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Cougars' Homecoming Foe Looking For Its First Win

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By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2007

PLANT CITY - Scheduling a playoff team as a homecoming opponent might not sound like the best strategy. But it's looking like Durant High made the right move.

The Freedom Patriots come to the Ron Frost Athletic Complex on Friday in the midst of a ragged season. Freedom has yet to win a game.

Marquel Blackwell, an accomplished former quarterback at the University of South Florida, is struggling to spark the Patriots on offense in his first year as the team's head coach. Blackwell was the offensive coordinator there last season.

Friday's contest could serve as a breather for the Cougars between district games against Sarasota and Sarasota Riverview.

Last year, Freedom made the playoffs for the first time in school history. The Patriots scored a big upset of Hillsborough late in the season, forcing a three-way tiebreaker in District 4A-11 between Freedom, Hillsborough and Newsome.

Freedom lost to Hillsborough in the first quarter of the tiebreaker and Hillsborough beat host Newsome to earn the district championship. Freedom played Newsome for the runner-up playoff spot and the Patriots won 7-0.

The Patriots had a standout quarterback in Andrew Carr, who moved on to Webber International University.

So far, Freedom's offense has scored only six points in the first four games.

The homecoming contest kicks off at 7:30 p.m.

Reporter Darek Sharp can be reached at dsharp@tampa trib.com.

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