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Letter to the editor

Chamberlain faces tough test

By ROD GIPSON, Times Correspondent
Published November 30, 2007

NORTH TAMPA - Billy Turner's dream season seems to be like that Energizer Bunny - it keeps going and going.

Chamberlain's convincing 24-8 win at Gaither in the Class 5A, Region 2 semifinals on Nov. 23 not only was the second time the Chiefs beat the Cowboys this year, but also set up tonight's region final matchup against unbeaten Kissimmee Osceola.

Jefferson, meanwhile, ran into a buzzsaw in the form of the defending Class 4A state champion Plant. The Panthers looked every bit the part of a repeat contender after their 40-14 thumping of Jefferson. The Dragons (5-7) were outmatched from the opening whistle, and by the time Jefferson got its first touchdown, Plant already had four en route to the blowout win.

For Turner, in his 29th season as the Chiefs' coach, it is his ninth straight season with a playoff appearance. But Chamberlain has not advanced this far in the playoffs since 2001, when it lost to Naples in the Class 5A state championship game.

And junior quarterback Dontae Aycock continues to impress, and more important, win. And he has gone a long way toward dispelling rumors of just being a running quarterback.

Aycock led the Chiefs (9-3) to victory two weeks ago against Wharton, completing three passes in a last-minute drive to put Chamberlain in position for Austin Pullaro's game-winning field goal. And against Gaither, Aycock completed his first five passes while directing two scoring drives that set the tone for the Chiefs' win.

Now Aycock will have to do it again.

In Osceola, the Chiefs will host a 12-0 team that entered the playoffs as the state's top-ranked team in Class 5A. The Kowboys come to Chamberlain tonight with an impressive resume: a powerful offense (38 points per game) led by running back Bubba Brown, who ran for 1,936 yards and 34 touchdowns this season.

Also, perhaps the Kowboys' most impressive feat this season, they defeated mighty three-time defending Class 5A champion Lakeland not once, but twice this season. Osceola topped Lakeland 25-21 in the regular season to end the Dreadnaughts' 53-game winning streak. Last Friday, Osceola defeated Lakeland 22-7, this time ending the Dreadnaughts' string of state titles.

Chamberlain will counter with Aycock and a solid supporting cast of runners (Kenny Allen, Deven Persaud and Lamond Scott) and receivers (Francisco Llanos and University of Illinois-bound Fred Sykes).

And the Chiefs do have a precedent in playing Osceola: Chamberlain eliminated the Kowboys from the playoffs during the 2001 postseason.

Chamberlain and Osceola kickoff at 7:30 p.m.

[Last modified November 29, 2007, 08:09:53]