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Low expectations all many have for Rams

By IZZY GOULD
Published February 18, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Ridgewood can be horrible for one night and no will remember.

Jeremy Killinger can fire off airballs repeatedly. Mike Lawrence can send layups sailing off the glass. And Lukas Poderis can miss every single free throw.

Someone will credit Winter Park Lake Howell with incredible defense.

George W. Bush could probably win a third term easier than Ridgewood could take down the Silver Hawks. Everyone expects Lake Howell to win Tuesday in the Class 5A region semifinals.

Everyone expects Ridgewood to be another stepping stone.

The Silver Hawks could probably bench two players and win with Nick Calathes, Chandler Parsons and Joey Rodriguez.

Those guys are scary good.

Calathes and Parsons got Florida coach Billy Donovan to give them scholarships; Rodriguez is headed to Virginia Commonwealth. Ridgewood counters with two sophomores, two juniors and a senior Donovan probably hasn't heard of.

The Silver Hawks have received national attention. They have been ranked in USA Today's top 25 and are No. 1 in the Florida Sportswriters Association poll. Ridgewood isn't even in the "also receiving votes" category.

Lake Howell has reached the final four in each of the past three seasons. Ridgewood has not.

Lake Howell has not lost at home in three seasons. Ridgewood has.

Rams coach Gary Anders will probably point out these things as Ridgewood prepares for arguably its toughest opponent since losing to Winter Haven in the Class 4A region semifinals in 2004.

Anders will lean on almost 30 seasons of varsity coaching experience and his 404 wins at Ridgewood to scrounge up an inspiring pregame speech.

Perhaps he'll simply just state the obvious - all the pressure sits on Lake Howell.

Yes, Lake Howell has gone undefeated at home since the Internet was invented, but Ridgewood is hosting Tuesday.

And yes, the Silver Hawks have been to the final four in each of the past three seasons. But they are 1-4 in the final four and as the "Three Amigos" come to the crescendo of their high school careers, anything less than a state title would be disastrous.

Everyone's expecting Lake Howell to win Tuesday.

No one's expecting much of Ridgewood. Maybe next season?

Izzy Gould can be reached at igould@tampabay.com or 813 909-4619.

[Last modified February 17, 2007, 20:35:10]