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Weather cuts Tarpon-LOL short

Game postponed until Monday, 7:00

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By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: October 5, 2007

Land O' Lakes, FL - Land O' Lakes, FL - Tarpon Springs High potentially received a little help from above Friday night.

The Spongers came into Land O' Lakes ready for one of the best matchups of the week and immediately stumbled out of the gates, looking almost as sloppy as their wind-whipped, rain-soaked surroundings.

Luckily (kind of) for them, the contest was delayed with 2:41 remaining in the first half due to lightening. After a lengthy wait, it was then postponed.

Tarpon will make the trip up north again, Monday evening at 7 p.m. Officials initially wanted to polish it off Saturday morning at ten, but that decision was quickly overruled.

Scoreboard at the time of cancellation: Gators 17, Spongers 0.

A combination of Tarpon penalties, slippery fumbles and risky passes-turned-interceptions gave Land O' Lakes a tight grip on the game's momentum...until weather took total control.

The first Sponger drive showed flashes of promise through the steady rain, as sophomore Ladarrius Only and senior Donnel Engram found plenty of running room. Two ten yard holding penalties and an Only fumble later, and Tarpon - unknowingly at the time - was witnessing a precursor to the future offensive woes to come.

Land O' Lakes took full advantage of the Sponger's three giveaways, turning two of them - both Tarpon QB Danny Reyes' interceptions - into 14 points.

Gator quarterback/defensive back Ely Payne nabbed one of those picks when Reyes threw deep downfield into the wind and rain. Double coverage and a little too much air under the ball for the surrounding elements led to a tip ball that Payne pulled down and returned over 60 yards to the Sponger two-yard line.

Gator running back Chris Singleton punched the first play from scrimmage across the goal line that got it to 10-0 following an Alex Spock point after.

Spock also is credited for breaking the scoreless tie in the first quarter, nailing an impressive 41-yard field goal that looked to be good from 50-plus.

Gator head coach John Benedetto said in the locker room during the delay that there was no second guessing his decision in going to Spock for the long field goal - even in that weather.

The momentum he and his Gators were taking advantage of though is now gone, he said, with signs of disappointment.

Until the cancellation, Tarpon Springs totaled 106 yards of offense to Land O' Lakes' 104 yards.

Gator running backs Singleton and junior Ben Hipps accounted for the two touchdowns, both on the ground.

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