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Hernando Today

Hernando (5-2) looks to snap Citrus (2-6) hex

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By TONY CASTRO SPORTS EDITOR

Hernando Today

Published: October 29, 2009

Conventional wisdom would suggest when long-time rival Inverness-Citrus High (2-6 overall, 0-5 3A-6) arrives as the Hernando High's Homecoming Game date for tonight's 7:30 p.m. kickoff, the Leopards (5-2 overall, 4-1 3A-6) should be considered prohibitive favorites.
But in a series dating back to FDR in 1933, look closer into the 57th lifetime meeting between both schools.
 
 
Hurricanes 101
On paper, the Golden Hurricanes come in reeling.
First-year Head Coach Randy Roland and his staff aren't in a festive mood.
Reason? His young team has dropped five straight, all district games, and 6-of-7.
CHS' lone wins came at the expense of Wildwood (36-25) in the season opener and two weeks hence in the wild flag fest at the Citrus Bowl to edge Lecanto (32-24).
Offensively, the Citrus County club arrives in Brooksville averaging 16.6 points per game led by athletic sophomore quarterback J.J. White.
Still, CHS has been blanked twice in the last month. They're coming off last Friday's 47-0 spanking by Nature Coast Technical at the Citrus Bowl.
Defensively, 'Canes, who start nine underclassmen including four freshmen, have surrendered over 40 points four times this season, allowing an average of 35.3 points per game.
On special teams, several pundits have noted that Citrus senior punter and kicker, A.J. Woythaler, has been a tremendous asset.
Roland, who served as head coach at Liberty County when Hernando High's current skipper John Palmer was at Port St. Joe, went head-to-head four times, splitting the series.
 
Hernando 101
 
Though Hernando leads the overall series 35-19-2, it's been all about Golden Hurricanes lately.
When HHS faced the 1-7 'Canes last year at home, the Leopards were smacked, 28-9.
The loss was Hernando's fifth straight series setback and sixth in the past seven clashes.
In fact, the Purple and Gold haven't solved CHS at Tom Fisher Memorial Stadium in 10 years, or since Nov. 3, 2000's 21-16 nod.
Though HHS has quietly pieced together three wins in a row and captured 5-of-6 this fall, second-year Head Coach John Palmer isn't beating his chest.
Why? The Leopards are progressing, albeit slowly.
Palmer also remembers last year's meltdown against CHS.
And HHS is coming off a gutsy 21-10 3A-6 win at Eustis.
Without starting tackle Joe Bristol (his leg got rolled up on), substitute tackle Eric Miller and two others helped HHS churn out 263 rushing yards (against zero passing yards) including 114 by junior halfback Alvin "Chubbs" Delaine III. Delaine was quietly effective adding his county-high 17th and 18th touchdowns of the season while Marlin Smith chipped in 87 yards and L'Tevin Williams added 40 yards.
HHS came up with three turnovers against the Panthers including a clutch 20-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Malcolm Hudson to ice the game with two minutes left.
Though Bristol will be returning as the starting left tackle, many questions remain unanswered on the eve of this pivotal district game?
Can the Leopards finally exorcize the hex against the 'Canes?
And what about snapping the school-record 103-game streak without a shutout at the house? HHS hasn't blanked an opponent in Brooksville since Oct. 22, 1999's 55-0 whitewash over archrival Springstead.
What does Coach Palmer expect?
"The team that comes out and establishes the line of scrimmage, whether it's on offense or defense, that's important," explained Coach Palmer, who 8-9 lifetime at Hernando. "Our guys are gonna have to be physical. That's both teams' trademarks.
"I know Coach Roland's trademark is producing tough, physical teams. That's what he's gonna do," added Palmer. "That's the way they want to win football games. I think we have to fight fire with fire, so we'll have to step in there and deal with that."
 
On radio
 
WWJB (AM) 1450 will be carrying the game "LIVE" on its "Game of the Week" format beginning with the pre-game show at 7 p.m. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
 
2009 WWJB (AM) 1450 "Game of the Week" Prep Football Schedule
Play-by-Play Announcer: Tony Castro (19th Year)
Color Commentator: Steve Imhoff
DATE GAME    KICKOFF/RESULT
09-05 Hernando @ Springstead  SPG W 26-25 (OT)
09-11 Nature Coast @ Springstead  NCT W 38-9
09-18 Oviedo-Master's Academy @ HCA MA W 19-12
09-25 Tavares @ Nature Coast   NCT W 15-6
10-02 River Ridge @ Central  RR W 28-16
10-09 Ocala-Lake Weir @ Springstead LW W 40-19
10-16 Leesburg @ Hernando  HER W 41-28
10-23 Gainesville @ Central   GAIN W 70-0
10-30 Inverness-Citrus @ Hernando  7:30 p.m.
11-06 Nature Coast @ Hernando  7:30 p.m.
11-13 Hernando @ Central   7:30 p.m.
11-20 1st Round FHSAA State Playoffs 7:30 p.m.
NOTE: Schedule is subject to change.
 
By the Numbers: Citrus vs. Hernando
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO
Leopards lead Series: 35-19-2
Home Record: 18-11-0
Road Record: 17-8-2
Year Site Result
2008 Home L 9-28
2007 Away L 7-35
2006 Home L 12-16
2005 Away L 13-47
2004 Home L 25-44
2003 Away W 22-19
2002 Home L 21-35
2001 Away W 13-10
2000 Home W 21-16
1999 Away W 51-24
1998 Home W 28-0
1997 Away W 21-15
1996 Home W 21-7
1995 Away L 7-13
1994 Home W 35-12
1993 Away L 27-30
1992 Home W 14-13
1991 Away W 35-14
1990 Home W 19-12
1989 Away L 0-3
1988 Away L 10-33
1987 Home L 0-7
1986 Home L 22-31
1985 Away L 7-20
1984 Home W 30-0
1983 Away W 6-0
1982 Home W 37-0
1981 Away W 39-12
1980 Home W 19-0
1979 Away W 34-8
1978 Home W 40-28
1977 Away W 17-14
1976 Home W 20-12
1963 Away W 54-0
1962 Home W 47-7
1961 Away W 25-0
1960 Home  W 33-6
1959 Away W 26-13
1958 Home L 0-20
1957 Away W 21-0
1956 Home L 12-14
1955 Away L 7-19
1953 Home L 7-14
1952 Away W 34-0
1951 Home W 28-0
1950 Home W 20-13
1949 Home W 6-0
1948 Away W 6-0
1947 Home L 6-13
1946 Away T 13-13
1944 Home W 12-0
1940 Away W 34-0
1939 Home W 31-0
1936 Away W 13-6
1935 Home L 14-18
1933 Away T 0-0 
   
 
 
 

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

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