For the fifth time in a row, Plant beat its crosstown rival, Robinson, though this time it went a lot differently.
No blowout.
"No way," Robinson coach Mike DePue said. "I know a lot of people were expecting us to get beat 70-0 or something like that. But hey, we knew better."
Plant's Allen Sampson breaks free from the tackle attempt of Robinson's Tim Randolph during the Panthers' home victory on Friday. (Photo courtesty of Tampa Tribune)
Robinson (8-2) not only scored on Plant - ending a 120-0 consecutive Plant scoring streak over three years - but also it gave the defending state champions just about everything they could handle before succumbing 29-13.
"I really have to give props to Robinson," Plant quarterback Phillip Ely said. "(Robinson) played snap to whistle. They played hard and they played well.
"This is what we want in this game. It's great for South Tampa."
And yet for a little more than half the game, despite Robinson's best efforts, it appeared Plant (9-1) might run it up once again. At halftime it was 15-0 and early in the second half it was 22-0.
Ely, who completed 19 of 31 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns, was pretty much having his way, as was Panther linebacker James Wilder, who wreaked havoc on Robinson quarterback Blake Rice and the Knights' kicking game, blocking two of its punts.
Nonetheless, Robinson hung tough, as Rice hooked up with Ruben Gonzalez on a 26-yard touchdown pass with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
Robinson High School's Frankie Williams gets some running room for extra yardage during game action Friday night at Plant. (Photo courtesy of Tampa Tribune)
Then, with 6 minutes left in the game, the Knights struck again when Rice lofted a long pass down the right side, only to have it tipped by a Plant defender and then fall into the hands of Frankie Williams, who raced into the end zone for an 85-yard touchdown.
Plant had a resounding answer, rushing it seven times for 65 yards, 37 of which was run by Wilder, who ended the drive with a 2-yard touchdown dive.
Robinson had a final answer of its own, driving deep into Plant territory before stalling at Plant's goal line, where defensive back Javonte Martin reeled in his second interception of the night.
In the end, DePue and his troops, along with Plant, walked off feeling pretty good about the state of affairs.
"We just went toe-to-toe with the defending state champions," DePue said. "Now we're going to the playoffs. We came in here wanting to win this game and get better from it. We may not have won, but we did get better."
CoachesAid.com thanks the Tampa Tribune for its coverage of this game.
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