ST. PETERSBURG - So much for the newspaper
prognostications. The Cougars were picked to lose their second game of the
season against the Gibbs Gladiators by both analysts. How wrong they were. The
Cougars lit up the opposition by firing on all cylinders and earning a
convincing 21-14 win to begin (2-0) and a chance to continue that stretch next
Friday night against the Green Devils. The Cougars meticulously mixed up pass
and run that ended in a first quarter touchdown by Jimbo Chmelik on a dive as
he rolled to the outside. Both Dawrence Roberts and sophomore Terry Johnson
paved the way on the ground, as they racked up over 60 yards each. The
lynchpin for the second consecutive week was the defense, sacking Gladiator
quarterback Josh Rembert 5 times for -42 yards and holding the Gibbs offense
to just 2 first down the entire game.
With a 7-0 lead at halftime, Terry Johnson
added to the lead with a 5 yard score that made it 14-0 before Gibbs speedster
Jarvis West returned the ensuing kick-off 75 yards for a 14-7 game heading
into the fourth quarter. It was here that the garnet and gold showed their
heart and true grit. With just over 5 minutes to play and the game tied at 14
after long interception return by Russell Allen, Countryside went to work
again and capitalized on a good drive which ended in the winning touchdown: a
14 yard TD to tight end Richard Shockley, who also was among the defensive
leaders out of the linebacker slot. The Gladiators were unable to get anything
going, and CHS got payback after a loss to Gibbs at home last year.
The Cougars will wrap up their 3 game road trip
next week at the St. Pete Green Devils. The team will head home after that to
begin district play against Dunedin. Countryside beat St. Pete 23-7 at home in
2007, and will look to continue their excellent road effort on the 19th. Game
time is 7:30. GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!
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Countryside High School Football -
Clearwater, Florida - USA
