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December 08, 2009
FHSAA Football Playoff Picture
Cocoa
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FHSAA Football Playoff Picture
Get the inside scoop on the this week's state championships featuring 1B Warner Christian and 2A Cocoa.
1B State Championship: Warner Christian V. Glades Day
One word represents the Eagles 2009 season, "finish". After losing in last year's state title 49-14 against Jupiter Christian, Warner is back in familiar territory.
This year's opponent, Glades Day, a team that is loaded on offense. "We know they are an I-Formation team, they run the ball predominantly, and they are pretty good at it, Eagles coach Andy Price explained.
Pretty good might be an understatement. The Gators are led by the son of former Florida Gator and NFL player Fred Taylor, Kelvin Taylor. The younger Taylor has been red hot rushing the ball as of late, tallying 900 yards and 15 touchdowns in the playoffs alone, putting him over the 2000 yard rushing mark and closing in on 50 touchdowns for the season. "It' s going to be tough to stop him, nobody really has done that. We're just going to try and hold him down. If he gets 250 yards, it's tough. If he gets 150, we have a chance. We can't just abandon our game plan, we're going to have to tackle, wrap up, and hope for the best," Price said.
Price says the strength of his team is definitely the defense ,which "has been consistent all year." Defensively, the Eagles will line up in a 5-3 set with five down linemen and three linebackers. They are led up front by Jamari Daniels (23 sacks, 110 total tackles), linebacker Mario Garcia (119 tackles), and two way athlete Breon Allen ( nine interceptions).
Allen and quarterback Shelton Willis run an offense that is a 50-50 balance of the I-Formation and spread. Willis has thrown for 2,241 yards and 23 touchdowns, with one of his favorite targets being Rashad Greene (827 yards, six touchdowns). Allen has rushed for over 1200 yards and eight scores.
Coach Price and company remember last year's outcome, but that was just that, last year. "I tell them we're better this year, we prepared to be there this year. We're right where we want to be, one game away from winning the whole thing. Last year doesn't have to be this year and it doesn't have to be repeated. We don't want things to end up like they did last year," he said.
Game time is set for 1 p.m. at the Citrus Bowl.
2A State Championship: Cocoa V. Glades Central
The Cocoa Tigers football team's motto for this season was simple, "One More Time In 09."
Last year the Tigers, won the 2A state championship in an overtime thriller against Tallahassee Godby 7-6, and this year's team is in place to go back to back.
Friday night, Coach John Wilkinsons squad will put their 23 game winning streak on the line against the Raiders of Glades Central, a team he calls explosive, "They are just an unbelievable team with lots of pride and tradition. Offensively they are the most explosive team we've seen with two outstanding wide receivers and a defense where a lot of the athletes can make some plays," he explained.
One of those wide receivers is FSU commit Greg Dent who leads the squad with 1,482 yards and 14 td's. "We've just got to try and limit his big plays and not let him get behind us, and get a play over the top," Wilkinson said.
Offensively, the Tigers will run the Wing-T with quarterback Matt Younger (1,565 yds. 16 td's) and running back Chevelle Buie (1,441 yds. 15 td's) and defensively showcase a 3-5 defense with lots of movement to put pressure on Raiders quarterback Leron Thomas. The defense, led by defensive end Ra'shawde Myers (10 sacks), linebacker Anthony Joiner (119 tackles), and defensive back E.J. Johnson (3 INT's, 48 tackles), has held opponents to less than seven points per game this post season. Coach Wilkinson says, it is the defense that has carried them, "Our defense has done really really well. It has yet to give up a point in the last 13 quarters. We're an offense that takes what the defense gives us. We have a refuse to lose attitude, when the going gets tough they seem to do the right things."
In a state championship, teams must bring their 'A' game in offense, defense and special teams, Coach Wilkinson explains his keys to the game, "On offense we have to control the time of the possession and not turn the football over. Defensively, we have to tackle, we can't give up big plays, and on special teams we have to cover kicks. They have dangerous people on kickoffs, they can't get a big play in the kicking game. All of these teams have been through hard games and it's going to be the team that handles adversity the best that's going to win."
Kickoff gets underway 7 p.m. Saturday at the Citrus Bowl.
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