By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor The tape was studied on a Monday-morning film session as players listened carefully to coaches breaking down what they watched on the screen. It’s an opening-week ritual that will never change, but if there was ever a week where the tape isn’t that necessary, it would be this one […]
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Dontriel Perry
By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor Durant High defensive end Dontriel Perry is quickly establishing himself as a dominant force on the Cougars’ defense. The junior has 49 tackles on the year and leads the team with six sacks, including one to end the game last week against Tampa Bay Tech.
Continue ReadingCougars roll to 34-7 win over Tampa Bay Tech
By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor Even at 10-0, the Durant High football team felt it had to make a statement Friday in its region quarterfinal game with Tampa Bay Tech. “We wanted to demand respect,” said senior fullback Jamarlon Hamilton. If people didn’t respect the Cougars before Friday night, they should now. Durant improved […]
Continue ReadingPHOTO GALLERY: Durant at Plant City Preseason Classic
The Durant boys basketball team held off Plant City 57-44 in the Raider Classic preseason tournament Thursday night at Plant City High School. The tournament featured four teams including city rivals Durant and Plant City. It was the fifth year of the tournament under PCHS head coach Dale Chambers. Plant City will get a rematch […]
Continue ReadingPODCAST: Gridiron Report ‘ Regional Quarterfinals Edition
The Plant City Observer brings you a special playoff edition of our new weekly podcast, the Plant City Observer Gridiron Report, breaking down high school football match-ups in the Plant City area for the entire 2012 season. This week, host Matt Mauney will break down the Regional Quarterfinal match-up between Durant High and Tampa Bay Tech. Durant heads […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Angelina Gallastegui
By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor Strawberry Crest junior Angelina Gallastegui placed in top 20 in two events at the Class 2A state meet last week in Orlando. Gallastegui made the state meet for the 500 free and 200 free for the second consecutive year and improved her times in both events this time, including […]
Continue ReadingSHOW ME THE MAUNEY: Crest charges toward future
By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor As a sports editor for a newspaper dedicated to local high school sports coverage, any time a football team in the coverage area is undefeated, other schools often are overlooked. In one sense, rightly so, because what the Durant football program has accomplished this year is nothing short of […]
Continue ReadingGAME OF THE WEEK 11.15.12: Newfound Focus
By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor As the water bucket rained down on Durant coach Mike Gottman last Friday, the coaches and players were elated to have capped off the regular season undefeated, a first for the Cougars. But as the players and coaches stepped out of the dark field house after a film session […]
Continue ReadingArea boys excited for new hoops season
By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor The boys basketball season features teams on the rise and teams in the rebuilding stages, and all three area teams have some notable games on the schedule.
Continue ReadingDurant caps off undefeated regular season with 31-0 win over King
For the first time since the school opened in 1995, the Durant High football team is a perfect 10-0 in the regular season. The Cougars finished off their first undefeated regular season Friday night with a 31-0 shutout win over King.
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