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Lethargic Leopards fall to Forest

By BRANT JAMES

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 30, 2000

BROOKSVILLE -- Ocala Forest was supposed to be the cream between tough cookies on Hernando's schedule.

Trouble is, the Wildcats came to play Friday, and Hernando appeared to be either thinking about last week's upset of Central or its district clash with Crystal River next week.

It was a recipe for disaster.

Led by 140 rushing yards and three touchdowns by Antwan Tarrance, Forest ended a 14-game losing streak in manhandling Hernando 29-7.

Hernando (3-2) looked as pathetic Friday as it did sharp in a 14-7 win over then-unbeaten Central. Ninty-seven yards in penalties -- 10 of which cost the Leopards a potential game-turning touchdown -- and several missed tackles -- which cost them three more -- sunk Hernando into a 14-0 second-quarter hole. "We digressed this week -- certainly," Hernando coach Bill Browning said.

Hernando appeared ready to foist a comeback with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Brad Wyatt to Eric Williams late in the first half but slumped again early in the second, allowing Tarrance to escape two tacklers in the backfield and slash 88 yards for a 22-7 lead.

Tarrance's 9- and 37-yard touchdown runs in the first half also came by dancing through Leopards tacklers. Forest (1-4) rushed for 288 yards and outgained Hernando 381-195.

"These kids have worked hard, and they deserved a win," Forest coach Wayne Yancey said.

Yancey said he believed Hernando's poor tackling had something to do with his team's two-deep platoon going against a Leopards team with mostly two-way players. A main target of his team was Hernando fullback/linebacker Dee Brown, he said.

"We try to take advantage of the fact they're trying to play people two ways," he said. "Obviously, (Brown) is a great player, so we tried to hit him on defense and tried to make him make the tackle on offense. I'm not going to say they got tired, but we had the good legs in the second half."

Brown finished with 51 rushing yards -- and with Hernando trailing 6-0 had a 23-yard score nullified by a penalty. He sat much of the fourth quarter. Browning, however, chose not to use fatigue as a crutch for his team.

"That's just an excuse," he said.

The Wildcats dared Hernando to pass by crowding 10 men near the line of scrimmage and won the gambit. Wyatt, a sophomore, finished 2-for-13 passing for 32 yards -- all on the scoring drive -- and an interception.

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