In a showdown of the top two teams in Hillsborough County, the Plant Panthers knocked the host Robinson Knights from the ranks of the undefeated with a 26 – 24 victory, depriving Robinson head football coach Mike DuPue of a win in his final regular season game.
The game featured a match-up of quarterback-running back tandems, each of whom rushed for over 100 yards. Plant’s quarterback Aaron Banks finished the night with 110 yards on 8 carries, while teammate Wes Bullock was busy grinding out 125 yards on 28 carries. Robinson’s quarterback-running back duo was equally impressive. QB Zain Gilmore, Jr. racked up close to 150 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Knight running back Martin Ruiz broke the century mark on 16 carries. Both quarterbacks threw a touchdown pass (Banks, 20 yards to Andrew Beck and Gilmore, 15 yards to Justin Madison), but Banks had the edge in passing yardage — much of it coming to Tristan Cooper, who finished his break-out night with 120 yards on 5 catches.
The night started well for Robinson. The Knights won the toss and combined a nice Carlos Duclos return with a unsportsmanlike penalty against the Panthers (called before the Knights had even taken the field) to start their first drive in Plant territory at the 47-yard line. Behind the running of Ruiz, the Knights moved the ball down field. Facing a 4th and 2 from just inside the Panther 15 yard line, Gilmore sold the play action pass and found Madison standing alone in the end zone for an easy touchdown. Plant senior Reeves Rogers blocked the extra point attempt, but Robinson had jumped out to an early 6 – 0 lead.
Banks and Bullock went right to work for Plant on its first possession. A 44-yard pass completion from Banks to Cooper set up a 30-yard field goal from senior Will Few to cut the lead in half. Few then made a touchdown-saving tackle on the ensuing kickoff, knocking Robinson return man Robert Priester out of bounds on the Knight’s 35 yard line. Robinson was unable to move the ball this time and was soon forced to punt. Banks found Cooper twice on its second drive, once for 12 yards and a second time for 36 yards as the first quarter came to a close. Bullock opened the second quarter with a couple of 4-yard runs, the last one good for a touchdown. Few added the extra point and, for the first time this season, Robinson trailed in a game, 10 – 6.
Behind the strength of a 42-yard run from Ruiz, the Knights moved the ball downfield to set up an unsuccessful 32-yard field goal attempt. The Panthers then took over on their own 20-yard line and moved the ball down the field on the ground (Bullock & Banks) and in the air. A 7-yard naked bootleg on 4th down from Banks kept the drive alive. After a pair of runs from Bullock, Banks hit Beck with a 20-yard scoring strike and, with just less than 2 minutes in the first half, the Panthers had a 17 – 6 advantage and seemed to be in control of the game.
A team like Robinson doesn’t come into their last regular season game undefeated by rolling over when adversity is facing them. Gilmore opened the next drive with a 14-yard pass to Austin Eads and two plays later broke containment and jetted 70 yards for a touchdown. Gilmore also added the 2-point conversion. But, Robinson had left time on the clock and Plant used that time to its advantage. Banks combined with Bullock on a backside screen and, a play later, on a 40-yards streak down the middle of the field. Plant was unable to get the ball into the end zone, but Few was able to split the uprights with a 27-yard field goal as the first half clock expired to give the Panthers a 20 – 14 halftime advantage.
Plant opened the second half with a 64-yard run from Banks down to the Knight 11. However, the Panthers were not able to make anything happen and Robinson fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when Few’s 23-yards field goal attempt hooked to the left. Few’s counterpart, Cody Hodgens, had a little more success on Robinson’s next drive, connecting on a 25-yard field goal attempt to cut Plant’s lead to 20 – 17. Gilmore’s 43 yard run was the key to the drive.
The teams then traded possessions to end the third quarter before Robinson took advantage of a short field and the legs of Ruiz and Gilmore, with Gilmore punching the ball into the end zone from a yard out. With just over 8 minutes remaining in the game, the Knights had taken a 24 – 20 lead and it looked like Robinson might be able to break its losing streak to Plant. Bullock then put the team on his back, as he led the Panthers down the field, chewing up yards and clock time. But it was the play from Banks that took place with just under 4 minutes to go that fans likely will be talking about for years. Facing a 2nd and 7 from the Robinson 11 yard line, Banks electrified the visiting Panther fans and silenced the home crowd with a spinning, tackle-breaking, cut-back filled, scramble to pay dirt and a 26 – 24 lead. Plant kept the door open for an upset, however, when Few’s extra point ricocheted off the uprights.
With just under three minutes remaining in the game, Robinson looked to duplicate the scoring success it had at the end of the first half. The Plant defense was up to the task this time and was able to shut down the Knight’s final drive of the night. Plant took over possession when Gilmore’s 4th down pass fell harmlessly to the ground. Robinson was forced to use its timeouts, but Bullock picked up the necessary first down to put Plant in position to end the game with a couple of kneel downs in victory formation.
Although Robinson’s story-book regular season ended on a sour note, they can find solace in their performance Friday night. The offense moved the ball effectively against a tough Plant defense, especially on the ground. And, as one Robinson coach was overhead saying after the game: “If we can play one of the best 8A team in the state the way we did, we should be able to make some noise in the 5A State playoffs.”
As for Plant, they finish the regular season with the confidence that they can come from behind and win a close game against a tough opponent – something they may have to do again in the playoffs. The Panthers open a defense of their 2011 8A State Championship this Friday night at home, when they host Orlando Freedom High School at Dad’s Stadium.
– Bob Barnes