nature Coast.

"Defensively, we haven't looked very good," Frederick said. "Offensively, we haven't scored many points either. Those combinations kill you."

Frederick said he's making the Pirates practice harder, with more aggressiveness and hitting. "It's about doing it over and over. We've played some good teams, but Nature Coast is at our level."

[Last modified September 14, 2005, 02:15:34]