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Flyweight Dolphins Leap To Victory

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: December 10, 2008

PLANT CITY - It took only a few weeks to realize that the Plant City Dolphins Flyweights football team was bound for a great season.

That reality came to its full conclusion with the first-ever Super Bowl championship for the Dolphins in the Flyweight age group, for 6- and 7-year-olds. Plant City beat the Brandon Bears 25-7 in a game played Nov. 22 at Jenkins High School.

"That was the best team I've ever coached," said head coach Armand Cotnoir, who has been involved with the Dolphins organization for 10 years.

The Dolphins went through the season with an 11-0 record and easily dispatched their two playoff opponents.

Several elements set this Dolphins group apart. Physical talent was obvious from the start, but so was a team chemistry like none Cotnoir has ever witnessed.

"They were physically better than the other teams we played; you could tell that right away," he said. "But there was so much teamwork. No arguing; no one thought they were better than anyone else."

Even after they wrapped up the West Coast Youth Football Conference championship with the Super Bowl victory, the Dolphins were not finished displaying their dominance.

Against four teams from the Pasco and Pinellas areas, the Dolphins went 4-0 playing in the New Port Richey PAL Turkey Bowl Tournament the weekend after Thanksgiving. That gave the Dolphins a final record of 17-0.

While their opponents were made up of all-star squads from the various leagues, the Dolphins just brought their normal team - and easily won all four games.

"It was such a pleasure. Other team parents were coming up and saying how well-coached the Plant City kids were," Cotnoir said.

His coaching staff is made up of T.J. Messick, Casey Christian, Danny Coton, John Darrow, Les Miller, Rick Lott, Willie Gardner and team mom Kim Cotnoir.

The Super Midget Dolphins won their division with an 8-2 record but lost to the Brandon Bears 26-12 in the semifinals. The other Dolphins team to get a playoff victory was the JV squad, which edged Brandon's Broncos 22-21 before falling to the other Brandon franchise, the Steelers, 27-14.

For the champion Flyweights, the best part of it all might have been what came after the victory.

"When I won a Super Bowl two years ago coaching a higher age group, we all get Super Bowl jackets," Cotnoir said. "So I'd wear mine every night out there and practice and, man, did the kids want one. Getting that Super Bowl jacket is a big thing."

Here are the members of the champion Flyweight Dolphins: Keyshawn Gardner, Kevhawn Ragins, Tyreke Harrison, Parker Messick, Cameron Cotnoir, Chip Marion, Michael Coton, Conner Murphy, Johni Broome, Chris Rodriguez, Brodie Richards, Joey Parrillo, Ben Gude, Cole Cothren, Carson Darrow, Rex Lott, Damion Neale, Bryar Christian, Treshaun Ward, Justin Johnson, Blake Price, Colton Miller and Blake Folsom.

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