Preps

St. Petersburg 35, Pinellas Park 14

By NATHAN COWAN, Times Correspondent
Published October 20, 2007

Pinellas Park hoped to celebrate Homecoming with a victory on Thursday night. Senior running back Mike Wilson and St. Petersburg had other plans.

Wilson ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns in leading the Green Devils to a 35-14 drubbing of the Patriots.

"All of the credit goes to my offensive line for getting good blocks and making nice holes," Wilson said. "The other backs in the backfield with me did a good job, too."

Wilson was talking about Dontrell Townsend, Lorenzo Arscott and Ben Sams, who combined for 238 yards on 36 carries.

"They rotate a lot of backs," Patriots coach Matt Lance said. "They just kept coming."

After a scoreless first quarter, Pinellas Park opened the second quarter with a 6-yard run from quarterback Jesse Redden. Justin Paulton added the extra point to make the score 7-0.

St. Pete started a drive of its own and moved the ball to the Patriots 31 on nine plays before coughing up the ball.

The Green Devils defense stiffened and forced a three and out. Punt returner Dondre Davis broke a long return to the Pinellas Park 30.

After an offside penalty, Wilson busted through the line and bounced off tacklers en route to a 25-yard touchdown. The PAT was missed, and the score was 7-6 at halftime.

After the Homecoming court was crowned, the Green Devils wasted no time in spoiling the party.

St. Pete High drove 63 yards on nine plays, and Wilson added his second touchdown of the night going in from 1 yard. Arscott ran in the conversion, and the Green Devils had a lead they would never relinquish.

"Mike is a special back, and he can go," said St. Pete coach Joe Fabrizio. "We just have to get him some blocks."

The Green Devils defense, which allowed zero rushing yards in the second half, forced another three and out.

St. Pete mounted another strong running drive. This time, it was seven plays for 51 yards, with Sams going in from 1 yard. Devon Papendrew made the PAT to make the score 21-7.

Pinellas Park answered with a 10-play drive of its own. The drive seemed to stall on the Green Devil 19, but Lance opened his bag of tricks. Running back Chris McKinnie faked a sweep to the right and threw back across the field to Redden, who bulled his way into the endzone. Paulton made the score 21-14.

"We left our D out there too long," Lance said. "We have to keep fighting."

The Green Devils responded with a 68-yard kick return by Davis.

"They had the player make plays over there," Lance said. "They have a lot of speed, and they used it."

Four plays later, Arscott scored from 5 yards to make the score 28-14.

St. Pete added one late score on an 18-yard run by Townsend.

Fabrizio pointed to the defense of the Green Devils. They had seven sacks and intercepted a pass.

"Our seniors didn't quit," Fabrizio said. "We have to keep pushing on in the second half of the season."

[Last modified October 20, 2007, 00:33:57]