Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

It's showdown time in 3A-8

Unbeatens Armwood and Haines City decided last year's game on the last play.

By SCOTT PURKS

© St. Petersburg Times, published October 6, 2000

SEFFNER -- Five weeks, five teams pummelled by the Armwood Hawks.

Week 6?

"Well, this should be a little different," Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. "We expect to get a heck of a challenge on this one."

"This one" is Haines City, a Class 3A, District 8 foe that also is 5-0 and ranked No. 3 in Class 3A, one spot ahead of Armwood.

"(Haines City) actually looks a lot like us, except they're wearing green," Callahan said. "They have similar athletes and play a similar style of ball."

That means great defense, loads of speed and strength and as much rushing as passing.

Interesting Hornets stats: Have allowed an average of eight points a game; scored an average of 39 points; wide receiver Larry Kendrick (recruited by major colleges) has 22 catches for 477 yards and nine touchdowns, two of those on kick returns; running back Jaron Fountain has 26 carries for 436 yards (16.8 yards a carry); quarterback Eugene West has completed 45 of 69 passes for 855 yards and nine touchdowns.

Interesting Hawks stats: Have allowed an average of 3.2 points a game; scored an average of 40 points; wide receivers Leonard Anderson and Chris Murray (orally committed to Miami) have combined to catch 40 passes for 813 yards and 10 touchdowns; running back Carl Jones has 59 carries for 393 yards; quarterback Ron Buskey has completed 69 of 93 passes for 1,310 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Oh yes, and there is one outstanding Hawks stat.

They've pushed opponents' rushing attacks back for a total of minus-26 yards this year.

"I really think we're going to stop their run," Callahan said.

"I think to beat us, they're going to have to throw over us."

And probably vice versa.

Last year, when these teams met at Haines City, Armwood's rushing attack was slowed, but Buskey threw for 422 yards in a 27-24 loss.

Buskey's last pass that night -- and the last play of the game -- sailed into Murray's hands for an apparent touchdown.

But the referees threw a flag, saying Murray pushed off before the catch.

"If you go back and look at the films, you can see I didn't push off," Murray said. "It was a clean catch. I just jumped up and did my job and caught the ball.

"Hopefully this year, it won't come down to one of those last-second plays. Hopefully we'll come out and take care of business."

Besides being at home, one of Armwood's advantages is that it doesn't have two-way players while Haines City has several, including Kendrick, Fountain and Willie Hughley. Kendrick might have his hands full. As a receiver, he will have Division I prospect Antwan Allen covering him, and as a defender, he probably will cover Murray, who at 6-foot-3 is 3 inches taller than Kendrick and almost as fast.

"Oh, (Kendrick) is going to be tired after this one. I can guarantee it," Murray said. "I'm going to run him, and Antwan is going to run him. And he is just going to be tired."

One could go on and on about all of the matchups and strategies and playoff implications surrounding this game, but Haines City coach Tim Hatten summed up the contest well. "This is a game where you find out if you're really worth anything," he said.

"This is everything you could ever want."

- Information from the Lakeland Ledger was used in this report.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright

Lightning