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A chance for redemption

CLASS 3A-II FOOTBALL

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

SWAN SONG? - NCT's two-time All-State tailback Tevin Drake (4) shown here against Springstead, enters Friday's Class 3A, Region II quarterfinal against the state's No. 4 ranked Colts at Citra-North marion with over 1,400 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns this season.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: November 19, 2009

Only two years ago, Nature Coast trudged off the field at Stan Toole Memorial Stadium, feeling the sting of a 34-13 defeat to Citra-North Marion in a regional quarterfinal.

For the Shark players and coaches – at least the remaining assistants – it probably feels like two decades ago.

Between the tumultuous end to the 2008 season, the drama and adjustments of a head-coaching change and a roller coaster 2009 campaign, the program has endured much unrest during the past 12 months.

But starting tonight, with another 7:30 p.m. Class 3A, Region II quarterfinal at North Marion, Nature Coast has the opportunity to begin burying past on- and off-the-field transgressions.

"We go 5-0 (in the playoffs), that means we've won the state championship," first-year Nature Coast Head Coach Mark Lee said. "No one will remember what happened the first 10 games."

Season review

What did happen in those 10 games? The Sharks (7-3) have looked spectacular on offense at times and sadly pedestrian at others, especially in the opening two quarters.

Last Thursday's home contest provided a microcosm of Nature Coast's regular season.

Tarpon Springs-East Lake, a playoff-bound 5A squad, limited the Sharks to 165 yards of total offense, 75 of them coming in the opening drive.

Nature Coast received its only points on an interception returned for a touchdown, and turned the ball over four times to go along with 11 penalties, all adding up to a 19-7 loss.

The Sharks hit similar stumbling blocks in defeats to Crystal River and Dunnellon. However they appeared to turn a corner winning three games in a row, plus a playoff tiebreaker last Monday.

"I think we're very close," Lee said. "We were doing well at the end of the year. But when you've got to play three games in six days; that was draining. We still need to take care of business, but it's one of those things where you've got to get kids mentally and physically up for six days.

"Maybe that had to do with us coming out flat (against East Lake). But I guarantee we're not coming out flat on Friday."

Lee believes his option attack can produce an effective counter to the size, speed and physicality of North Marion (9-1).

In the 2007 playoff meeting, the Sharks actually moved the ball fairly effectively, getting 108 yards and two touchdowns on the ground from sophomore running back Tevin Drake.

Nature Coast nearly grinded out an upset, holding the ball for over eight minutes between the third and fourth quarters down just 20-13, before Drake's fumble with 4:12 remaining.

The Colts pulled away and eventually made a third straight state semifinal appearance. That streak ended last year in a regional final loss to Pasco.

"After the Pasco game, I saw a bigger desire," North Marion Head Coach Craig Damon said. "We felt in the Pasco game, we didn't play our best effort. As good as Pasco was, we let that game slip away from us.

"The kids hated the way they felt in that ball game. We told them to bottle that up. You don't want to experience that feeling again."

The fact that Nature Coast beat Pasco in the 2008 regular season has left the Sharks to wonder what might have happened had they not had to forfeit their playoff spot.

Missed opportunity?

Did Nature Coast miss its opportunity to pounce on North Marion in a rare year of vulnerability? The numbers say the Colts are back near the top of the heap.

They are ranked fourth in the 3A state poll, a spot the Sharks actually occupied early in the season. North Marion's lone loss: 34-33 in the season opener to St. Augustine, the team currently sitting atop the poll.

"From that game, our kids grew up," Damon said. "We graduated 22-23 seniors last year. We didn't have a whole lot of guys coming back.

"We knew we were depending on a whole lot of sophomores. We weren't sure what we were going to get. I think from that game, our kids gained a lot of confidence."

The Colts possess a stellar running game, led by sophomore Jamie Gilmore who has rushed for 1,364 yards and 11 scores.

But they can also strike through the air. Senior Chuck Looney has completed 61 percent of his passes for 1,406 yards and 12 touchdowns against two interceptions.

Latroy Pittman (34 receptions, 604 yards, 6 TDs) and Sean Price (21, 302, 5) serve as the primary targets, though Dedrick Bagley (18, 196) and Gilmore (13, 208, 1) have contributed, as well.

 "They're big, fast, strong and they love to be physical and that's good," Lee said. "That's what we like with our team. We like being physical and being intense. It'll definitely be a challenge for us."

By comparison, Drake has gained 1,412 yards rushing and reached the end zone 17 times, as he returns to the scene of one of the rare lowlights in his sensational prep career.

The Sharks have more modest passing stats. Senior C.J. Baker has completed 56 percent of his passes, tallying 958 yards to go along with 10 touchdowns and five picks.

With receiving threats such as 6-foot-4 junior Ja'Juan Story (12 catches, 368 yards, 2 TDs), Jamel Byrd (13, 175, 2) and tight end Braddie Ellison (8, 260, 3), Nature Coast does have more options than in 2007.

Both defenses have held their own throughout the season, with the Sharks permitting only 119 points and the Colts 156.

North Marion senior defensive end Latevin Sweet has nearly as many sacks (15 1/2) as the Nature Coast team (18).

Additionally, the Colts have the advantage of having their bye last week, allowing them time to rest up while Damon attended the Sharks' tilt with East Lake to do some scouting.

"Our hands are full this week," Damon said. "We've got to play to the best of our ability to have a chance.

"I think it's a pretty good matchup. Nature Coast has always been very athletic. Good size up front and this year is no different. They're aggressive on defense. They have guys that run to the football and they're very stingy as far as the yards they give up."

Look to Dunnellon

As far as teams the Sharks have faced thus far, Lee felt the Colts compared most closely to Dunnellon.

Interestingly the Tigers, the champion of Nature Coast's district and a potential semifinal matchup for tonight's winners, are the only mutual opponent of the Sharks and North Marion.

Dunnellon hung tough with the Colts at home, falling 21-14 on Sept. 18. A month later, the Tigers bested Nature Coast on the road, 27-23.

Based on that, perhaps the difference between the two sides in tonight's postseason battle is not so great that the Sharks can't overcome. After all, they've already leapt enough hurdles just to get this far.

"We know no one is going to pick us and that's fine," Lee said. "As a coach, you like being the underdog going into a place.

"I've told the kids, you've got to play the game. You can't play the game on paper. If you played the game on paper, we should probably be 10-0."

AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Class 3A Region II quarterfinal
WHO: Nature Coast Sharks (7-3, 3A-6 runners-up) vs. Citra-North Marion Colts (9-1, 3A-5 champions).
WHEN: Today, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Stan Toole Memorial Stadium at North Marion High.
AT STAKE: Spot in Nov. 27 regional semifinal versus Dunnellon/Ocala-Vanguard winner.
DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 75 north to exit for Northwest 77th Street. Turn left on Northwest Wire Road (U.S. Highway 301). Turn right on West Highway 329. The school is at 151 W. Highway 329 in Citra.

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at 352-544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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