Patrick Colleran and those Plant City seniors were so close to getting their first Homecoming win, they could almost taste it.
Spoto, however, had other ideas.
The Spartans blocked a Plant City PAT that would have tied the game at 28, and held on for a 28-27 final score on the road.
Things got off to a good start for the Raiders, as linebacker Steven Ogletree scooped up a fumble and took it 55 yards to the house at the 8:08 mark. Spoto answered back with a 73-yard pass, setting up an eight-yard touchdown run by Jesse Holmes.
The Spartans scored on the first play of the second quarter, following up on a long drive with a quarterback sneak into the end zone. Plant City missed a field goal on the following drive, but Markese Hargrove scored his first touchdown of the evening on an 11-yard run shortly afterward. With the score tied at 14, and 56 seconds on the clock, Tammarrion Faison came up with a pick that set up another Hargrove touchdown.
Spoto provided the only scoring play of the third quarter, a five-yard run, but missed the two-point conversion.
The Spartans did, however, score on a 57-yard run early in the fourth quarter, this time succeeding on the two-point conversion. Down 28-21, Plant City ate up eight minutes and 40 seconds before Hargrove struck again from short. The PAT was blocked, though, and Spoto recovered the onside kick attempt.
Just when it looked like Plant City had a chance, forcing fourth down in Spoto territory, running back Todd Sims broke off a huge run into the Plant City red zone and sealed the deal.
In other area action, Durant was upset by Brandon, 21-18, and East Bay beat Strawberry Crest, 21-7.
