Keswick has Victory on its mind

By BOB PUTNAM
Published October 6, 2006

ST. PETERSBURG - Keswick Christian has done some pretty impressive things the past two years. The Crusaders have won 14 games - nine by shutout - and were ranked No. 1 in the state in Class B for most of last season.

But they are 0-1 against Lakeland Victory Christian (formerly known as Evangel Christian).

Eliminate that pesky opponent and Keswick might have claimed the county's first state title. Instead, the title went to Victory.

"It's frustrating because our region is so tough," Crusaders coach Rick Sanson said.

How tough? Last year, Keswick Christian lost to Victory Christian in a close game, finished second in its district and bowed out of the playoffs in the first round.

Tonight, the Crusaders (6-0) will try to exact revenge against Victory (3-3) in the biggest district game for both schools.

"We all know the importance of this one," Sanson said.

Victory Christian has gone through some changes since the last meeting. For one, the name change. But there are some things that are the same. Victory still has speed and is very good.

"From what I can see on tape, they're a little bit smaller than last year, but a lot faster," Sanson said.

Speed means big plays and sudden strikes that demoralize opponents with their swiftness. Having speed puts tremendous pressure on defenses.

Victory believes its sprinters, such as Tennessee recruit Art Evans, do not have to catch the ball to be dangerous. His presence is electric enough to alter a game's dynamics, moving the defense off the line and creating space for the offense.

The Crusaders, though, should be prepared. Sanson purposely scheduled St. Petersburg Catholic in the spring game so his players could play against a team with similar speed.

Keswick has speedy receiver Tony Anderson, who has more than 350 yards and four touchdowns.

Keswick also learned its lesson from last season and is avoiding the hype that comes with state rankings and big games.

"We were No. 1 early last year and all we could think about was the game against Victory," Sanson said. "This year's team is different. I don't know if any of them know if we're ranked or even care. They just want to focus on each game and win."

[Last modified October 6, 2006, 01:20:32]