By Matt Mauney | Associate Editor
Coaching legend Vince Lombardi once said the “difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.”
Despite being one of the youngest teams in the county, this year’s Plant City team has no shortage of the last one.
Just ask their head coach.
“They’re all a bunch of resilient kids,” Wayne Ward said about the Raiders come-from-behind 22-20 win at Brandon last week. “Even when they were down, they never looked at it as being down. They just looked at it as missed opportunities.”
Plant City trailed 14-6 at the half against Brandon but fought back in the second half and eventually took a two-point lead on a 35-yard field goal by Jorge Navarrette after a 14-play, seven-minute drive in the fourth quarter.
That win snapped a three-game losing streak and brings the Raiders to .500 on the season at 4-4 overall and in Class 7A District 8 play at 2-2. Given the circumstances, that’s promising news for the program as it moves forward.
Youth and inexperience has been a theme for the young Plant City football team all season, after losing 22 seniors to graduation. The Raiders currently have 12 underclassmen (freshmen or sophomores) on their varsity roster, and a handful of juniors that saw little to no varsity experience last year. Plant City’s quarterback, senior Nick Rodriguez, didn’t play last season after playing his sophomore year. Rodriguez has passed for 1,325 yards this year.
Through all of that, this Raiders team has persevered and overcame adversity at times this season.
“This is by far the youngest group I’ve ever coached,” said Ward, who is in his third season as Plant City’s head coach after a stint as an assistant with his alma mater. “This group believes they can win and have a will to win.”
Coming into the year, Ward knew the running back situation was going to be a wide-open race, but calling it a running back by committee is an understatement. Ward said there are seven legitimate tailbacks currently on the depth chart, with two of those injured and another — freshman Ervin Micheal — suspended.
Micheal was a key part of the Raiders’ success early on this season, with 427 yards through four games before suffering a knee injury. Ward said Micheal is currently suspended from the team but wouldn’t elaborate on the reason or length of the suspension.
Jordan Robinson and Colby Diers have been taking the majority of the snaps in Micheal’s absence. Robinson carried the ball 16 times last week for 80 yards and a score. Both he and Diers have around 200 yards rushing this season.
Freshman Sterling Day was expected to be a big contributor to the team but is currently battling an elbow injury. According to Ward, freshman Emmitt Stephens is also expected to see an increased amount of carries in the next two weeks.
“We have a lot of those,” Ward said of the amount of freshman being asked to play varsity minutes.
The Raiders travel this week to face Newsome in their last district game of the season. Even at 2-2 in the district, Plant City still has a chance of snatching the No. 2 position and a spot in regionals. Newsome is currently in that spot at 3-1 in district play, so a win would put the Raiders in a tie with the Wolves, with PCHS holding the tiebreaker.
East Bay, a team that upended the Raiders 32-12 on Plant City’s Homecoming, is also sitting at 2-2 and faces Brandon this week.
“We’re still there; we just have to go out there and believe,” Ward said.
Contact Matt Mauney at mmauney@plantcityobserver.com.
OTHER AREA ACTION
Durant at Riverview
Last week: Durant improved to 8-0 and clinched their second straight Class 7A District 8 title last week with a 28-3 win over East Bay. The Cougars trailed at the end of the first quarter and held a 11-3 lead at halftime before increasing the margin in the second half. Jamarlon Hamilton had two rushing touchdowns, and kicker Daniel Bowers made two field goals from 36 and 26 yards out. Cris Atkins also had a rushing touchdown on the night. Riverview still is searching for its first district win after falling to Newsome last week 42-6. Riverview held Newsome scoreless in the first quarter before giving up four touchdowns in the second.
Last meeting: Durant rolled over Riverview 63-13 at home last season.
Strawberry Crest at Jefferson
Last week: Strawberry Crest had opportunities against Sickles last week, but after tying the game at 17 in the second half, the Chargers gave up 21 unanswered points in the 38-17 road loss. Quarterback Tristan Hyde was injured on the second to last play of the second quarter and left the game with a concussion. According to SCHS head coach John Kelly, Hyde was cleared by doctors to play, but his status this week will remain questionable until Friday. Wide receiver Karel Hamilton split time at quarterback with Austin Carswell last week in the second half. Hamilton, who received his first college offer from Samford (Ala.) last week, finished the game with 32 receiving yards, 50 rushing yards and 82 kickoff/punt return yards. Jefferson improved to 4-4 on the year with a 39-6 win over Leto. Deiondre Porter had 232 passing yards with four touchdowns and an interception. Shaquille Speights carried the ball nine times for 84 yards.
Last meeting: Jefferson defeated the Chargers 48-7 in Dover last season.vzlom-vk.net