NEW PORT RICHEY – In some respects, Seminole Ridge is lucky to be in this year’s Class 7A playoffs.
The Hawks (6-3; No. 9 in New Era Prep Top 10) essentially needed a Week 11 home win over Wellington (3-7) to make it in. They got just that, as senior quarterback Shane Goolsby registered a rushing touchdown on a 10-yard keeper in the first quarter, while his team’s defense allowed only 55 yards to the Wolverines in the season-defining 10-0 win.
Without the victory, it’s very possible – and almost certain – that Seminole Ridge would have been eliminated from the postseason.
“It’s been a lot of ups and downs for us,” Hawks senior defensive back Andre Fuller said. “But by the end of the season, we came through and clinched a playoff position.”
Fuller spoke on how Seminole Ridge got the key victory over Wellington.
“Our defense shut them down,” Fuller said. “They didn’t score at all, so if they can’t score, they can’t win.”
Seminole Ridge junior wide receiver Brandon Schabert said the Week 11 victory was a complete team effort.
“Special teams, offense, defense, we all did our jobs,” Schabert said. “We did what we had to do.”
Seminole Ridge senior linebacker Ryan Blake feels that his team doesn’t get enough respect as a program. He says the playoffs will be a chance for the Hawks to earn it.
“We got a little respect, but we don’t have the respect we want,” Ryan Blake said. “We just gotta prove it in the playoffs by working harder.”
Seminole Ridge defensive back Reyan Blake, who is Ryan Blake’s twin brother, said it took some time for his team to come together.
“Starting off in the beginning of the season, we were just figuring ourselves out,” Reyan Blake said. “As the season came down to an end, we just had a strong bond with each other. And now that we’re in the playoffs, we have a chance to prove everybody wrong.”
Seminole Ridge, which is the No. 7 seed in the 7A – Region 3 playoffs, is currently in New Port Richey (Tampa metropolitan area) as it prepares to play against No. 2 seed and District 9-7A champion Mitchell (9-1). The Hawks are a 14-point underdog tonight to the Mustangs, according to the venerable Joe Pinkos Playoff Forecast.
There are some good reasons why Seminole Ridge is not favored in this one.
Let’s start with Mitchell junior quarterback Ezra Brennan. He is one of the state’s leading signal callers in overall production, as evidenced by the fact he registered 1,922 total yards on offense and accounted for 31 touchdowns in 10
games played – both of which are school records.
With the help of Brennan (Alonso transfer) and senior running Tyler Williams, Mitchell scored a team total of 68 touchdowns in the regular season, which is considered to be No. 1 in the entire state.
As an offense, Mitchell prides itself on balance. The Mustangs have produced approximately 2,000 passing yards and 2,000 rushing yards in the 10 regular season games they have played as a team.
And on the defensive side of the ball, Mitchell’s secondary unit has been seen as one of the nation’s best this year. They have turned opposing offenses into no-fly zones, as evidenced by their 24 interceptions caught in the regular season.
So the best the Hawks can do tonight is play mistake-free ball for 48 minutes on offense, defense, and special teams. Doing so could ultimately turn the Mustangs into a “regular season team” at their place.
“I love the balance of our team,” Seminole Ridge head coach Rick Casko said. “If we play as well as we have been playing and keep getting better on offense and defense, then I think we have a real good chance.”
NOTE: The Seminole Ridge-Mitchell playoff game can be viewed on the NFHS Network. You can click below to livestream the game for yourself, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
