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Robinson's Kwane Doster goes down with an ankle sprain and the Tigers take advantage late.
By MIKE READLING
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 29, 2001
TAMPA -- After rushing for 193 yards on eight carries in the first half, the best thing Kwane Doster could do in the second half was lay on the Robinson bench and wonder when he may get another carry.
Doster suffered a high left ankle sprain on his third carry of the second half and was forced to take his 213 yards to the bench.
Jesuit took full advantage of the absence of Hillsborough County's leading rusher, reeling off 24 consecutive points and dominating the fourth quarter to claim a 34-19 Class 3A, District 8 win.
"We had to play a perfect football game to win this one," Jesuit coach Dominick Ciao said. "But we were able to hang on. Doster's a great athlete, a great back. He was on his way to having his own night."
Doster began his encore to last weeks' 17-carry, 353-yard effort against Alonso by scoring twice on his first three carries, racking up 160 yards.
Those two scores put Robinson up 13-10, a lead the Knights (2-3) would take into the half thanks in part to Ciao electing to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 2, a play which saw Mike Melghem and Enjai Bush combine to stop running back Aaron Fryer inside the 1 for the second consecutive play.
"It's one of those plays that if you go for it and miss instead of kicking the field goal it's a bad call," Ciao said.
Robinson got the ball to start the second half and went to Doster, who gained 13 yards, three yards and four yards before being hit from behind and having his left ankle rolled over. The senior lay on the field for five minutes before being helped off, unable to put any pressure on the ankle.
"After the first three carries I was thinking this was fun," Doster said. "I'm doing my job, my offensive line is doing their job and everything is going so well. This is a huge game. We haven't beaten this team in so long.
"I thought it was my knee at first. I didn't think it was broken but I knew I was going to be missing some time. I just wish I was back out there. I'd have more than 250 yards by now."
With Doster out, Robinson was forced to go with Reshard Hicks at running back, a problem only because Hicks doesn't get as many repetitions as Doster and was forced to adjust on the fly. Which he did well.
Hicks ripped off a 69-yard touchdown on his sixth carry and put Robinson up 19-10. He finished with 132 yards on 13 carries. Jesuit scored on a 12-yard pass from Anthony Severino to Kyle Warren to cut the score to 19-17 heading into the fourth and then used turnovers and Robinson's lack of punting game (Doster is also the punter) to score two touchdowns and a 33-yard Garrett Rivas field goal in the fourth quarter to keep its record a perfect 5-0.