Preps

North Suncoast: Sunday Morning Quarterback

The postseason looms and crucial district games are ahead, beginning Thursday with Ridgewood at Tarpon Springs and Central at Land O'Lakes. But first, here's a look back at Friday's North Suncoast action.

By Izzy Gould and David Murphy
Published October 14, 2007

In hindsight: Our predictions record

Each Friday, staff writers Izzy Gould, David Murphy and a guest "celebrity" predict the outcomes of each game on the North Suncoast. Each Sunday, they'll look back at just how poorly they did.

Izzy Gould

This week: 8-0 , Season: 49-16

Best pick: Picking Miami Gulliver Prep over Zephyrhills proved to be huge, but the Bulldogs proved they can tangle with a high-caliber opponent.

Worst pick: Shoot, two weeks in a row without a losing pick! How can we criticize that?

David Murphy

This week: 7-1 , Season: 47-18

Best pick: Tallahassee Maclay over Academy at the Lakes seemed like a sure pick, and Murphy nailed it.

Worst pick: Call it a trap game, but Murph went with Zephyrhills over Gulliver Prep and paid dearly with a loss.

Magic 8-Ball

Occupation: Clairvoyant

This week: 4-4 , Celebrity pickers' season: 41-24

Best pick: The 8-Ball predicted a near Nature Coast upset of Bushnell South Sumter.

Worst pick: Picking the 8-Ball to be our celebrity picker. We quickly learned how unreliable the Magic 8-Ball can be.

Friday night first-team

Tevin Drake, RB, Nature Coast: The shifty sophomore rushed for 144 yards, two touchdowns and two, two-point conversions in a 45-42 double-overtime loss at Bushnell South Sumter.

Stephen Pelaez, QB, Nature Coast: The talented quarterback was 7-for-17 for 150 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also rushed 10 times for 92 yards.

James Mahla, QB, Springstead: The junior quarterback threw for 191 yards, one touchdown and one interception in a 13-6 victory at Hernando.

All in the family

As he stood on the field after his team's 42-13 win over Mitchell on Friday, Ridgewood fullback Barry Johnsonbaugh shrugged off the importance his team's running game played in controlling the explosive Mustangs' offense.

"That's the way we run our offense," said Johnsonbaugh, who scored once and was one of three Rams backs with more than 70 yards. "Ground and pound, and control the clock."

The Rams' downhill, between-the-tackles style limited the damage inflicted by Mitchell dual-threat quarterback Tate Humphrey. Led by senior Byronell Arline, who finished with 167 yards and three TDs, Ridgewood racked up over 300 yards of rushing offense.

"We had to limit their big plays and control the football," Ridgewood coach Chris Taylor said.

Ridgewood's defense held Humphrey to fewer than 100 yards passing for the first time this season. Linebacker Arron Jackson had three sacks, and the Rams' secondary recorded two interceptions.

[Last modified October 13, 2007, 21:36:52]