One win away

How humongous is tonight's fifth career meeting between archrivals Nature Coast Technical and Hernando High at jam packed Tom Fisher Memorial Stadium?
Let's see, probably all of 15 folks will be across the county watching Central High travel to Springstead.
The reason? All eyes will be focused in Brooksville.
Quite simply it's become the Game of the Year.
The playoff aspirations of three 3A-6 teams hinges on what happens beginning with 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
The favored Sharks
Nature Coast enters as the favorite. The Sharks dropped the first-ever series meeting in 2005 at Tom Fisher, 20-19, and has since then reeled off three straight wins including last year's 34-3 spanking at Shark Tank Stadium.
NCT (6-2 overall, 4-2 3A-6) enter the game tied for third place in the district. There's plenty at stake.
First of all, NCT has never captured an undisputed county championship. They've shared two of the past three county crowns.
This fall, by folding Central (44-6) and clipping Springstead (38-9), Head Coach Mark Lee's team needs a scalp over Hernando (6-2 overall, 5-1 3A-6) to complete the county trifecta.
More importantly, for the Sharks to reach their ultimate goal -- its county-record fourth straight regional playoff appearance -- it must snap Hernando's four-game winning.
Regardless of what happens with Leesburg at Dunnellon, the Tigers have already clinched 3A-6 title. That leaves one huge vacancy, the 3A-6 runner-up.
Should the Sharks lose tonight, the postseason party would be over.
But with a win and a Crystal River loss (Pirates travel tonight to dangerous Tavares), the Sharks would reach the playoffs and travel in the first round on Nov. 20.
Should NCT and Crystal River win, that would force a three-way playoff tiebreaker for second place on Monday night at Shark Tank Stadium in Brooksville.
In that scenario, NCT would earn the No. 1 seed based on overall winning percentage. Hernando would face Crystal River first at 7 p.m. The winner would tackle NCT. Should the Sharks win, they'd advance to the playoffs. Otherwise, Hernando would have to win twice to advance.
 
NCT: arrives on a tear
 
The Sharks enter with momentum. They've played their best two games of the season the past two weeks slamming Citrus (47-0), before erasing Eustis (55-8).
Last week, the Sharks churned out nearly 600 yards of total offense despite not utilizing either senior fullback Antwan Story (ankle) or junior wide receiver/quarterback Ja'Juan Story (ankle).
According to Coach Lee, Ja'Juan appears closer to 100 percent. Antwan's playing status will be a game time decision. Though neither will start, expect both to play.
NCT enters with the county's most proficient offense averaging 401 yards per game and 31.4 points per game.
The Sharks display a bevy of weapons.
Senior quarterback C.J. Baker has completed 56 percent of his passes (35-of-63) for 746 yards and seven touchdowns against four interceptions. Last week in his final tune-up for Hernando, he hurled a season-high three touchdown passes, including a pair to ex-Leopard receiver Jamel Byrd.
But the Shark playoff staple has been their rushing attack. Of the Sharks' 3,200 total offensive yards, they've delivered over 2,400 -- or 75 percent -- on the ground. Their beefy offensive line is led by 6-foot-3, 325-pound right guard Darius Stewart, who did not play against either Central or Springstead, and right tackle (another former Leopard), Cory Emerson.
As the Shark O-line has gotten better with Stewart's play over the past three games, two-time Hernando Today Player of the Year, senior tailback Tevin Drake has also broken loose.
Drake is responsible for 1,206 yards or over half of the Sharks' rushing total, to coincide with his 16 touchdowns.
Antwan Story compliments Drake with 356 yards and three touchdowns.
Junior Luke McCarty, who rushed for 78 yards against Eustis, is penciled in to start in place of Antwan.
JaJuan Story adds 265 yards and two touchdowns.
JaJuan is also the team's leading receiver with nine catches, averaging almost 28 yards per reception.
Tight end Braddie Ellison, who will be playing both ways, has snared eight passes for a glossy 32.5 yards per catch average and three touchdowns. Byrd adds eight catches.
The biggest deficiency has been with the Sharks' special teams.
First-year kicker place kicker Tyler Callaghan has struggled since transferring from Springstead. He's misfired on 13 kicks, including 12 point-afters and three field goals. Interestingly, NCT has converted 5-of-7 two-point conversions. The one glaring miss was at Crystal River where the Sharks lost, 7-6.
NCT's two punters, Jacob Perkins and Richard Hart, average 37 yards per kick, but the majority of their boots come from rolls. Hart has also had a punt blocked.
"The guys up front, offensively and defensively, they'll have a major say in how successful we will be," explained Coach Lee on the keys to the game. "If our O-line does what we expect them to do and play to the best of their abilities, we'll have a good chance offensively of moving the football.
"Defensively, that's the big one," stated Coach Lee. "They got their top guns going against us. Our defense has a done a great job all season. They're really looking forward of going up against them."
What about the backyard appeal of the game?
"It's Hernando and Nature Coast, where everyone knows each other," replied Coach Lee. "It's for bragging rites and for the county championship. It's one of those type of games where it doesn't matter what your record is."
 
HHS: enters red hot
 
For their part, the Purple and Gold could not be playing at a higher level.
Their coming off a 46-point demolition of Inverness-Citrus. They hadn't scored that many points since 2005. They hadn't solved Citrus in Brooksville in 10 years. Plus, HHS hadn't posted a shutout at the house since 1999. And they've finally solved its third-quarter hex, by winning 18-0 last Friday.
That all transpired last week.
The Sharks defense will have their hands full slowing down junior halfback Alvin "Chubbs" Delaine III. Delaine ranks second in the county in rushing (1,203 yards), but leads in points (134) and touchdowns (21).
Plus, the team is healthy. Linebacker Thomas Bronson, the team's No. 2 tackler last season as a sophomore, who missed the majority of the early season due to mononucleosis, appears ready. He paced HHS with 10 tackles last Friday.
Defensively, HHS does not have the county's leading defense. That belongs to NCT, permitting 10.1 points per game (ppg). The Leopards, however, are allowing a 10-year low, less than 17 ppg.
But the Sharks, interestingly, have only recovered nine turnovers through eight games. The Leopards, on the other hand, have scraped a county-best 21 takeaways.
Last week, Chad Woods recovered two fumbles and Derek Wilson swiped his third pass of the season.
On special teams, like NCT, HHS has struggled. HHS has misfired on 10 kicks, including seven point-afters and three field goals. The center snap on punts, field goals and extra points has been an adventure. That's part of the reason HHS has converted on only 7-of-14 two-point conversions.
For the Leopards' playoff chances, it quite simple. With a win, they're in. Otherwise, they have to hope Crystal River wins Friday forcing a three-way playoff at Shark Tank Stadium on Monday. 
Keys to the game?
"It's gonna be the team that makes the fewest mistakes will ultimately decide things," insisted Coach John Palmer. "It'll come down to playing disciplined football and not turning the ball over. I expect the place to be packed."
 
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  HER W 46-0
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: Hernando vs. NCT
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO

NCT lead series: 3-1-0
Year Site Result
2005 Home W 20-19
2006 Away L 7-13
2007 Home L 17-34
2008 Away L 3-34