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Turner continues postseason dance

After a 30-year wait, two playoff wins aren't enough to satisfy Chamberlain coach Billy Turner.

By MIKE READLING
© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 21, 2001

TAMPA -- One can talk about Chamberlain's 10-game winning streak and harp on the Chiefs being three games deep in the regional playoffs for the first time, but that doesn't tell the whole story.

Throw in the fact Chamberlain, which hadn't beaten longtime rival Hillsborough since 1992, defeated the Terriers twice in the same season and one still can't grasp how unbelievable this season has been.

In order to understand how big the Chiefs' 28-21 win against Hillsborough on Friday night was, and the region final berth that came with it, there's only one thing to know: Billy Turner danced.

That's right, he danced.

In the middle of the locker room, surrounded by mammoth linemen and lanky running backs hooting and hollering and pumping their fists, Turner danced.

"The kids call that the Skate," Turner said. "They think that because I'm old I can't do the Skate."

Turner has been a head coach in Hillsborough County for 30 years, the past 22 at Chamberlain. He's the county's all-time leader in wins, although until three weeks ago none of those had come in a playoff game.

He has studied football in the bay area forever, having graduated from Auburndale in the 50s, and compares tough games Chamberlain wins now to games like the 1958 Chamberlain-Lakeland game because he can remember the 1958 Chamberlain-Lakeland game.

Turner can recite game-for-game the heartbreaking losses he has endured in the playoffs. He remembers how his Hillsborough team jumped out to a 17-0 halftime lead against Sarasota at Tampa Stadium in 1968 only to lose 20-17.

Fourteen years later was his next postseason appearance. This time, it ended in a 7-6 loss to Dunedin. Thirty-three years after that bitter Sarasota comeback, Turner got his first postseason win, defeating Melbourne 31-9.

"We made history tonight," Turner said after earning Chamberlain's first playoff win. "Nobody can take that away from us."

Closing in on his 64th birthday, Turner is nearing retirement. But first, he has got a little bit of business called the state football playoffs -- and the dancing that comes along with it -- to take care of.

"It's like what (Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia) said about beating Lakeland last week: It brings credibility to your program," Turner said. "Beating Hillsborough twice in the same season brings credibility to you. I think right now we can play with anybody."

This season started out as anything but a skate for Turner's Chiefs.

After losing the first two games while breaking in a sophomore quarterback, Chamberlain went on a five-game win streak in which it didn't score less than 35 points. The Chiefs followed that with a big district win against King, used four overtimes to beat Hillsborough for the first time in almost a decade for the district crown, and then scored 31 against Plant City.

The 31-9 blowout of Melbourne in the first round of the regional playoffs gave the Chiefs confidence. Sophomore running back Donovan Davis's 24-yard score with just over a minute remaining against Hillsborough gave them a legitimate shot at a state title.

The resulting scene included Chamberlain players climbing up in the stands to hug parents and girlfriends, teachers wiping away tears and Turner doing his best Michael Jackson impersonation.

"We made history again," Turner said. "Hopefully, we can keep it going."

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