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Hernando Today

HCA journeys to rugged St. Pete Canterbury

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: October 29, 2009

Tonight the Hernando Christian Academy Lions will conclude its regular season when they travel to St. Petersburg to play the 6-1 Canterbury School Crusaders at 7 p.m.
And with the Lions going through a winless season at 0-8, this final game is almost the beginning of a new one for HCA Head Coach David Raley and his young team.
"That's one way to look at it, I guess," said the third-year Lion coach. "It's been a very long time since I've been in a situation like this. But these kids are terrific, they just want to go and play ball and they don't let things effect them. The secret is probably that they are all friends and play as hard as they can."
For the Crusaders, who are undefeated in the Southern Division of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference, they came off two unimpressive games against Shorecrest Prep (a 21-12 win) and Bishop McLaughlin (a 21-7 win) to pound Lecanto-Seven Rivers Christian Academy last week, 60-0.
"We started the season off well but then against Shorecrest and Bishop McLaughlin we struggled," said Crusader coach Stephen Dudley.
"We trailed at halftime against Bishop McLaughlin, then we came out in the second half and played really well and did the same thing against Seven Rivers. I think it was a wakeup call for us."
Against common opponents, the scales are heavily tipped in favor of Canterbury.
While HCA has lost to All Saints Academy, Bishop McLaughlin, Ocala-St. John Lutheran and Seven Rivers by a combined margin of 136-58, the Crusaders have beaten the same teams by a combined 184-13.
"I've watched a lot of film on them and they are just amazing," said Coach Raley. "They've got everyone back from last year and added some more players. I think they have the athletes to compete with anyone in Class 1A and maybe even 2A. They are super good and probably the best team in the conference."
The Crusaders are led by senior quarterback Dominique Thornton, who has passed for over 500 yards and seven touchdowns and running backs James Goodwin (603 yards/11 TDs) and Brent O'Neil (447 yards/5 TDs).
"A lot of colleges are looking at Dominique because he's been a dual threat for us because he can both pass and run the ball," said Dudley.
But with the Lions entering tonight's game with a 0-8 record, Coach Raley has begun looking toward the future.
"That's one way to look at it," he said. "Every week I see improvement in quarterback Connor Yann. But these kids are still learning the game. The ones I feel sorry for are the seniors (Jeremy Knight, Kenny Lehman, Dylan Burks, Kevin Wilcher, Garrett Mikkola)."
"We still have one more game after tonight, (a conference playoff game on Nov. 14 at The Villages)," said Raley. "These kids are not down on themselves at all."

Going to the game?

How To Get There - From Hernando Christian Academy head west on Cortez Blvd. (State Road 50) until Suncoast Parkway and turn left. Follow Suncoast Parkway all the way into Tampa and turn right onto Howard Franklin Bridge. Once you reach the St. Petersburg side, take the first exit left after the bridge and go south on 4th Ave. Go five miles to 62nd. Ave. North and turn left. Go through one stop light and the school will be on the left near Mangrove Bay Golf Club.

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