TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Team's Tongues Proving To Be Toughest Foe

ADVERTISEMENT

By DAREK SHARP, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2008

PLANT CITY - The Durant High School Cougars headed into the holiday break on a roll, and have assured themselves the second seed for the district boys soccer tournament.

If they can get a full team on the field, watch out.

The Cougars should be at full strength at the end of the week, but it has not been injuries preventing Durant from getting to that point.

It has been cursing.

"We've talked about it until we're blue in the face," Durant head coach Jamin Hollingsworth said. "But you know, you miss a shot and maybe say 'damn,' and if a ref's in the right mood, you get a red card."

Cursing can result in an ejection and has for three Cougars this season. The red card that goes with the call means disqualification from the next game.

"I wish the refs would show some restraint at times," Hollingsworth said.

Against Sarasota Riverview, which Durant could meet again in the District 6A-8 tournament semifinals, there were three ejections for language, two from Sarasota Riverview and one from Durant. The second half was played with Durant holding a 10-on-9 player advantage; the 2-1 victory is what gave the Cougars the No. 2 seed for the tournament.

Though no one is assuming an easy trip to the district final - which means a playoff berth - the Cougars are thinking about what could happen if they make it. Durant would likely take on top seed and host Plant City, which won the Nov. 27 meeting 4-0 at Raider Stadium.

"We were missing two of our best players then," because of language suspensions, Hollingsworth said. "They deserved to win the game no doubt, but we want another shot at Plant City, and I think it'll be a different score line."

That defeat was Durant's only loss in its nine games heading into the break. The Cougars (8-3-1) won their next four after that including the defeat of Sarasota Riverview, and posted dominating efforts to beat district opponents Lakeland, 5-1, and Riverview, 8-1.

Cecil Clarke, the team's leading scorer with nine goals through 12 games, had three against Riverview. Leandro Mesquita had a goal and three assists. Mesquita and Jarrett Williams both have six goals each.

Although there are no more district games until the tournament, Durant finishes up the regular season with some intriguing match-ups. Friday, Durant visits Freedom, which competed in last week's prestigious Soccer Field Invitational.

Tuesday, the Cougars go up against perhaps their biggest rival when they visit Newsome, whose goalkeeper is Hollingsworth's brother Kyle.

"Freedom is a really good team; that'll be a good game. And the Newsome game has a little more meaning," Hollingsworth said.

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT