The Plant City Raiders probably won’t change their nickname to the Road Warriors anytime soon, but it looks like they get a rush from playing in other stadiums this year.
With last week’s 42-6 win over East Bay in Gibsonton, the Raiders moved to 2-1 on the road (0-2 at home) in 2019. This Friday’s matchup with Bloomingdale (3-1; 1-0 district) will be crucial for Plant City’s playoff hopes and, luckily for the Raiders, it’s happening at BHS.
How different are things for the Raiders on the road? For starters, the team has been more productive. The team averages exactly 10 more points scored (31 ppg) and 34.7 total yards (332.7) per game away than at home (21 ppg, 298 ypg). The Raiders do average more passing yards at home (206.5) than on the road (126), but the gulf between rushing yard averages is massive (91.5 yards at home, 206.7 away). You could chalk that up to differences in how the games flow: Plant City has not attempted more than 19 passes or fewer than 13 in any of its road games, but the Raiders logged 26 and 32 pass attempts at home against Gaither and Lakeland, respectively. Six of the Raiders’ nine interceptions were thrown in those two home games, while six of the Raiders’ eight touchdown passes were caught on the road.
The first conclusion one might get from all that is that maybe Plant City’s offense is more productive this year when it’s favoring the run over the pass. Last week’s game at East Bay was an example of what can happen when that’s working. Three different PCHS running backs and quarterback Makenzie Kennedy averaged 12.2 yards per carry on 23 total runs. Zamir’ Knighten, who is just about always good for at least 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground alone, gave PCHS 118 yards and a score on just 10 carries. Kennedy ran seven times for 77 yards and two touchdowns. Romello Jones led everybody with 63 yards on four touches, good for a team-high 15.8 yards per carry. Reginald Bush, who might have been born to play running back, ran twice for 23 yards. It didn’t matter that the Raiders finished with 91 passing yards between Kennedy and Clinton Danzey, though they did get two touchdowns through the air and into the hands of Reagan Ealy and Brent Coton.
That offensive explosion went hand-in-hand with a great performance from the Raider defense. Emmanuel Baez, Tanner Gibbs and Antron Robinson each finished with 10 or more tackles. Latarus Wanser blocked an early field goal attempt. Robinson, John Lewis and Jeren Bendorf each recovered a fumble (with Bendorf recording a scoop-and-score) and Gibbs forced one himself. The unit kept East Bay out of the end zone until early in the fourth quarter, when Armone Bostick scored on a short rush, but the PAT attempt was no good and the Raiders’ 35-6 lead would only get bigger from there.
Plant City couldn’t have picked a better time to get back on its feet, as district play resumes this week at Bloomingdale.
A head coaching change hasn’t seemed to slow the Bulls down at all in 2019. Last week, the Bulls went to Plant and sent a reeling Panthers team further into the loss column with a 22-10 win. Bloomingdale’s defense, one week removed from going to Durant and holding the Cougars’ offense to 79 total yards in a 35-0 shutout, hounded quarterback Tucker Gleason and prevented the Plant offense from scoring any points (the Panthers scored on a fumble recovery with a two-point conversion and a safety).
The Raiders defense should be able to slow down Bloomingdale’s offense: turnovers were a recurring problem for the Bulls last week, and Plant City can generate them. Keeping Kennedy calm and upright against one of the most potent pass rushes in Tampa Bay looks like the key to success for Plant City. Maybe that means giving him time to find his weapons through the air like Armwood did in the Hawks’ 28-0 win over BHS, or maybe that means giving him more space to run through so PCHS can keep the run-heavy away game trend going. Either way, as every offensive and defensive line coach in America would say, this one’s going to be won or lost in the trenches.
OTHER AREA ACTION
DURANT
at Kathleen, 7:30 p.m.
Last week, Durant went to Newsome for the Alafia River Rivalry and played the Wolves pretty well for much of the game. But their 7-7 halftime tie turned into Newsome’s 26-14 win, thanks largely to a 13-point fourth quarter by the Wolves.
Sean Williams threw 11 passes for a season-high 94 yards and the Cougars’ 6.8 yards per carry was the better total between the two teams, but the Cougars’ touchdowns came by way of a Lonel Gappy rushing touchdown and a Jaiden Gappy pick six. Durant also racked up 99 total tackles with Bradley Guasto’s 13 leading the way, and Josh Cannon (12), Lane Robbins (11) and Ethan Webb (11) each hit double digits. Newsome, however, dominated the possession battle (53 plays to Durant’s 35) and had a pair of 100-plus yard rushers in Jason Albritton (107) and Landon White (103).
The Cougars now travel to Kathleen, which just gave Manatee its first win of the season with their 28-12 loss last Friday. The Red Devils (1-4; 1-0 district) did not submit stats from the game to MaxPreps.com but gave up two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown to quarterback Jayce Berzowski and threw a pick six to the Hurricanes shortly before halftime. If Durant’s looking to bounce back as Plant City just did, the opportunity is there.
STRAWBERRY CREST
at Lakeland, 7 p.m.
Last week, Strawberry Crest hosted Riverview and took a 49-6 loss to an undefeated Sharks team. Caleb Goodson scored on a quarterback sneak in the waning seconds of the game, which started with a 35-point first quarter from Riverview.
The Sharks defense held Goodson to 0-for-6 passing with two interceptions and held the Crest running back committee to 64 yards on 20 carries.
The Chargers are headed to Lakeland to take on a Dreadnaughts team that just scored a 37-6 win over Hialeah at home last week. Lakeland held a 22-0 lead at halftime, thanks in large part to a barrage of rushing touchdowns from Demarckus Bowman, and didn’t let the Thoroughbreds score until there were about six minutes left in the game.