Former Plant City High head coach Wayne Ward was celebrated around town for many things, but he was perhaps best known as a leader of young men. When he resigned from the position this year, many football parents sang those praises on social media.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that his nephews in the football program are taking after him.
It’s not hard to walk the halls of PCHS and find people with good things to say about Tydre and Treshaun Ward. Everyone from head coach Greg Meyer to principal Susan Sullivan admires the brothers for the same things: being great athletes, students and young men.
LEADING THE WAY
Tydre Ward, the older of the two brothers, is having a career season. The recent Plant City Times & Observer Athlete of the Week has been making much of his impact on special teams. He often gets the Raiders into excellent field position — or on the scoreboard — as a return man.
The junior is working his way up the depth charts while hoping to play his way into an expanded role with the team next season. Tydre Ward says that he could see himself breaking into the running back rotation and contributing in the absence of Markese Hargrove but, if he had any say in the final roster decisions, he would line up in the slot while his younger brother plays running back.
In August, Tydre Ward told the Plant City Times & Observer that one of his top priorities was to look out for his younger brother and keep him on the right path.
“He’s always told me to keep God first,” Treshaun Ward says. “And to keep my grades up.”
Almost all of Tydre Ward’s advice to his brother has concerned off-the-field topics. Whether it’s character traits or study habits, Tydre Ward wants to make sure that everything is in place for his brother to succeed.
Treshaun Ward does have potential. This season, he led the Raiders’ junior varsity team in rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns, which helped get the team a 5-1 record at the end of the season.
Before he set foot at PCHS, he was a member of the Turkey Creek Trojans’ “Mighty 12” varsity team that made headlines late last year. Treshaun Ward helped that team make it through the regular season in great standing and, eventually, win the TCYFCC Superbowl with a thriller against the Brandon Lions.
While it’s not yet confirmed if Treshaun Ward will be on next year’s varsity roster, losing Hargrove and others to graduation is a sign that points to the freshman having a good chance to make the cut.
No matter what happens, Plant City fans can expect the Ward brothers to do two things: work hard and stay humble.
VS. LENNARD
Plant City clinched the district championship with its win over Durant.
Tampa Bay Tech (5-4; 4-1 district) is currently in sole possession of second place, and the Longhorns (6-2; 3-2 district) are tied with East Bay (6-3; 3-2 district) for third place. East Bay and Tech will face each other Friday, Oct. 30, and Lennard is rooting for the Indians in that contest.
Of course, an East Bay win won’t mean anything for the Longhorns if they lose to Plant City.
Tampa Bay Tech getting a win will also get the Titans sole possession of second place. That’s it — end of story, no tiebreakers to figure out, nothing.
East Bay getting a win and Lennard getting a loss would put Tech and East Bay into a tiebreaker. That wouldn’t need much figuring out, as FHSAA rules would award the Indians with the tiebreaker and playoff spot. They specifically state that, in the case of a two-way tie, the winner of the teams’ regular-season matchup is awarded the tiebreaker.
East Bay and Lennard both getting wins would force a three-way tiebreaker, which Plant City and Strawberry Crest fans will remember from the 2013 season. It’s fairly straightforward: all three teams play each other in three quarters of football, with the winner of two quarters going to the playoffs. In 2013, that tiebreaker sent the Indians and Raiders into the postseason; Crest, meanwhile, was left out.
Lennard does have several good things going its way. This team boasts a star running back in Jahryn Bailey, who can punish many teams in the Tampa Bay area. Quarterback Devin Black is one of the best passers in the area and has enjoyed a fine sophomore campaign. And something that fans will notice right away is that the Longhorns are huge — these kids might be the biggest in the entire district, and that should cause some mismatches.
The Longhorns have everything to gain from this matchup. But is that enough to get them past a Raiders team with nothing to lose?
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
OTHER AREA ACTION
Unfortunately for Durant and its fans, last week’s 28-0 shutout loss at Tampa Bay Tech singlehandedly murdered the Cougars’ playoff hopes. The team will be on its bye week, returning to action Friday, Nov. 6, against King.
Strawberry Crest is also coming off of a down week, though they put up a better fight in a 31-20 loss to East Bay. It was the Chargers’ last chance to play spoiler to someone’s season, as the rest of their opponents are not looking so hot.
The good news for Crest fans is that the team will play at Bloomingdale this week. The Bulls still haven’t found a way to win a game, despite playing close in a 21-17 home loss to Lennard last week, and that bodes well for Crest. This could be the Chargers’ first win of the Jim Peaden era.
WHERE: Bloomingdale High School, 1700 Bloomingdale Ave., Valrico.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.