Sports
Gaither Prepares to Face Durant
The Cowboys head into their most important game in the last five years on Friday as they take on the Durant Cougars. Meanwhile boys and girls soccer is under way.
The Cowboys (7-3) are preparing for their biggest test of the season as they travel Friday to Durant (7-3) to take on the Cougars in regional quarterfinal action.
"The kids and the coaches are charged up," said head coach Jason Stokes. "Right now it's a game-by-game contract."
A win at Durant would match the best season in the last decade and pit them against the winner of Brandon/Tampa Bay Tech.
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However, it will be no short order.
The Cowboys have struggled on offense all year long and can ill afford to not put points on the board against Durant. The Cougars average more than 276 yards of rushing offense per game and have scored a whopping 33 rushing touchdowns this year; 18 of them on the legs of senior quarterback Nick Fabrizio. The Cougars average 34 points per game, while the Cowboys only average 24. So the Cowboys will definitely be pegged as an underdog.
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Serendipitous for Gaither is the injury status of Durant's junior full back Jarmarlon Hamilton. Hamilton led the Cougar rushing attack all year and was over 1,000 yards when he sustained a concussion in last week's game and is a big question mark for Friday.
This is a huge stroke of luck for the already stingy Cowboys defense that only gives up and average of 11 points per game. It should be able to hone in on Fabrizio and whatever secondary back the Cougars will use.
"They're good at running the ball, we're good at stopping the run," said Stokes. "It's going to come down to, can we stop the run?"
Look for an heroic effort from the Cowboys defense and if the offense can get the gears moving, Gaither has a real chance.
Cowboys Soccer Season Kicks Off Strong
As football season nears its end, soccer is kicking into gear. The Cowboys' boys team (1-0) started off the season with a bang, thrashing the East Bay Indians 6-0 in the season opener.
The Gaither girls are 2-2-1 after tying East Bay on Nov. 8. They travel with the boys team to take on Plant Tuesday night.
Carrollwood Day Schools Girls Remain Undefeated
The Patriot girls team is 2-0 after a Nov. 12 victory over Lake Mary Prep.