Clearwater Falls to Largo in Spring Football Classic, 35-12

The Largo Packers and Clearwater Tornadoes are both coming off of solid seasons in 2010 and have high expectations for the fall.

But, one team looked much closer to repeating their recent success than the other Friday night at Clearwater High School.

Largo dominated a young Clearwater team in the annual Spring Classic, leading 14-0 at halftime before scoring three touchdowns in the third quarter en route to a 35-12 victory.

For the Tornadoes, they face the daunting task of replacing a slew of departed seniors, including All-County players in QB Ryan Hagen, TE Jon Hogan and LB Dylan Rubino.

Senior signal caller Rob Yarbrough, who saw some action in relief of Hagen last season, takes over the reins full time in 2011, and got his first taste of what it will be like facing a quality opponent on a full time basis.

Though Yarbrough got his team on the board with a 48-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, he was consistently pressured and battered by the Largo defense and ended the contest with a uniform caked in dirt and what had to be a sore body.

“He’s getting better and better,” Tornadoes head coach Tom Bostic said of his quarterback. “He did a lot of good things tonight. He threw the ball well, he saw that one opening and had the big run…he’s a tough kid and he’s going to do well.”

As for his team's performance Friday night? 

"We're young, real young. But I don't put too much stock in a spring game."

Meanwhile Largo appears to have another potent running game with three highly capable ball carriers, and the return of quarterback Juwan Brown.

Sophomore running back Jarvis Stewart, who had more than 1,100 yards rushing as a freshman while backing up primary ball carrier Derrick Doss, picked right up where he left off in 2010, racking up 77 yards in the first half and then adding a 61-yard touchdown scamper in the third quarter.

“He (Stewart) is on track... last year he had 1,100 yards rushing and we’ve never seen a freshman have 1,100 yards rushing. He’s on track to have another big season,” Packers coach Rick Rodriguez said after the game. 

Brown, who missed the last seven games of the 2010 season with a knee injury, finished the game with 118 yards and two TDs passing and 22 yards rushing; his return should only help the Packers chances of making another postseason appearance in 2011.

“He’s an exceptional athlete. He’s 100 percent and he’s ready to go (for the  season),”Rodriguez said.