Plant City, FL – The first round of the playoffs started with a bang. Especially in Plant City. Big plays, questionable calls and big time players playing as expected. East Lake traveled across the water to Plant City Raider territory for a class 7A round 1 battle. It didn’t take long for the fireworks display.
PC started the game with a 75 yard drive capped by a Corey King QB sneak for the first TD of the game. The two teams exchanged offensive possessions and right before the end of the first quarter a 32 yard Raider field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a TD. Eagles tied the game at 7.
Right after that East Lake field goal block returned for a TD, PC returned the ensuing kickoff for TD. It was called back for a foul on the play. No problem. Very next snap, Markese Hargrove took it to the promise land for a big TD. PC would lead 14-7.
The Eagles put the ball on the ground and Plant City recovered which turned into a Corey King scramble for a 35 yard TD on 4th and 10. The Eagles marched the ball down the field but PC held with a big goal line stand. The Eagle defense held, forced a PC punt and then Xavier Jackson did the rest for a 45 yard TD to close the gap. Plant City led 21-14.
Quarterback Corey King led Plant City with four touchdowns, two rushing and two passing. King hit TJ Chase for a 26 yard TD pitch and catch at the end of the half and King to Chase again for another Raider TD midway through the third quarter. Plant City would lead 33-14. Before the quarter could end a dropped pass by an Eagle WR turned into a 50 yard INT for a TD for PC courtesy of Kwest Fluitt (PC 40 – EL 14).
East Lake did get on the board again as Bobby Goldinak scrambled for an East Lake TD and then tossed a TD pass to his 6-5 TE Josh Fletcher making the score 40-27. Bobby Goldinak led East Lake (6-5) with 261 passing yards and two touchdowns, and added a rushing touchdown.
Plant City RB Markese Hargrove rushed for 225 yards and two touchdowns and put the finishing touches on the game with a 30 yard TD run. Final Score Plant City 47 East Lake 34.
Plant City will host Tampa Bay Tech next Friday Night in a rematch of a week 6 Raider 19-3 win.