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Hernando Today

Sharks Survive Late Scare

Staff photo by BOB EAST III

In a game featuring several big plays, NCT junior fullback Antwan Story (1) bursts through the line and past Springstead’s Ben Noury (15) en route to a second-quarter 60-yard touchdown run at jam packed Shark Tank Stadium Friday night in Brooksville. Story finished the night with 11 carries for 98 yards.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: September 13, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - If ever two coaches waxed prophetic in their pre-game assessments of the other team, meet Springstead's Bill Vonada and Nature Coast Technical's Jamie Joyner.
Vonada predicted his team's success would hinge on keeping the much faster Sharks skill players "inside and in front of them or else it would be six quick points."
The 11th-year Eagle skipper also noted that once his team reached the 2-yard line, "someone had to step up and make a play."
Unfortunately for Spring Hill fans, Vonada turned out to be correct on both counts.
Nature Coast won, barely surviving a last-ditch Eagle drive to the shadow of the Shark goalline in he final 70 seconds, 20-15.

Hearing is believing

Vonada's words resonated late Friday night before the largest-ever assembled gate in NCT history at Shark Tank Stadium.
With NCT clinging by the skin of their teeth to a 5-point cushion, SHS reeled off eight plays and 42 yards of real estate to the Shark 3-yardline with 1:20 left.
To get in range, Springstead's senior quarterback James Mahla connected with wide-open slotback James Wozniak for a 27-yard seam route to the Shark 3 setting up a first and goal.
Nine feet separated the Eagles from a monster upset on "Blackout Night" at the Shark Tank.
SHS fullback Mike Greco rumbled for two hard fought yards with less than 70 seconds left. On second and goal from the 1-yardline, Mahla, who scored earlier in the game on a 1-yard dive in the first quarter, called his number again.
Up to this point, Mahla had a terrific game, clicking on 13-of-24 passes for a game-high 183 yards to six different receivers against a fierce Shark defensive front spearheaded by John Carbone, Gary Myrick, D.J. Williams, Britt Langley and Tadd Govedich. The NCT defense stuffed the Eagles at the line of scrimmage permitting 40 rushing yards in 28 attempts.
But instead of possibly being the hero, and being carried away by a throng of Spring Hill fans, Mahla bobbled the football as he pulled away from center Philip Lakin.
Instead, D.J. Williams, a senior lineman, pounced on the bobble and the Sharks (2-0 overall) not only took over first place in Hernando County standings, but sent the capacity crowd home by holding on to its third straight series win over Springstead (1-1 overall), 20-15.

Splish, splash

Just as he predicted, Vonada's defense was burned by a pair splash plays: junior fullback Antwan Story's 60-yard touchdown gallop in second quarter and senior cornerback Michael Fields' 76-yard return of a Greco fumble in the third quarter.
Afterward, Vonada refused to pin the defeat on the Eagles' final snap.
"The kids put together a great drive at the end and we came up a little short. (The fumble) That's not fair to James (Mahla)," addressed Vonada, who dipped to 1-3 lifetime against NCT. "In the face of that pass rush, James had a great game going. He made a lot of plays all night. He (Mahla) was not the only guy to make a mistake all night."
Biggest positive?
"The biggest thing for us was I know there was not one Springstead player who did not play his heart out tonight," summed up Vonada. "There were a whole lot of people who had written us off before we even got here. I hope we've changed some minds. I couldn't be prouder of these guys. If we can come back from this beginning next week with Belleview, we're going places."

NC: Relieved

From the opposing sideline, Joyner's keys to success included overcoming his team's Achilles heel: they needed to stay away from turnovers and silly penalties.
Somehow, the Sharks overcame three first-half turnovers and a 15-13 halftime deficit.
On the first offensive play of the game, Springstead senior linebacker Domnique Roberson split two Shark receivers and intercepted C.J. Baker's first pass attempt sailing 45 yards untouched for the game's opening score.
Plus, NCT did what Coach Joyner was attempting to avoid. All-State tailback Tevin Drake lost two first-half fumbles (recovered by Stan Miele and Bryce Hollingshead).
Drake, however, compensated for the early miscues by rushing 26 times for a game-high 144 yards and scoring once (1 yard) – behind his fourth touchdown of the season in the first quarter.
NCT also overcame a game-high 11 penalties for 91 yards and a blocked 32-yard field goal attempt against place-kicker Danny Colon in the third quarter.
After the low kick was blocked, Hollingshead alertly picked up the loose live ball and dashed 60 yards the other way before Colon hustled down field and caught him from behind saving a score on the Shark 24.
On the next play with 56 seconds left in the third quarter, Greco lost the handle and Hernando County's defending Defensive Player of the Year, Fields, scooped the ball up and raced untouched for what turned out to be the decisive score.
On Fields' game-winner?
"That's what All-State performers do," insisted Joyner. "He's as solid as they come. The ball was going out of bounds and he scooped it and took it home. That was huge."
And the final Eagle drive?
"The last play (Mahla's fumble) was the ball game," he added. "Let's face it, we're a big play team, but if they would have scored then, we would have had to go the distance in a two-minute drill we hadn't practiced for all week."
What about the plethora of first-half Shark miscues?
"It started with the first play we called. That was on me," shrugged Joyner. "Horrible call. Give (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Mike) Garofano credit. They saw it and jumped the route. Then Tevin (Drake) fumbled a couple times and so did a couple others.
"I don't know what to attribute that to," he added. "Maybe it was the big-game atmosphere. Tonight was a great rivalry game. What an atmosphere! It was lots of fun. Obviously, we've got to play better. That was a good football team over there (pointing toward Springstead)."

Nature Coast 20, Springstead 15
Qtr. Scoring     1   2   3   4
Springstead      6   9   0   0 --15
NCT         7   6   7   0 --20
Individual Scoring:
SPG – Roberson 45 interception return (Schafer kick fails)
NCT – Drake 1 run (Colon kick)
SPG – Mahla 1 run (Schafer kick fails)
NCT – A. Story 60 run (Baker run fails)
SPG – Schafer 21 FG
NCT – Fields 76 fumble recovery return (Colon kick)
 
    SPG NCT
First Downs   16   13
Atts./Rushing Yds.  28-40   48-301
Comp./Pass Atts./Int.  13-24-0 1-2-1
Passing Yds.   183   2
Total Offense   52-233   50-322
Fumbles/Lost   3-2   3-2
Return Yards   3-34   7-100
Punts/Avg.   5-39.8   2-40.5
Penalties   8-59   11-91
 
 

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

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