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Tomlin paces Wildcats to big win

The Wesley Chapel running back rushes for 210 yards and scores five times in 43-14 win.

By JAMAL THALJI

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 29, 2001

WESLEY CHAPEL -- He rushed for 210 yards. Four times he battered his way into the end zone. He had 34 carries. He played his first fourth quarter in a month. Finally, exhausted, drenched in sweat, he took a rare breather on the Wildcats' bench.

But he wasn't done yet.

With 1:52 left in a contest he himself had won long before, he intercepted a bobbled pass and returned it 65 yards for his fifth touchdown of the game.

Yes, it's official:

Tyrone Tomlin is the Man.

Which means Wesley Chapel is now the Team. The team to beat in Class 3A, District 7. The team to beat in the Sunshine Athletic Conference. The team that beat up Zephyrhills 43-14 Friday night at jam-packed Wildcat Stadium.

After the first 5-0 start of his career, Wildcats coach John Castelamare was slumped over, clutching his knees, exhausted after his eighth-consecutive victory dating back to 2000. His 'Cats have now outscored their foes 226-35.

"These guys deserve it," he said. "They took their lumps, starting as ninth-graders, and hung in there. From here on out, they know, with this game right here, they have a chance to be the best."

It started as a shootout. Tomlin led back-to-back touchdown drives, scoring from 7 and 23 yards out to give Wesley Chapel a 13-0 lead. Zephyrhills quarterback James Adamo led his team right back, tossing a 38-yard touchdown pass to Tony Smiley. Tomlin answered with a 6-yard scoring run.

The Wildcats held a 20-7 lead and, after a Bulldogs' fumble, were on the verge of another score. But then Tomlin dropped a lateral, and after both teams stood confused around the live ball for 30 seconds, Zephyrhills' Keith Ostermann finally pounced on it. Adamo hit a diving Shawn Stewart in the back of the end zone with a 15-yard touchdown pass with 7 seconds left to cut the lead to 20-14.

But then the Wildcats (5-0, 2-0 in 3A-7, 4-0 in SAC) just dominated the Bulldogs (2-2, 0-1 in 3A-7, 2-1 in SAC) in the second half, scoring 23 unanswered points.

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