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Class 3A Region Semifinal: Gulf-Pasco Rematch

Gulf (10-1) @ Pasco (10-1)

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By Eric Horchy | The Suncoast News

Published: November 26, 2008

DADE CITY - Just about everything a spectator could possibly want in a football game will be on display in Dade City Friday night with this matchup between Class 3A-District 8 foes.

The teams, bitter rivals, are each playing for their respective playoff lives. Neither squad has advanced past this point since Pasco's 1992 State Championship. Adding even more drama, this is a rematch of a nail-biting 21-20 Pirate's victory in Week 10 that locked up the district title.

It is also an opportunity to witness the next step in Gulf's continued development from perennial whipping boy status into becoming a Pasco County tour de force for years to come.

Who's going to come out on top? Who knows?

Gulf has been grinding its teeth over the Nov. 7 road loss and would like nothing better than taking out the team that denied it its first ever district title. Pasco comes in knowing it is at home and that victory over this team has been had before.

If you're in the mood for a warm-hearted, feel-good, Thanksgiving weekend get together Friday night, better start looking for a holiday movie in theaters now, because this one's going to get heated.

Game coverage, stats and photos will be available here, at www.suncoastnews.com, following the contest.

LAST MEETING:

Pasco squeaked by, 21-20 in Week 10 to win the district.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

One of the most impressive aspects of this year's Buccaneers has been their resiliency. Tevin Gamble, Gulf's senior running back with the potential to bust off 100-yard games every week, was downed with a season-ending injury after Week 2. Wide receiver and defensive back David Ramirez has been out for the majority of the season. The Bucs' linebacking corps has dealt with physical woes itself.

Yet despite it all, the team just keeps on winning.

This week's adversity centers on quarterback/linebacker Madison Burr. The junior playmaker is questionable for Friday's showdown with a knee injury that surfaced earlier this week.

Burr's inability to play would certainly be a blow to Gulf offensively and defensively. He plays virtually every snap, including being in charge of punting duties.

Stepping in for the 1,245-yard passer would be sophomore Jake Jackson. It wouldn't be the first time this season Jackson started behind center this season. He played for the injured Burr during Week 5's 52-28 throttling of Ridgewood.

Pasco and its tenacious defense would be an imposing challenge for the sophomore, should he start, and Burr's absence makes the Gulf offense appear more one dimensional. But Ridgewood entered Week 5 expecting a run-dominated attack, too. That ended with Adrian Golden sprinting out to 432 yards and six touchdowns.

In the teams' Week 10 meeting, Golden rushed for 168 yards and three scores. That was with Burr's 125 yards through the air – something one would expect to be lacking if he is not taking the snaps.

Pasco will counter offensively much as it did in the first match up. Running back Jamal Haynes led the charge with 29 carries for 153 yards and quarterback D.J. Clower efficiently went 5 of 9 passing for 101 yards and a score.

Regardless of Burr's status, the game will primarily be played on the ground. The teams combined for 23 total passing attempts during the first go-around and that is about the max for these two offenses.

Supplementary running backs for both teams – Pasco's Dominique Wilson and Gulf's Will Burbridge – could each play the "X factor" role Friday night. Both are bruising fullbacks that pose defenses different challenges in comparison to the primary runners.

THE SKINNY:

Grit. Determination. Conditioning. All the cliché, hard-nosed necessities of winning football may be just what decides who continues on past Dade City.

A blowout that favors either sideline is not likely and who wins could come down to one single mistake or breakout play late in the game.

While Golden and Haynes will be the two young men carrying the offensive loads, the real game inside the game to watch for will be in the trenches. The Buccaneers offensive front has proven it can push around every team it has faced (including, to an extent, Pasco) but it will perhaps be faced with additional defenders in the box if Gulf is sans Burr.

Pasco's offensive game plan will probably be similar to the one Gulf saw a few weeks ago. The Pirates have enough playmakers where they will get their points, but just how many will be largely determined by their defense's ability to force Gulf into three-and-outs or short drives.

Beyond that, the rivalry factor and everything that comes with it is an intangible whose force on the outcome no one can foretell.

The emotions and vitriol vented toward each other will be palpable from the sidelines to the stands and from whistle to whistle Friday night. Expect a game that will go down as one of Pasco County's best-ever.

Eric Horchy can be reached at 727-815-1071 or ehorchy@suncoastnews.com

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