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WEEK 10 PREVIEW: Tarpon And Springstead To Battle It Out
Springstead (6-2, 3-1) @ Tarpon Springs (6-2, 3-1)
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Published: November 6, 2008
TARPON SPRINGS - Win and you're in, lose and start scoreboard watching.
Friday night's rivalry game between Springstead and Tarpon Springs is billed as one of the area's prime-time matchups due to its implications on the Class 4A-District 8 playoff picture.
Here's how it breaks down:
Whew. Alright, got it? Now here's what's coming on Friday at Tarpon Springs.
Game coverage, stats and photos will be available here, at www.suncoastnews.com, following the contest.
LAST YEAR:
Tarpon rolled to an easy 44-11 victory in 2007.
SPRINGSTEAD (Class 4A, District 8):
The Eagles are certainly a Hernando County team to be reckoned with. The squad has outscored its opponents by an average score of 28-11 this season and boasts three shutouts.
Springstead's offense is predicated on spreading the ball around. Not in a spread offense sense, but in that many players touch the ball in different ways.
On paper, the scheme looks very balanced in terms of the run-to-pass ratio. Quarterback James Mahla is what makes the unit go. The senior has thrown for 1,150 yards, 10 touchdowns and only one interception all season and he is the team's second leading rusher, with 391 yards and eight scores.
The other two big weapons are fullback Mike Greco (446 yards rushing) and receiver Ben Noury (28 catches for 464 yards). Noury has also carried 50 times for 324 yards and two touchdowns.
Opposing defense's confusion based on players going in motion before the snap can allow the Eagles to start marching the field and driving up the score quick.
Defensively, the availability of big nose guard Christian Quinones is still questionable and could play a large role in Springstead's ability to stop a potentially explosive Tarpon attack. The junior has not played in the past two games due to a knee injury suffered against Hernando.
In the last two games, Springstead has allowed 44 combined points, about double what they usually surrender per contest.
Regardless of Quinones' return, the Eagles still have big time playmakers on the field. Linebackers Nate Schafer and Dominique Roberson are the team's No. 1 and No. 2 tacklers, respectively.
TARPON SPRINGS (Class 4A, District 8):
The Spongers are coming off of their best offensive display of the season after dismantling district-foe Central High 44-7. Quarterback Danny Reyes threw for 330 yards on 24-of-30 passing with five touchdowns. Tarpon will be looking for a repeat performance Friday night against another Hernando County school.
A pass oriented team, Tarpon Springs can always be counted on for its aerial display. Reyes has passed for a Pinellas County-leading 1,714 yards and receivers Bobby Vavlas (51 receptions for 795 yards) and Drew Kier (32 receptions for 438 yards) are the senior's favorite targets.
The Sponger ground attack has been sporadic throughout the season, with Josiah Fisk (66 rushes for 356 yards) carrying the heaviest load of late. Shifty tailback Marcelle Lewis has been held off the field due to an ankle injury, but may see some time this week. Marcus Nemeth has not received a lot of touches in 2008, but is still a potential threat when in the backfield.
Defensively, Tarpon's main strength is in its secondary. The defensive backfield can be deadly if their teammates upfront are effective at limiting the opponent's ground game. Cornerbacks Kyle Ahern and Josiah Fisk and safeties Miles Toli, Stamati Damalos and Danny Chaisson are ball hawks that can alter a game's tempo with their ability to pick passes off.
Linebackers Dre Danapas, Richard Austin Seifried and Dillon Goodell are part of a very solid Tarpon unit that is better than average at getting into the backfield on stunts to help force passes that their teammates flying around in the secondary can pick.
THE SKINNY:
In recent years, this one has been ALL Tarpon. The Spongers have won each time in the past three years since the two teams have been district foes. Combined scores for the three games: 103-37.
With Springstead competing for the playoffs for the first time in three years, this one looks a little different. How much different this year is won't become apparent until Friday's game hits the second half.
Tarpon has been notorious this year for being slow starters – keeping games close into the half, and then waking up by the third quarter. The Spongers most likely would enter this game as the favorite, but this hardnosed Springstead team may not let them off the hook for a sluggish first half.
Whether Quinones plays for the Eagles or not, the defense would be wise to play much of the game safe in the secondary because of the threat Reyes, Kier and Vavlas pose. The receivers are big, they can jump and when they're snaring passes like the ball's coated in super glue, watch out. And oh yeah, they have some wheels too.
With those aforementioned weapons on the field, stacking the box often is not very often an option against this Sponger team. But the real battle may be the one in the trenches when Tarpon's on offense. If the Spongers can open holes and their backs can break off big gains, Reyes will just have all the more options when it's time to pass.
When the Spongers are on defense the theory is much the same, but with slightly different intentions. Shutting down the multiple running options of Springstead will force the Eagles into more and more passing attempts as the game progresses. Mahla is a quality quarterback who hasn't made many mistakes all season, but he probably hasn't thrown into a secondary like the Spongers. The less the Eagles can mix up their run-to-pass ratio, the better for Tarpon.
The district playoffs are on the line and both teams control their own destiny; all the ingredients for a great Friday night of football.
Check out www.suncoastnews.com after the game to see the results.
Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com
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