Armwood gets kickout of special teams

Hillsborough's punting woes, including two blocked kicks, open the doors to short scoring drives in Hawks' 19-9 victory.

By SCOTT PURKS
Published August 26, 2006

SEFFNER - The trouble for Hillsborough started less than two minutes into the game when the smallest guy on the field, 5-foot-7 Daniel Gentilesco raced through the line, leaped headlong and smacked a football in the air.

Blocked punt.

Armwood recovered on Hillsborough's 16-yard line and four running plays later the Hawks were in the end zone.

After that Hillsborough's punting unit committed three more miscues, including another blocked punt and two inadvertent knees to the turf by the punter that left Armwood with short fields.

In the end, the total stats were close (Hills-borough 155 yards, Armwood 104), but the final score was not: Armwood 19, Hillsborough 9.

"Obviously our kicking game was instrumental in the outcome," Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia said. "I promise you we work very hard every day on our special teams. But I guess we're going to have to go back and figure some more things out. "

Armwood coach Sean Callahan, meantime, hollered at the heights of happiness to his team kneeling in the end zone after the game.

"There are three parts to a football game," Callahan said. "Defense, offense and special teams. Tonight our defense and offense were great and our special teams were absolutely incredible."

Garcia didn't make any excuses, but did acknowledge that the Terriers didn't play a spring game (while serving a suspension for violating Florida High School Athletic Association practice rules) or a preseason classic (washed out last week by weather).

"That certainly didn't help," Garcia said. "Our preseason game was the first half and I think that showed."

Callahan said, "I don't think (not playing a spring or preseason classic) had anything to do with it. If they want to use that as an excuse, then they can go ahead. Last year when we lost (21-20 to Hillsborough) we just said, 'Well we got beat, and you know what, this year we beat them.'

"That's the way it goes."

Armwood, a state finalist the past three years, including state championships in 2003 and '04, had the game in hand with a 17-0 lead with less than a minute left in the half.

That's when, however, Hillsborough quarterback Eric Fennell broke off the night's longest play, a 65-yard sprint around the left side.

The Terriers kicked a 32-yard field goal with no time left in the half. Until the final moments of the game, however, there was little offensive spark from the Terriers.

"I have to say I couldn't be more proud of our guys effort," Garcia said. "We played our butts off.

"I know they gave it everything they had."

[Last modified August 26, 2006, 08:30:30]