Football

Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN

“When it rains, it pours, when it pours, you score,” Fox Chapel’s eighth-grader Mike Lee said. 

Even though the Tigers never scored a touchdown, they kept the Eagles from crossing over into their endzone beyond half-time, ending the game at 14-0 on Oct. 8, 2019.

“I was proud of Fox Chapel because, in the past, we would score forty-some points,” coach Genard Hudson said. “They showed a lot of improvement and gave us a challenge.”

Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN

Hernando Christian Academy (HCA) was on a three-game winning streak until they met up with Donahue on September 27. The Lions didn’t make it easy for Donahue as HCA fell just 7 points shy of them with a final score of Donahue 45, HCA 38.

“We lost steam, but not a lot,” Asst. Coach Lance Schwan said. “We walked away from Donahue with a little bit more confidence. I think it’s going to turn into a positive thing and force these kids to keep going.”

By MEL SUITER

Hernando Sun Sports Reporter

NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. ---- Fall in the state of Florida there is nothing like it!

Friday evening, October 4, the weather is supposed to be fall like, there is supposed to be cool temperatures, maybe a cool breeze but that kind of autumn weather is for some other place and not for the shore line of the world-famous Moon Lake.

Arriving at River Ridge High School be ready for a hike!

By Andy Villamarzo

Hernando Sun sports reporter

 Back in Brooksville, FL just over a few years ago, Nature Coast Technical featured a running back that not many thought then would end up playing in the National Football League. 

 Come this past Monday night in San Francisco, California, the San Francisco 49ers had former Nature Coast running back Matt Breida sitting center stage on one of the NFL’s premier nights to watch football. 

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports reporter

Photography by Alice Mary Herden

SPRING HILL- All week the status of Springstead linebacker Adrian Cabrera was up in the air heading into last Friday’s tilt against Hernando. 

The team’s arguably best player went into Wednesday’s practice of last week finally getting the green light from head coach Mike Garofano and was beyond excited to get back on the field with his fellow teammates. 

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports reporter 

SPRING HILL- If there’s anything that this Springstead High School’s football team has shown this 2019 season, it’s resiliency. 

Mike Garofano’s group has been tested week in and week out and the time came for the Eagles to answer the bell against a hungry Dade City Pasco team last Friday, hoping to bounce back from a 20-0 loss the previous week to St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins. 

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports staff writer 

Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN

Despite the twenty times a yellow flag was thrown up in the air on Friday evening Sept. 27, 2019, both Weeki Wachee and Hernando High football teams excelled on one function- defense. If they didn’t, the scoreboard numbers would have been a whole other story.

“We have been all year pretty solid on defense,” coach Cook said. “ All those guys are really committed they want to get better. They are very positive, which is very difficult to do.”

SPRING HILL- The best team in Hernando County resides out of Spring Hill these days.

Another example of that sentiment was proven last Friday when Springstead hosted Crystal River. The Eagles’ defense has already pitched a couple of shutout victories and added another to their belt, as Springstead rolled to a 21-0 win over the Pirates at home. Springstead now improves to 4-0 on the season and heads into this week’s matchup against Dade City Pasco with plenty of momentum. 

BROOKSVILLE- With the death of junior varsity football player Trevor Bowen still on everyone’s mind, the Hernando High varsity football team took the field to face Class 1A opponent Wildwood on Sept. 20, 2019. The Wildcats produced a formidable challenge, as they featured 6-foot-5 quarterback Oscene Mikell and a slew of talented wide receivers.