The Plant Panthers went undefeated over the weekend in winning the USF Sling ‘n’ Shoot 7 on 7 tournament. Over the course of the weekend, Plant defeated Dunedin, Frostproof, University High, Chamberlain, Sebring, Spoto and CDS in pool play games. In the single-elimination bracket play, Plant knocked off Chamberlain in its first game. In its second game, Plant defeated Charlotte by a final score of 32 – 15. Quarterback Aaron Banks connected on a pair of scoring passes to Tristan Cooper and a pair of 45-yard touchdown bombs to Dereck Mann to lead the Panthers into the finals.

An anticipated showdown with cross-county rival Armwood was thwarted when the Hawks were defeated by Ft. Myers Dunbar in the other semi-final game. In the Championship game between Plant and Dunbar, Plant struck first when Banks connected with Mann for a touchdown. Plant’s Will Bowles picked off a Dunbar pass for three points under the USF tournament scoring system and a 10 – 0 lead. On the ensuing drive, Banks once again connected with Mann to give the Panthers a 16 – 0 lead. Dunbar then turned the ball over on downs and Plant responded with another touchdown, this one from Banks to Cooper. Plant sandwiched in another scoring strike from Banks to Mann in between two Dunbar touchdowns and walked away with a 29 – 12 Championship game win.

Plant QB Aaron Banks completed 14 of 20 passes in the Championship game and accounted for 4 TD strikes. The Panthers scored on all but 2 offensive possessions while playing stingy defense allowing just two Dunbar scoring drives.

A second Plant squad picked up a bracket play victory on Sunday over Christian Day School, 24 – 16, with Plant QB Kyle Ploucher throwing touchdown passes to Fletcher Barnes, Clarke Miller and Jordan Reed (who also hauled in an interception). In quarterfinal action, the Plant 2 team dropped a close, hard-fought 20 – 13 decision to Armwood, as Plant QB Kyle Groh connected on TD passes to Reed and Austin Hudson.

Bob Barnes, BCP Contributor