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Unbeaten Rams Roll Into Brooksville

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Third-year Central High Head Coach Cliff Lohrey witnessed his team permit a career-high 42 points in last year’s meeting against Ridgewood High in New Port Richey’s Booster Stadium. The Bears host the Rams tonight in a key 4A-8 tussle in Brooksville.

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: September 26, 2008

So, there is life after the (Byronell) Arline Express.

The famed All-State running back from Ridgewood High was a huge piece of the puzzle for the 2007 Rams.

Fourth-year Head Coach Chris Taylor would be the first to attest to that.

In Taylor's first year in 2005 with Arline in the starting backfield, the Rams finished a dismal 1-9. How low did it get?

That season, the New Port Richey crew was held to six points or less six times. Arline, however, led Pasco County in rushing.

But as Arline matured, so did the Rams.

A year later, the West Pasco club matched the school's record win total at 6-4. The season featured its first series win over Dade City-Pasco since 1988, 22-13. Arline again paced Pasco County in rushing.

Ridgewood's 24th season of prep football in 2007 was its finest hour. The Rams' lone regular-season blemish was a hard-fought 20-17 loss at "The Swamp" to perennially tough Land O'Lakes.

In the playoffs, Daytona Beach-Seabreeze dissected the Rams in the opening round, 43-3. In the process, Arline rewrote most of the record books in Pasco County for rushing and scoring.

Conventional wisdom says with the graduation of 28 seniors and the loss of 22 starters, the Rams would be toast this fall, right?

Not quite.

Perhaps the biggest mystery team currently in Pasco County is Ridgewood.

The Rams come into tonight's sixth-ever series meeting at Central's Bears' Den hoping to spoil the Bears' home opener. The Bears lead the brief series, 3-2.

But in CHS Head Coach Cliff Lohrey's tenure which opponent has scored the most amount of points against him? And no, it wasn't state-ranked Sarasota-Booker two years ago.

It was Ridgewood, behind Arline's five touchdowns last fall, 42-21.

RAMS READY

This season, Ridgewood comes in unbeaten and has had two weeks - thanks to a rare bye week - to prepare for the Class 4A, District 8 opener at Central (1-2).

Taylor's team opened the season with four interceptions off Zack Wynn at Hudson to crush the Cobras, 35-12.

In week two, RHS posted its second-ever shutout under Taylor, blanking second-year Wiregrass Ranch, 24-0. Ridgewood's opportunistic defense recovered two Bulls fumbles.

Entering tonight's game, the Rams defense has strung together six consecutive scoreless quarters.

For a unit that has one returning starter - 6-foot-3, 210-pound middle linebacker Mike Rearden - the Rams have forced seven turnovers. Cornerback Tommy Kinder has collected two of his team's five swipes while Luke Walker and Thomas Drain have recovered fumbles.

According to the Rams' stats, they've posted eight sacks in two games, led by 6-foot-1, 240-pound defensive end Mike Vervasis, who has five.

On offense, Ridgewood returns one starter, 6-foot, 230-pound senior center Andrew Stagner.

Despite the influx of new faces, first-year starting quarterback Jimmy Mattos has clicked on 19-of-32 passes (59 percent) for 243 yards and three touchdowns against one interception.

His favorite targets so far include Jon Balk (8 reps., 130 yards, 2 TDs) and Michael Graham (8 reps, 66 yards, 1 TD).

In the backfield, tailback Sterling Ross - a transfer from Mitchell - has been more than a pleasant surprise with 397 yards and five scores. The 6-foot, 185-pound Ross comes in averaging almost 11 yards per carry.

There is, however, a significant drop off after Ross with fullback Cameron Rodriguez next with 63 yards on eight carries.

Special teams-wise, Mattos, who averages just over 31 yards per boot, will handle the punting chores while sophomore placekicker Josh Gray has connected on 8-of-8 point-after kicks and added one field goal.

BEARS PREPARED

Central, which opened the season with back-to-back losses to Hernando (16-7) and Leesburg (24-7), spanked host Citrus High last week in Inverness to get untracked, 41-10.

The Bears gashed the Hurricanes behind a 27-point third quarter.

In Citrus County, CHS senior QB Dallas Waugh completed 8-of-17 passes for 150 yards and hurled three touchdown passes - including a pair to WR Steven Read. Read also added an interception on defense.

Behind its burly and beefy offensive line, CHS piled up 217 rushing yards as senior Austin Forte rushed for 158 yards on 20 carries and scored once.

Perhaps, most importantly, the Bears defense forced four turnovers and did not allow Citrus to score an offensive touchdown.

Both teams clearly understand the importance of this district opener - especially with games looming against Land O'Lakes, Tarpon Springs and Springstead.

So what are the keys to the game?

"Our district is pretty tough," admitted Taylor. "But everybody has to line up against everybody at some point. It's very important to win that first district game; it gets you on the right foot.

"Central is a team that came out last week and really took it to Citrus High School in the first quarter and third quarters," noted Taylor. "Those are the quarters that are important and that you have to win. We know they always play really well at home. We have to match their intensity. Hopefully, we'll go in there with a business-like approach and get after 'em.

"I see two (key) factors," identified Coach Taylor. "We need to block and tackle their big back (Forte) and our young kids have to limit their mistakes. We're kinda untested, but they'll be tested Friday night. This will be our toughest game so far."

"I think both teams are gonna be jacked up early," summed up Lohrey. "Heck, we haven't come out of our locker room yet (after three straight road games to open the season). But the truth is, the team that settles down the quickest and takes the emotion aspect out of it will be successful early.

"For us, it'll be about our defense," candidly stated Lohrey. "They've got a kid averaging a first down every time he touches the ball. Definitely, their first priority is to run the football. It sets up everything else in their offense. That speaks pretty highly of him (Ross). We've gotta do something to combat that."

ON RADIO

WWJB (AM) 1450 will be carrying the game "LIVE" on its "Game of the Week" format beginning with the pregame show at 7 p.m. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.

By the Numbers: Ridgewood vs. Central
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO
Bears lead series 3-2-0
Year Site Result
2001 Away W 49-8
2002 Home L 14-19
2005 Home W 35-0
2006 Away W 23-20
2007 Away L 21-42

2008 WWJB (AM) 1450 "Game of the Week" Prep Football Schedule
Play-by-Play Announcer: Tony Castro
Color Commentator: Steve Imhoff
DATE GAME   KICKOFF/RESULT
09-05 Central @ Hernando   HER W 16-7
09-12 Springstead @ Nature Coast   NCT W 20-15
09-19 Belleview @ Springstead  SPG W 33-0
09-26 Ridgewood @ Springstead  7:30 p.m.
10-03 Lecanto @ Central   7:30 p.m.
10-10 Central @ Springstead  7:30 p.m.
10-16 Hernando @ Springstead  7:30 p.m.
10-24 Land O'Lakes @ Central  7:30 p.m.
10-31 Hernando @ Nature Coast  7:30 p.m.
11-07 Citrus @ Hernando   7:30 p.m.
11-14 Nature Coast @ Central  7:30 p.m.
11-21 1st Round FHSAA State Playoffs 7:30 p.m.
NOTE: Schedule is subject to change.
 
 

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

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