SEFFNER, Fla. – Late in the fourth quarter of
Armwood's (Seffner, Fla.) 21-0 victory over rival
Plant (Tampa, Fla.), linebacker and University of Oklahoma commit
Eric Striker chased down quarterback
James Few from the backside and dropped the senior for a four-yard loss.
The sack was the seventh of the season for Striker and the 36th of a highlight-reel prep career, setting a new Armwood record for career sacks.
But for Striker, the sack carried even greater significant, mainly because it effectively ended Plant's last-ditch effort to mount a scoring drive.
In shutting out Plant for the second season in a row, Armwood's defense bullied and bloodied the Panthers in the battle between Tampa Bay's premier programs.
Armwood (9-0), ranked No. 2 nationally in the latest Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard, limited a potent Plant offense to just 154 yards. Plant came in averaging 37 points per game.
"(Armwood) Coach (Sean Callahan) even said if we shut out Plant, we really kind of know where we're at," Striker said.
As if anyone doubted Armwood's defense in the first place.
In a dominating performance, it recorded its fifth shutout of the season - all coming in the last six weeks.
"They're the best Armwood defense I've ever seen, and that's not a light statement," Plant head coach Robert Weiner said. "They've had the best defenses in the state for many years."
Predictably, both teams had trouble moving the ball, the annual grudge match between the two schools has been a low-scoring affair in recent years.
But Armwood, which led 3-0 at halftime thanks to a 45-yard field goal early in the second quarter by
Nick Feely, made enough big plays after halftime to secure the victory.
Garian Brown, a senior defensive back, returned the second half kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown to swing momentum in Armwood's favor and give the Hawks a 9-0 lead.
"I told my blockers ‘don't worry about the crackbacks, just go block somebody and I'm going to make it happen and meet me in the end zone,' " Brown said. "Before the ball even came to me, I told them I was going. The ball came to me, and I had to go."
Plant (7-1) drove to the Armwood 19-yard line on the ensuing drive but came away empty after Few (15-of-23, 115 yards) was intercepted by
Keionne Baines after
Wesley Bullock juggled a screen pass.
Matt Jones
File photo by Stuart Browning
On Armwood's next play from scrimmage, quarterback
Darryl Richardson (7-of-14, 173 yards) completed a screen pass in the middle of the field to
Wade Edwards, who raced through the Plant secondary 77 yards for a touchdown with 7:13 remaining in the third quarter.
After forcing a Plant punt, Armwood sealed the win by chewing up six minutes of the fourth quarter with an 11-play drive that was finished off with a 30-yard touchdown run by Florida-bound Matt Jones (15 carries, 90 yards).
From there, the only remaining question was whether the Hawks' defense could pitch another shutout against a Plant team that has made the Florida state championship game four of the last five seasons, winning three titles.
The Hawks were up to the task.
"Those guys are great," Callahan said. "It's about the attitude. I'm really happy about the last two minutes because we didn't give up."
