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Hernando Today

Soaring Above The Rest

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

NCT tailback Tevin Drake, who has notched 33 touchdowns in 17 varsity football games, has led the Sharks to back-to-back playoff appearances. Drake, a sophomore, was voted as the Hernando Today All-County football team’s Offensive Player of the Year and the county’s Most Valuable Player.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: August 20, 2008

Updated:

Coaches often dangle the cliche 'the sky is the limit' describing a particular player's future with their program.

If the adage holds water, welcome to the world of Tevin Jamal Drake.

Even before Drake was feted by the area coaches and the Hernando Today staff as this past football season's Hernando County Player of the Year and a subsequent Class 3A All-State pick, he was literally sailing above the competition.

He's currently in the stratosphere.

Yeah, above kite flyers, way above helicopters and increasingly higher in theory than the 30,000-foot ceiling for commercial airlines.

"He's molded himself into a quality, every down back," described Springstead Head Coach Bill Vonada. "He has an ability to hit the seam every time, and there's no hesitation."

Drake 101

The 16-year-old Tevin is the eldest of two young children to Brooksville's Earnest and Belinda Drake.

Tevin was born in West Palm Beach, but has resided his entire life in Hernando County.

He stands a chiseled tailback just under 6-feet and weighing 190 pounds.

But even when he was younger and not built like a panther, he had a knack for the end zone and for winning.

In his two seasons at Parrott Middle School under Head Coach Dwayne Mobley, Drake helped the Leopards capture two of their current five straight county titles by going 3-2 and 7-0 in 2004-05.

Demonstrating his versatility, Drake also played hoops and ran track as a seventh and eighth-grader.

He began his freshman year at the junior varsity level at Nature Coast Technical High School in 2006.

After September, at the midway point of the varsity season, Head Coach Jamie Joyner promoted Drake to the "big leagues."

It's a moment in time that has not been lost by either party.

On Oct. 6, 2006, Drake played in is first-ever varsity contest against Kissimmee-Poinciana in the Sharks' Homecoming Game.

He exploded on to scene by rushing for 205 yards and scoring three touchdowns. His legend began in earnest.

Sure, the Sharks had won four in a row before Drake got called up. But after he landed, Drake helped Columbia Blue and Black crew reel off four more wins (and stretch its school record to eight games) and a share of its first-ever Hernando County football team championship.

In the process, Drake was an integral piece of the school's initial district championship run.

"When I got bumped up, I couldn't wait to play," recalled Drake, who carries a 2.7 grade point average. "Coach gave me a chance on Homecoming Game. I knew everybody was gonna be watching that game. I kinda told myself, 'don't play scared' and came out with everything I had."

When the dust finally settled after six varsity games that season, Drake had amassed 857 yards and 11 touchdowns - basically in half a season.

His sudden impact was so dramatic; Drake was named All-County as a freshman - an extremely rare occurrence.

So what were Drake's fondest memories of Year 1?

"Scoring my first varsity touchdown against Poinciana on Homecoming was nice," he recalled. "But the biggest thing was I was so happy to help the team win districts and for our school to make the state playoffs for the first time. It's something you can't forget."

Year 2

As a sophomore, Drake played in all 11 games as the Sharks were the only county team to achieve the state playoffs.

Behind an offensive line that helped churn an average of 365 yards total offense per game, Drake "averaged" nearly 150 yards total offense per game. He accounted for 46 percent of the Sharks' rushing total (1,527-of-3,329 yards).

Scoring-wise, Drake eclipsed the school mark set by Rian Williams (20) by notching 22 touchdowns. Of NCT's 39 touchdowns last fall, Drake accounted for 56 percent of his team's total.

Even in the 34-13 regional playoff loss at stout No. 2 ranked Citra-North Marion, Drake was no slouch, rushing 25 times for 108 yards and finding the end zone for both of the Shark touchdowns.

Drake described his second campaign as a mixed bag.

"One of my best games was at South Sumter," said Drake. "They were No. 2 in state (Class 2A), but we never let up against those guys. We went into double overtime (a 45-42 loss). Even though things didn't go our way in the end, that game showed we could play with anybody.

"Against Pasco, what a game," smiled Drake, referring to the last-minute 13-10 win at Shark Tank Stadium. Drake tallied the game-winner from three yards out with four seconds left. "That game showed us that you have to play 48 minutes to have a chance (to win), Pasco played 47."

"The Pasco game is a perfect example of Tevin," summed up Joyner. "We should have dominated but we were in a dog fight with the clock running down. But with the game on the line he kept telling guys, 'the game ain't over' and it wasn't. He kept battling and helping our guys in the huddle. Tevin doesn't take plays off - that's what you want on the field."

The sting of the playoff loss to the talented Colts, however, remains painful and serves as plenty of motivation for Drake.

With the Sharks trailing 20-14 midway through the fourth quarter, NCT marched from its own end zone to the Colt 12, before Drake lost the handle.

On the next play, three-time All-State back, Albert Gary, went 89 yards to the end zone to seal the proceedings.

The lost fumble, as Drake stretched for additional yardage, still haunts him.

"I'll admit it," said Drake. "It's still in my mind mostly because we haven't played since. We probably would have scored on the drive if I hadn't...And then who knows (what would have happened)?

"I use the play (fumble) as motivation," shared Drake. "It lets me know you've got to protect the football at all times. You don't let go of the football until the ref blows the whistle."

What's next?

With Year 3 on the horizon, Drake set his goals for 2008.

First, what about playing without five of last year's top six Shark offensive linemen, including All-County guard J.J. Baker and All-County tackle Tim LaRose?

"I miss all our seniors," lamented Drake. "But I miss Tim a lot. Not that we don't have guys who can't do the job, that's not it. For two years, I ran behind him. I'm gonna miss seeing him block for us."

What about knowing everybody on defense is trash talking following some early game tackles as No. 4 totes the ball?

"Let the defense talk if they want," he replied. "They're just trying to get in my head. If they stop me once or twice, that's fine. I let my actions speak for themselves. It's a long game."

What can the fans can expect?

"My goals include getting 2,000 yards, beating Central for the first time and making it deeper into the playoffs," explained Drake. "But you know I couldn't have done anything without my teammates, especially the O-line, and my coaches believing in and pushing me."

BY THE NUMBERS: TEVIN DRAKE
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO

RUSHING
YEAR ATT YDS AVG. TD LG
2006 104 857 8.24 11 80*
2007 189 1,527 8.08 22 70*
TOTALS 293 2,384 8.14 33 80*
* Denotes touchdown

RECEIVING
YEAR REP YDS YPC TD LG
2006 04 046 11.5 00 29
2007 05 093 18.6 00 44
TOTALS 09 139 15.4 00 44

INDIVIDUAL SCORING (thru 17 games)
YEAR TD PAT 2-PT. FG SF TP
2006 11 0 2/4 0 0 70
2007 22 0 3/4 0 0 138
TOTALS 33 0 5/8 0 0 208
 
 
 

Sports Editor Tony Castro can be reached at (352) 544-5278 or online at acastro@hernandotoday.com.

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