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Tonight's games

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 5, 2001

All games at 7:30 unless noted.

Wharton (3-2, 1-2) at King (3-2, 2-0)

LAST MEETING: King 21, Wharton 6 (2000)

THE SKINNY: Last week, King squandered four chances to score inside Plant's 25-yard line and lost 7-0. You know what happens when you tease Lions like that? Well, they get pretty darn riled up. This is a district game, which means Wharton, winner of its first three games but loser of its last two, should be very concerned.

Pastor: King Purks: King Readling: King

Alonso (0-5, 0-2) at Hillsborough (4-1,1-1)

LAST MEETING: None

THE SKINNY: Elijah Dukes vs. ... Oooooooh, that's gonna hurt.

Pastor: Hillsborough Purks: Hillsborough Readling: Hillsborough

Plant (3-2) at East Bay (5-0)

LAST MEETING: East Bay 27, Plant 0 (1998)

THE SKINNY: Plant will get on a bus in south Tampa, travel to Interstate 75, turn west on Big Bend Road and pull into East Bay High, one of only three unbeaten teams in the county. Plant will then get off the bus, walk onto the field and pull off the upset of the week. Apologies to departing Times staff writer Frank Pastor, the lone dissenter on this pick. By the way, Frank is transferring from Tampa on Monday to cover sports for the Times in Hernando County. Frank will be missed, but his transfer should help Mike Readling feel better. Mike ranks third in this season's predictions race. With Frank out of the picture, Mike can finish second.

Pastor: East Bay Purks: Plant Readling: Plant

Riverview (4-1) at Brandon (2-3)

LAST MEETING: Riverview 42, Brandon 24 (2000)

THE SKINNY: The running of the Sharks -- and let me tell you, they love to run (1,429 rushing yards in five games) -- continues this week in Brandon. The lead Shark is Avious Steadman with 4,285 career yards, or 835 shy of the county's career rushing mark. No doubt Steadman smells blood; the Eagles have given up 1,230 yards on the ground in five games.

Pastor: Riverview Purks: Riverview Readling: Riverview

Sickles (1-4) at Gaither (3-2)

LAST MEETING: Gaither 47, Sickles 13 (2000)

THE SKINNY: Bob Gries -- former owner of the Tampa Bay Storm and millionaire business man -- suddenly turns into a head high school football coach? You kidding? No, we're not. Gries has turned skeptics into believers. The Cowboys have a high-flying, fun-to-watch, hard-working squad. Gries and company put a scare into Hillsborough last week before losing 49-35.

Pastor: Gaither Purks: Gaither Readling: Gaither

Blake (1-4) at Armwood (1-4)

LAST MEETING: Armwood 43, Blake 0 (1998)

THE SKINNY: Armwood could be the best 1-4 team in the county, losing by two points to Plant last week. Blake, well, Blake is struggling after two of its best players transferred to Jefferson before the season.

Pastor: Armwood Purks: Armwood Readling: Armwood

Bloomingdale (0-5) at Plant City (1-4)

LAST MEETING: Plant City 29, Bloomingdale 0 (2000)

THE SKINNY: Leto won last week, snapping a 15-game losing streak, thus giving Bloomingdale the title of "County's Longest Current Losing Streak" at 11 games. The poor Bulls have sealed another year without a winning season, a streak spanning all 15 years of their existence. All that aside, Bloomingdale has a chance to win tonight. We're not kidding.

Pastor: Plant City Purks: Plant City Readling: Plant City

Chamberlain (3-2, 3-0) at Leto (1-4, 1-2)

LAST MEETING: Chamberlain 35, Leto 0 (2000)

THE SKINNY: A week after getting its first victory in more than a year, Leto gets a chance to -- ugh -- play Chamberlain. Back to the salt mines for the Falcons.

Pastor: Chamberlain Purks: Chamberlain Readling: Chamberlain

Durant (3-2) at Robinson (2-3)

LAST MEETING: Durant 40, Robinson 37 (1998)

THE SKINNY: If Kwane Doster's sprained ankle is healthy, Durant is the underdog. If Doster is out, Robinson is in for a dogfight. Doster, by the way, has 974 rushing yards through five games and 4,302 for his career. That puts him 818 behind the county record of 5,120. So if he's able to go at all, you can bet he'll be there.

Pastor: Robinson Purks: Robinson Readling: Robinson

Tampa Bay Tech (4-1, 1-0) at Jefferson (4-0, 2-0)

LAST MEETING: Jefferson 22, Tech 6 (1994)

THE SKINNY: Let's see, Jefferson has outscored its opponents 199-20. The Dragons have also averaged 436 yards of offense a game and given up an average of 153 -- by far tops in the county. The Titans are 4-1 and have beaten the formidable King Lions. But Tech hasn't seen anything like these Dragons.

Pastor: Jefferson Purks: Jefferson Readling: Jefferson

Fort Pierce Westwood (2-3) at Jesuit (5-0)

LAST MEETING: None

THE SKINNY: Jesuit's lines are so big (averaging more than 270 pounds) nobody can see around them, let alone get by them. Running back Aaron Fryer has been the beneficiary, rushing for 552 yards and five touchdowns.

Pastor: Jesuit Purks: Jesuit Readling: Jesuit

Frostproof (2-3) at Tampa Catholic (2-3)

LAST MEETING: Frostproof 20, TC 14 (2000)

THE SKINNY: A few years ago this would have been a toss-up, a clash between state powers. TC has lost its last two games 69-0 and 60-0. Frostproof has at least been in every game and beaten one team 40-0. Doesn't sound like a toss-up, does it?

Pastor: Frostproof Purks: Frostproof Readling: Frostproof

Temple Heights (0-2) at Riverhills Christian (0-4)

LAST MEETING: None

THE SKINNY: Coaches don't like their players going both ways. They say it tires the guys out, wears them down toward the end of games. Too bad for Riverhills, which has 18 players. Going both ways isn't an option for the Falcons, it's a necessity -- just to finish the game, let alone win it.

Pastor: Temple Heights Purks: Temple Heights Readling: Temple Heights

Keswick Christian (4-1) at Berkeley Prep (1-3)

LAST MEETING: Berkeley Prep 38, Keswick 15 (2000)

THE SKINNY: If people can talk on a cell phone, juggle a cup of coffee and drive in bumper-to-bumper traffic through malfunction junction every morning without getting killed, then Berkeley Prep can win two consecutive games. Maybe. The Bucs did beat Indian Rocks Christian last week.

Pastor: Keswick Purks: Keswick Readling: Berkeley Prep

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