Preps

Football: All in the family fun

Mitchell quarterback Tate Humphrey gets back at Ridgewood running back and cousin Byronell Arline.

By DAVID MURPHY
Published October 12, 2007

Tate Humphrey raised his eyebrows and allowed a mischievous grin to spread across his face. ¶ "He doesn't think I'm playing?" the Mitchell quarterback asked. ¶ No, Tate. Ridgewood running back Byronell Arline is convinced you aren't playing. ¶ "Hey," Humphrey laughed. "He did it to me."

Contrary to the reports Humphrey was floating to his cousin and longtime friend this week, the senior quarterback will be on the field tonight when Mitchell takes on the Rams, setting the stage for a showdown between the two most explosive players in Pasco County.

Humphrey has gone 63-of-98 for 927 yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions despite being hampered by a sprained right ankle that caused him to miss Mitchell's loss to Hudson two weeks ago.

Arline, meanwhile, has rushed for 1,142 yards and 20 touchdowns on 106 carries despite a bruise in his right foot that has forced him to wear a walking boot when he isn't on the field.

The two players grew up together and still hang out off the field. But they aren't above a little gamesmanship. So after Arline told Humphrey during the preseason that his foot injury was going to cause him to miss the season, igniting a host of Internet rumors, the quarterback decided to return the favor this week.

"I told everyone I couldn't even walk on it," said Humphrey, who aggravated the injury late in Mitchell's 30-14 loss to Gaither last week.

But he was walking fine Thursday. And Mitchell coach Scott Schmitz said he wasn't going to let the Mustangs' district showdown Oct. 19 against Wharton deter him from putting the heart and soul of his team on the field against Ridgewood.

"He wouldn't sit out anyway," Schmitz said.

After all, this is the last chance Arline and Humphrey have to face each other. They grew up in the same neighborhood in Tarpon Springs, attended the same family functions, shared the same circle of friends.

In fact, they played on the same Police Athletic League football team. Arline was a center. Humphrey was a right guard.

"Tate was fat," Arline said Thursday. "Everyone thought he was going to be a lineman."

Yes, Humphrey admits, he was a tad chunky. But at 5 feet 11 and 195 pounds, his days of enduring insults from people such as Arline and Mitchell wide receiver Tyrone Hendrix are over.

"He's a phenomenal athlete," Ridgewood coach Chris Taylor said. "He can beat you running the ball and throwing the ball this year. He's going to make some plays. We just need to make more."

Although Mitchell is 2-3 and Ridgewood's power running game is the exact thing that can keep the ball away from the Mustangs, Humphrey is the type of player who can change a game by himself. Last week, despite having to be carried off the field with three minutes left, he went 18-of-30for 248 yards and two touchdowns.

Afterward, Schmitz walked up to him on the bench and whispered in his ear.

"I told him, 'Your team needed you tonight,'" Schmitz said. "'And you didn't let them down.'"

David Murphy can be reached at dmurphy@sptimes.com or 352 848-1407.

[Last modified October 11, 2007, 20:54:28]