Sports
Seahawks Down Gators 21-10
The Sunlake Seahawks (7-1, 4-1 Class 6A District 6) knocked off the long-time rival Land O' Lakes Gators (4-3, 3-2 Class 6A District 6).
The continued to showcase their heated rivalry with Thursday night. A tenacious defensive effort coupled with some timely offensive plays, gave the Seahawks all they needed to secure the win.
"Our defense has done a great job all year," said Sunlake head coach Bill Browning.
The Seahawks don't win games pretty. They do it through running the football and playing good defense. Right when they need it, their offense finds ways to come up with a big play.
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Sunlake Senior athlete Rashaud Daniels forced a fumble on the second play of the game and senior linebacker Mike Lopez recovered it.
That big play looked like it could happen on Sunlake's first offensive play. Senior receiver Jamal Jones ran an end around and the whole Gator defense bit. Jones and senior quarterback Cameron Stoltz ran 55 yards for the touchdown. However the play was called back on a holding penalty. Senior running back Jerome Samuels then made a great run from the Gator 20 yardline, leaping a defender for the touchdown, but the score was nulified because of another penalty.
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"When that second touchdown got called back, it started to bring back some memories from last week," said Browning referring to the 22-7 loss to Hernando.
However, the Seahawks would not be denied. Mike Lopez took it in from five yards out to draw first blood.
The Gators answered on their third possession after converting a fourth and short on a 10-play drive that culminated in a touchdown by junior running back Wood Harrison.
The Seahawks struck right back after a great kickoff return from Jones set them up at mid-field. The drive looked like it would stall at the 28-yard line but Browning decided to go for it on fourth-and-short. The play went to Samuels who was slowed at the line but then burst upfield, right through the middle of the Gator defense for the score.
Samuels would cough up the football on Sunlake's next drive but the defense held the Gators to a field goal. The 14-10 score held until halftime.
On Sunlake's second possession of the second half, Stoltz threw a pass in to junior receiver Eddie Burgos who battled with junior Gator defensive back Jordan Michelson for the football but came away with it and by the time he'd secured the ball he was in the endzone.
"I knew he(Michelson) had tipped it up, I tried to find where it was and was just in the right position at the right time," said Burgos.
Browning looked up at the clock with 5:24 left in the third and may have wished he could manipulate time.
"We tried. We did everything we could to eat it up," said Browning.
The Gators were constantly plauged by penalties, especially dead-ball penalties and it was not until a circus catch from senior tight end Kent Taylor in the fourth quarter, that they threatened again. However, the ensuing shotgun snap was at senior quarterback Ryan Bird's feet and it squirted past him and was recovered for a turnover by junior defensive lineman Nick Hoffman.
The Seahawks took over and the student section began chanting, "Your-streak's-O-ver".
The Gators threw for just shy of 200 yards and Taylor had five catches for 76 yards but was kept out of the endzone. Land O' Lakes was held to just 30 yards on the ground.
The Seahawk defense again pulled out another win, stopping critical Gator drives in the second half with a turnover on downs, a fumble recovery and an interception.
Burgos had a solid game, pulling in three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown. Burgos also had the drive-killing interception in the third quarter but most importantly was his blanket coverage on 6-foot 5-inch tall Taylor.
The win puts the Seahawks in control of their playoff destiny. If they win at River Ridge next week, they lock in their bid for the 2011 playoffs.
"It's certainly the biggest win of my career, here at Sunlake," said Browning.
Game summary:
1st quarter:
-Mike Lopez recovers a Gator fumble at the 45-yard line.
-Mike Lopez scores on a run from five yards out. Extra point is good 7-0.
-Sunlake runs a halfback option pass to Daniels but the Gators don't bite.
2nd quarter:
-Harrison slices in from four yards out. Extra point is good 7-7.
-Jones returns kickoff near midfield.
-Samuels busts through the line and scores from 28 yards out. Extra point is good 14-7 Hawks.
-Samuels fumbles and gives it to the Gators at the Seahawk 20-yard line.
-Sunlake defense holds and Land O'Lakes settles for a field goal. 14-10 Sunlake.
3rd quarter:
-Burgos hauls in a Stoltz pass for a 26-yard score. Extra point is good 21-10
-Burgos picks off a Gator pass to extinguish another drive.
4th quarter:
-Sunlake forces a turnover on downs to kill yet another drive.
-Land O' Lakes comes out in the hurry-up and moves the ball to the Sunlake 45-yard line only to give it back on a snap that rolled between Bird's legs.
-Seahawks go for it on fourth-and-short in Gator territory and get it.
-Land O' Lakes senior safety Darin Patmon recovers a fumble.
-The Gators move the ball to the Seahawk 20-yard line but fail on a fourth-and-ten.