CCC a perennial postseason fixture

By ERIC MUSKATEVC
Published November 9, 2006

CLEARWATER - Nate Lenz couldn't even answer.

Looking up and then at the locker room wall littered with photos of teams past, he just shook his head. What exactly would he do if Clearwater Central Catholic (6-4) didn't make an extended playoff run?

"I guess I've never thought about it like that," Lenz said Wednesday night after practice.

While athletic director Bob Cotter can usually find time in the summer to pencil in playoff plans for his soccer teams, he has had to arrange postseason plans for the football team the past 11 years, including Friday's Class 2B region quarterfinal at Wildwood.

From futbol to football, this year's team is a reflection of a program that has been in place for a while, much like soccer, and continues to grow.

"We've been through a whole cycle now. These are our guys out there," said coach Mike Jalazo, who replaced John Davis, now Countryside's coach, five years ago. "John had put us in a great situation with great athletes and installed the winning attitude here. We've had a ninth-grade program for three years and anytime you can get 95 kids playing football at your school you're going to stand a good chance of fielding a good team each year."

Seniors Matt Darr and Lenz combined for 23 tackles for loss on this season. Quarterback Brent Henderson finished his first season of replacing Andrew Nowels (transferred to Lakeland) with nearly 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jalazo says they'll need a perfect game, which they haven't played yet, and good chemistry to beat a big, athletic Wildwood team (4-6) and keep this season alive.

"We always play until late November," Lenz said. "I just wouldn't know what to do."

[Last modified November 9, 2006, 00:35:53]