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Eagles implement same game plan: win it all

Hernando's semipro team plans to emerge as the SSFL champion a second straight year.

By LARRY BUGG
Published January 25, 2006

	[Times photo, 2005: Daniel Wallace]
	The Hernando Eagles celebrate last year's 17-15 Rice Bowl victory against the Miami Magic City Bulls at the Orlando Citrus Bowl.
	Eagles coach Ernest Givins

BROOKSVILLE - There is no question about what the Hernando Eagles want to accomplish this year: the semiprofessional Eagles want to win the Rice Bowl and claim the Southern States Football League title a second straight year.

The Eagles (1-0) will take on the North Florida Rams of Jacksonville at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Hernando High football field. It is the second of 10 games the Eagles will play as they try to return to the Rice Bowl. The league championship again will be played at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

"We are calling that our championship celebration," owner Abraham Dowdell III said of the home opener.

The Eagles opened the season by beating the East Coast Reapers 20-18 last weekend at West Palm Beach. Derek Mintzer kicked a pair of field goals from 45 and 48 yards, an Eagles record.

Mintzer is taking over for Frank Berardi, who kicked the winning field goal when the Eagles beat the Magic City Bulls 17-15 in last year's Rice Bowl. Tony Thomas intercepted a pass and returned it 98 yards, another Eagles record, for a touchdown in the win over the Reapers.

The Eagles were 12-2 under Ernest Givins last year, winning the NFC South Division during the regular season.

The Eagles have the right man in Givins, who has won two SSFL titles - one with the St. Petersburg Sharks in 2001 and with the Eagles last year. He is the only SSFL coach to do so.

John Jones is the Eagles' starting quarterback. He was 5-0 last season until Givins went to Anthony Crescenzo midseason. Crescenzo, a former Central High standout, decided not to play this season. Jones' backup is former Springstead High standout and option quarterback Ian Wald.

Springstead High also is supplying the Eagles' fullback in Tim Whitehead (formerly Dow), linebacker Nick Belevilas and nose guard Jonathan Howland.

Al Washington, a cornerback/safety who was the Rice Bowl MVP, is returning. He led the team in interceptions last year with 10, scoring on five of them. He picked off a pass and scored in the Rice Bowl.

This is the fifth season for the Eagles and, after the league championship, they can't surprise anyone this year.

"This year is more of a challenge than the previous years due to the fact that we won the championship," said Dowdell, who also plays wide receiver. "Each team is going to want to beat us worse than ever. We have a big target on us. We have to prepare mentally and physically."

[Last modified January 25, 2006, 00:55:16]