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Unchartered Waters

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BY ERIC HORCHY

THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: October 22, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - When more than 300 former Gulf High School students fill up the familiar green and white stands of Des Little Stadium during Saturday's Alumni Invasion, most will witness a contrastingly less-than-familiar Buccaneer product competing between the lines.

Existing for years as an afterthought of Pasco County prep football, a program that has never won its district and only appeared in the state playoff series once, in 2006, will march onto their home field that evening a perfect 6-0.

This year's bunch is the first in school history to bolt out to such a strong start and they are doing it in a dominating fashion, outscoring opponents by the astounding margin of 248-57. The previous record of 5-0 was held by the Buccaneers' 1941 squad, which also owns the school's best overall mark at 9-1.

Football has been played at Gulf for nearly 80 years, according to the school's Web site.

"It's outstanding isn't it," said Bill Phillips, event chairman for the Alumni Invasion and a member of the Gulf Class of '75. "It's kind of rarified air for us, being 6-0 and ready to get through the game that night against Hudson and hopefully be 7-0."

"Many of us that played back in the 70's, we know what it's been like since then for sure," he added. Phillips was a defensive back and quarterback during his years at Gulf.
Buccaneers Head Coach Jay Fulmer, in his fourth season at the helm, said the key to this season's success has been adhering to and practicing the age-old cliche of taking things as they come.

"We're glad to be off to a good start and hopefully we can stay focused and go at it one game at a time," he said. "That's been the key element in the whole thing is we haven't looked ahead all year."

While the perfect record is creating excitement, Fulmer said, the team is not exactly caught off guard by its own success.

"We set a goal way back in winter that if we win every game, then we don't have to worry about the district, we don't have to worry about making the playoffs, we don't have to worry about anything," he said. "It would all take care of itself."

The Bucs' accomplishments this season are doubly impressive because of the size, or lack thereof, of its roster. Fulmer said he has only 28 players dressed per game. What makes up for such a scantily manned sideline is that all 28 can - and do - hit the field with capable ability.

"We have not had a game yet where every single kid has not played," Fulmer said.

And of those 28, 20 are starters, which mean players get to stay fresh by primarily only playing on one side of the ball. Quarterback/linebacker Madison Burr and offensive-defensive lineman C.J. Hart are the only two Bucs that consistently play both ways, Fulmer said.

Gulf did take a hit earlier in the season when they learned senior tailback Tevin Gamble would be sidelined the rest of the season due to injury, but friend and fellow backfield mate Adrian Golden has responded remarkably to the increased carrying load. The junior has already rushed for 1,350 yards and 19 touchdowns, including a 432-yard, six-score eye-popping performance against Ridgewood.

The Buccaneers hit the meat of their schedule now, lining up Hudson (3-2) next Saturday, with a full head of steam. Zephyrhills, Pasco and East Lake, successively, round out the schedule Gulf will try to get past to keep their record-setting season doing, well, just that - setting more records.

Alumni invasion info

Further details on the Alumni Invasion can be found at www.gulfhighinvasion.com> or by e-mailing ghsboosterclub@hotmail.com. The Oct. 24-25 event includes a Friday night pep rally at Sims Park and kickoff party at Fatty and Mabels, a golf tournament on Saturday and a pre-game barbecue at Des Little Stadium. Package and individual ticket prices can be found at the Alumni Invasion Web site listed above.

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