After not beating a winning team in the regular season, the Red Devils hit their stride.
By IZZY GOULD
Published November 18, 2005
Williston's first bite of the playoffs in three seasons was worth savoring.
The Red Devils aren't ready to put down the fork.
Tonight they enter Cobra Stadium in hopes of sticking a fork in Hudson's season in a Class 3A regional semifinal. A win might convince some skeptics that Williston belongs in the playoffs.
"We're just trying to stay alive," second-year Williston coach Jamie Baker said.
It defies understanding that the Red Devils (6-5), who couldn't beat any opponent with a winning record during the regular season, are playing in mid November and face 9-2 Hudson.
"Usually by this time I'd be playing basketball," junior quarterback Jiwan James said.
Williston limped out of the starting gate to drop four of its first five games - one to district foe Dunnellon - and allowed at least 30 points in each of its first three losses.
The only win in that span was a 20-14 victory in Week 2 against Chiefland, which finished 2-7.
Games and confidence slipped away for typical reasons - mental errors, penalties and lack of execution. Then, a turning point.
Williston pulled out a 30-13 win against West Port in Week 8 and won two of its final three to reach the playoffs. Errors diminished, and Williston had just one penalty in its first round-round win against Citrus.
"You get to West Port and the kids start making fewer mistakes," Baker said. "They start playing with some emotion. It helped tremendously."
Perhaps this year's postseason run - Williston advanced to tonight's game with a 64-25 win over Citrus - was meant for last year's group. Baker's first season began with an impressive 5-0 start. The community of Williston - always supportive of its high school - was energized with visions of its first postseason since 2001.
But Williston finished 6-3 and, "We missed the playoffs by a minute and a half," Baker said.
Williston was leading a crucial district game against Dixie County 14-0 at halftime. A win would have clinched a playoff berth. With less than 2 minutes left the Red Devils were flagged for a 15-yard penalty. Dixie County knocked home a field goal for a 25-22 win.
"It was tough," Baker said. "We felt obviously we had a chance to go."
That chance came one year later.
Baker wasn't too optimistic staring at an opening-day roster with 26 names. Throughout the season, some of those players were sidelined with injuries.
Baker promoted roughly nine junior-varsity players, many of whom start tonight.
The key players are junior quarterback Jiwan James (85 of 158 for 1,194 yards, 12 touchdowns, 10 interceptions), senior defensive tackle Aaron Harris and two-way senior starter Termaine Snead. Snead has four interceptions in the secondary and was handed the starting tailback job three weeks ago. Baker said he's averaging roughly 100 yards in his past two games.
"It's been three years since they've been there," Baker said. "It's an exciting time in our community."
