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Don't bet on it

Lakeland's coach is trying to pass his team off as the underdog, but Hillsborough isn't fooled.

By SCOTT PURKS

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 9, 2001

TAMPA -- Bill Castle is a tactician, a stickler, a notorious worrier.

He'll look you in the eye and say his team is the underdog, and as you watch him fidget and fret, you might actually believe him.

But don't let him fool you.

In 25 years he's never had a losing season, has won three state championships and once owned a state-record, 60-game regular-season winning streak (snapped earlier this season in a 2-0 loss to Haines City).

Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia says he knows all that, and he's not biting on the Castle "We're-the-underdog" schtick.

"Bill Castle?" Garcia said. "Shoot, he's one of the best coaches in the country."

And once again Castle has one of the best teams in the state, no matter what he might say.

This year's Dreadnaughts are 9-1, featuring a defense that has given up an average of less than a touchdown a game.

On offense, the Dreadnaughts have run their typical trap-option, rushing for well over 2,000 yards behind three backs, Gavin Smart, Charlie Riddle and Torrince Ruth, who have each gained more than 740 yards.

Passing? Who cares?

"If we can run the ball," said Castle, whose team has thrown for less than 400 yards, "why should we pass it?"

Meanwhile in Tampa, Hillsborough, traveling to Lakeland tonight for the first round of the Class 5A playoffs, has started thinking along the same lines.

Last week the Terriers (8-2) unveiled the wishbone, an attack they haven't used the eight previous years Garcia has been their coach. The Terriers have always been known for the I-formation.

The logic for the switch was simple: with bruising backs Elijah Dukes, Ronnie McCullough and Arteis Brown, and an explosive offensive line, why not run a power-driven offense?

"All we want to do is gain 33/4 yards on every running play," Garcia said. "We want to take as much time as we possibly can getting up to the line of scrimmage and then run a play that gains 33/4 quarter yards. If we do that, then I think we'll have some success."

Last Friday against previously unbeaten Jefferson, Hillsborough's plan worked to perfection: 47 carries, 268 yards and a 23-14 victory.

"If we do that again, we'll keep Lakeland's offense on the sideline," Garcia said. "That's what we have to do, especially when it comes to their quarterback (Prince Hixon)."

At East Bay in the deciding 5A, District 6 final, Hixon shredded the Indians with 12 carries for 150 yards, two rushing touchdowns and a 50-yard touchdown pass. In the end, it wasn't even close, as Lakeland won 34-7.

"We watched film of that game and Lakeland's speed is nothing like we've seen," Garcia said. "We thought we had seen speed before, but man, we have never seen speed like they have."

Speed and tactics aside, many wonder if traveling into the hostile Lakeland confines of packed Bryant Stadium will intimidate Hillsborough.

Garcia thinks not.

"We've been to the playoffs eight of the past nine seasons," he said. "We won't be intimidated by anything. We don't get intimidated."

The last time Lakeland and Hillsborough met was 1999, a game the Dreadnaughts won 19-14 at Chelo Huerta Field en route to its third state title. No other game in Lakeland's run that year was nearly as close.

"We can't wait to play at Lakeland in the playoffs," Garcia said. "Sure, we'd like to be at home, but we'll take this. I mean this is a chance to play against Bill Castle, one of the best coaches in the nation, at one of the state's best programs."

But again, you'd never know it by talking to Castle.

Before many seasons Castle has been heard saying, "We had so many starters graduate that if we win one game this season I should be named coach of the year."

He has often said it with a straight face, looking rather worried.

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