The 2014 season started last night. Not officially, but it started emotionally. At Largo, The Packers hosted Dunedin and Pinellas Park in a 3-way jamboree style contest. Each team played the other for a half giving each team a full game. Largo defeated Dunedin in the first game 14-7. Dunedin and Pinellas Park would stalemate at 6 points each and Largo would finish off the night with a 7-6 win over Pinellas Park.
What did we learn from the three-team Pinellas County fall classic?
• Pinellas Park has a chance to be very good again. Let’s keep it in perspective; This game last night was essentially a practice game which neither Largo or Dunedin used too much practice time prior to playing Pinellas Park to prepare for the misdirection offense of the Patriots. However, with that said if the Patriots take care of the ball and limit the turnovers, their run game will give teams fits! Kal-El Williams is a load running in the 0,1 and 2 holes. Maxson is everything we thought he was as a running back and Calhoun will be awesome. Very confident team coming off 10-2 season in 2013.
• Dunedin has a chance. Depth could be their biggest problem, but the Falcons have some pieces to open eyes this year. To be expected, the defense is far ahead of the offense. The Falcons flew around and laid the hat a few times. Very active defensively.
• Largo has a few athletes that will get them out of jams and make plays in crucial situations. The spread offense is still a work in progress with elements to put dents in defenses once they get rolling in 2 or 3 games. The Defense is fast and flew around. Played very sound and didn’t make too many mistakes that were obvious to the naked eye. Gave up one or two big plays that resulted in scores but that will happen in the first game of the season when players get out of position anxious to make a play.
• Donavan Hale can do things that you can’t. I can’t either for that matter. His ability will get the Packer offense out of jams. It will also get them in some trouble. When a QB can run, it’s hard for him to become a pocket QB. At times last night, Hale fled the pocket too early. AGAIN, this was a practice game and the entire team has to get use to the speed of the game versus a real opponent and not each other in practice. Wait until Hale gets his feet wet this season, he will start to feel the game and throw rockets from the pocket and make it that much more difficult for teams to game plan for him.
• Andrew Gordon (Dunedin) could have one of those magical seasons a senior dreams about. Last night he was a 6 foot 6 terror on the defensive side of the ball and difficult to contain on offense. We learned that he is more active and aggressive than he looks. Dude was all over the place!