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Pinellas County football roundup

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TBO.com

Published: October 15, 2009

Updated: 10/15/2009 11:31 pm

TARPON SPRINGS - The Countryside High football team is usually known for a potent offense and not such a great defense. But Thursday, the Cougars displayed a stiffling defense, holding Tarpon Springs' strong running game in check for a 21-10 win.

The biggest play may have come from defensive back Terrance Chambers. Countryside had just taken a 14-10 lead when Brenton Conley scored on a 5-yard run with just under 9 minutes left in the game.

On the ensuing Tarpon Springs possession, the Spongers got the ball and advanced near midfield when Chambers picked off a pass.

"Normally, I'm not playing back but coach on that play told me to play back in cover," Chambers said.

Jackpot. The Cougars took full advantage and put the game away when two plays after Chambers' interception, Alton Taylor busted down the middle for a 27-yard touchdown, his 20th, trying a school single season record.

Lee Diekemper

Countryside 7 0 0 14 – 21
Tarpon Springs 3 7 0 0 – 10

T-FG Hill 51
C-Walker 3 pass from Chmelik(Griswold kick)
T-Shaw 43 pass from Wikle (Hill kick)
C-Conley 5 run (Griswold kick)
C-Taylor 27 run (Griswold kick)

Clearwater 28, Pinellas Park 20

CLEARWATER – One week after a suffering a disappointing loss to Countryside, Clearwater put the ball, and possibly its season, in the hands of its best player.

Once again, Jeremiah George didn't disappoint.

George scored on runs of 67 and 74 yards to erase second-half deficits and the Tornadoes' defense made just enough stops to secure a victory.

"He's just a great athlete, so when (Pinellas Park) started to get a little tired we wanted to give him the ball," Clearwater coach Tom Bostic said of George. "The line created some holes and he just took off."

On his first scoring run, George, who's scheduled to make an official recruiting visit to Iowa State today, broke three tackles at the line, then used his speed to outrace Patriots defenders for a 19-14 lead. Then, just two plays after Oraian Bentley's 1-yard scoring burst following a blocked punt gave Pinellas Park (3-3) its final lead at 20-19, George came through again. This time it was a draw play that the senior turned into the game-winning score when he again broke away from several Patriots defenders.

"We felt they were starting to wear down at the end and those two runs popped wide open," George said. "I'm more of a strong running back, but I don't have a lot of speed. I was happy I didn't get caught at the end."

Clearwater (5-2) erased a 7-0 second-quarter deficit by scoring twice in the span of just 12 seconds. First, Ryan Hagen eluded the rush just long enough to find George open over the middle for a 10-yard scoring pass. Then on the ensuing kickoff, Mitchell Palmer returned a fumble 15 yards for a second touchdown.

Chris Errington

Pinellas Park 0 7 7 6 - 20
Clearwater 0 13 6 8 - 28

PP–Nowakowski 12 pass from Hevia (Cupo kick)
C–George 10 pass from Hagen (Portillo kick)
C–Palmer 15 fumble return (kick failed)
PP–Robinson 9 pass from Hevia (Cupo kick)
C–George 67 run (run failed)
PP–Bentley 1 run (run failed)
C–George 74 run (Mobley run)

St. Petersburg 45, Boca Ciega 0

ST. PETERSBURG -- St. Petersburg coach Joe Fabrizio noticed a depressed campus after the Green Devils lost for the first time last week. The loss ended a five-game winning streak and Fabrizio said he noticed a depressed mood in the locker room.

He didn't need to worry. Fabrizio said his team had its best practice week of the season and the Green Devils responded. It was Homecoming night for Boca Ciega (2-4) but the Pirates struggled early as the St. Petersburg (5-1) defense clamped down and didn't allow a first down until the second half.

"That was a bounce back,'' Fabrizio said. "It was our first loss last week and we had to cope with the loss and we heard about it all over campus. I wanted to see how we would respond and we had our best week of the season.''

The Green Devils scored early and often. Ben Sams scored on a 1-yard run late in the first quarter, then capped off a long scoring drive with a 3-yard run in the second to make it 14-0. As the St. Petersburg defense continued to stifle Boca Ciega, the Green Devils made it 17-0 on a 30-yard field goal by Devon Papandrew to close out the first half.

"I knew we would come out ready to play,'' Fabrizio said. "I wasn't expecting anything like that, though. Our guys were ready to play.''

While Boca Ciega 's offense continued to stall, the Green Devils scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to ice it. Malik Wilson ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run on the first possession of the second half and Dondre Davis made it 31-0 on a long interception return with a pickoff in the flat. He went in untouched.

Fabrizio said his defense had a point to make after last week's blowout loss to Gibbs.

"That's not the way we play and I knew our team would have to be ready for tonight, at least I hoped do,'' Fabrizio said. "I didn't know what to expect but I liked what I saw.'

Jeff Berlinicke

St. Petersburg 7 10 21 7 - 45
Boca Ciega 0 0 0 0 - 0

SP--Samms 1 run (Papandrew kick)
SP--Samms 3 run (Papandrew kick)
SP--Papandrew 30 FG
SP--Wilson 60 run (Papandrew kick)
SP--Davis 30 interception return (Papandrew kick)
SP--Lewis 20 run (Papandrew kick)
SP--Davis 30 pass from Jones (Papandrew kick)

East Lake 29, Northeast 19

TARPON SPRINGS -- The host Eagles had to rally with a pair of second half touchdowns to dodge an upset.

Jamaal Wilburn scored on a 28-yard run and Brandon Vazquez plunged in on short yardage to give the Eagles the win.

"That's a pretty good football team we just played," said East Lake coach Bob Hudson. "They really are a good team. Those backs they have are good.

"Football isn't like golf. It isn't about the score. It's about who wins."

Osceola 54, Seminole 14

SEMINOLE -- Osceola exploded for 40 first-half points to win the battle of Seminole. Edwin McKinney scored three touchdowns in the first half on runs of 1, 7 and 28. Mark Oliver ran for a 14-yard score and also passed to Mike Jones on a 24-yard touchdown.

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