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The Bulldogs haven't gotten much rest this month, but a pivotal win tonight against Hernando will keep them on track for the postseason.
By GREG AUMAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 19, 2001
ZEPHYRHILLS -- After winning three games in eight days, Zephyrhills takes a relative break this week: It only needs to win once. Forced to make up a game because of scheduling changes after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Zephyrhills beat Ridgewood, Hudson and Gulf and vaulted into a chase for the Class 3A, District 7 playoffs. Tonight's game at Hernando is a good sign of what the Bulldogs have ahead.
"It's definitely a must-win," Zephyrhills coach Tom Fisher said Thursday. "We only have one (district) loss, and it's a big test. We're coming off a tough stretch in the last two weeks, physically and mentally, but hopefully we're prepared for it."
Zephyrhills (5-2, 2-1) is one game behind Pasco (5-2, 3-0) for the district's second playoff berth, but the Bulldogs can overcome that gap by beating the Pirates next week. Before that showdown, Fisher's team must beat the Leopards (2-5, 1-2) tonight.
"We know we need to win this game," said tailback Michael Moody, who ranks second in the county with 706 rushing yards. "(The three games), all that pulled us together. That gave us confidence, showed us we can win with a couple of people missing."
One thing tonight's teams share is an excess of injuries. The latest for Zephyrhills is senior safety Keith Ostermann, the team leader with three interceptions, who broke his right ankle against Gulf and who is out for the season.
"We'll move people around, probably put Mike Moody back there," said Fisher, who also lost starting right guard Jamen Monbarren last week, also to a broken right ankle. "It's something you get used to, I guess, but it's not something you want to get used to."
Moody has been a two-way standout all season, but offensively he has reason to look forward to tonight considering the rushing yards allowed by Hernando the past two weeks: 413 in a 65-28 loss to Lecanto and 546 in last week's 47-14 loss to Wesley Chapel. Moody has rushed for more than 100 yards in his past four games, stats that have boosted the senior's confidence. "I need a piece of that," Moody said of the Leopards defense. "I see a couple of things I can do to maybe get a few yards."
Fisher said he is concerned about two things: Hernando's speed and the size of its line. The Leopards have lost their top two running backs to knee injuries but have found a big-play threat in sophomore Jagren Castillo, who has returned kickoffs for touchdowns in each of the past two games and added a long scoring run in each.
Zephyrhills hasn't played Hernando since 1998 and hasn't won there since 1990, Fisher's second season with the Bulldogs. A Zephyrhills victory tonight would give Hernando its third straight loss, matching the team's longest streak since 1996.
If the Leopards fall to 2-6, with a season finale against undefeated Crystal River, Hernando likely would match its worst record in 30 years.