Sports

Plant keeps mind on rematch

By JOEY KNIGHT
Published October 26, 2006

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TAMPA - Far less convincing than her team's three-game sweep Tuesday of Palm Harbor University was Plant coach Leanna Taylor's feeble attempt at diplomacy.

When informed that rangy setter Kellie Catanach said the No. 1-ranked Panthers have thought about Venice - Saturday's opponent in the Class 5A region semifinals - every day since the season began, Taylor politely responded, "That's not true. ... Maybe she does."

And apparently, so do all of Catanach's teammates. When asked how often the team thinks of Venice, which has spoiled the Panthers' state title aspirations the last two seasons, senior Christine Williamson said, "Oh, like, every day. It's a big thing here. Coach brings it up a lot."

If Taylor tires of coaching, she could have a career as a politician. Thing is, she can't fool her current constituency, which circled Oct. 28 on the calendar months ago - its projected day of atonement against the third-ranked Indians.

The 2005 defeat - in five games on Plant's home court - still throbs in the Panthers' psyche.

Plant squandered three match points, and had a possible fourth negated by an out-of-rotation violation, as the Indians escaped with a 21-25, 25-19, 25-20, 26-28, 19-17 thriller.

"We were supposed to win state, and we weren't expecting to end our season," said Catanach, who had 30 assists in Tuesday night's victory.

"It put a fire in our belly. We want it this year. We deserve to win a state championship; we've worked hard. I mean, they deserve it, too; they've worked hard. But it comes down to who wants it more, and we want it this year."

"It's a whole new season. We realize that, and that's why you tend to play a little bit tighter," said Taylor, whose club struggled with unforced errors Tuesday. "But we're just going to go back ... and prepare, continue to improve and we'll give it our best shot, play to our ability."

[Last modified October 26, 2006, 06:51:58]