This one's for pride

This is the county rivalry game tonight that has no postseason implications. This one is just for pride.

One team will look to keep a streak of non-losing seasons alive. The other is desperately trying to put an end to a lengthy losing skid.

While Nature Coast and Hernando battle for a playoff spot across the county, Springstead (4-5) hosts Central (1-7) for a 7:30 p.m. contest at Booster Stadium.

"Central has been down on their luck lately, but it is a rivalry game," Springstead Head Coach Bill Vonada said. "Anytime you have a rivalry game, you throw out the records. They're starting to heal up and we're expecting a very tough battle."

Injury trouble

As if the Bears haven't had a tough enough time making it through the season with a thin roster, their luck with injuries borders on ridiculous.

Starting quarterback Artie Gartner has missed the last three games with a sprained knee ligament.

Now senior Steven Read, the team's leading rusher, kick returner and a fill-in for Gartner, is done with a fracture to the tarsal bone in his foot.
With both those players out of the mix last Friday, Central suffered a 47-15 loss to Lecanto, which snapped its own 16-game losing streak.

Dating back to the 2008 campaign, the Bears have dropped 12 straight on the field. However, West Port has since forfeited an Oct. 9 19-0 victory over Central because of an ineligible player.

The Bears will finish their 2009 slate with this matchup with the Eagles and another county-rivalry game next Friday against Hernando.

Looking at it one way, the Bears have won seven of the past 11 meetings in their all-time series versus Springstead. However, the Eagles have captured four of the last six.

Staying even

Though it would surely like to produce even better results, Springstead has made a habit of finishing at .500.

Since the Eagles have a bye next week, this will mark their season finale. A win would give them a 5-5 record for the third time in the past four years. They haven't had a losing season since 2002.

"That's something that's been brought up several times this week," Vonada said. "We'd like to finish on a positive note and keep that streak alive."

Springstead lost to Gainesville last week, 45-13, to officially end any hopes of advancing to the playoffs out of Class 4A, District 5.

Despite the lopsided score, the Eagles actually hung around within one score in the second quarter, but couldn't overcome the state's seventh-ranked team in 4A.

"I thought we played fairly well," Vonada said. "We played very hard. We didn't have any back down at all from playing from a numbers disadvantage against several Division I athletes.

"Our kids just hung in there and played. There were a couple opportunities in the first half that we were unable to take advantage of or else the momentum might have shifted the other way. Then of course they wore us down in the second half. But our kids' heads are held high."

Vonada didn't think his team would lack for motivation today, not only because of the rivalry but the fact that this particular group will play together for the last time.

As Central tries to piece things together and turn its fortunes around, Springstead wants to maintain its recent tradition.

"I think whenever they've been healthy they got a couple of guys who can do some things," Vonada said of Central. "Coach (Cliff) Lohrey always has a trick or two up his sleeve. The biggest thing for us, they've had so many injuries, we're not sure who we're going to be facing."

By the Numbers: Central vs. Springstead
- Compiled by TONY CASTRO

Series tied 9-9
Year        Site         Result
1991        Away     L 20-24
1992        Home      W 14-9
1993        Away     L 6-25
1994        Home      W 15-7
1995        Away     L 0-21
1996        Home      L 0-49
1997        Away     L 13-16 (OT)
1998        Home    W 54-7
1999        Away     W 21-7
2000        Home     W 40-6
2001        Home     W 21-14
2002        Away     W 29-16
2003        Away     L 3-17
2004        Home     L 20-27
2005        Away     L 20-21
2006        Away     W 18-17
2007        Home    W 32-10
2008        Away     L 0-49
TOTALS                326-342