DUNEDIN - The skies were murky as Thursday
night approached the bay area after a torrential downpour. Very early in
a Class 5A, District 9 match-up between the visiting Countryside Cougars and
the Dunedin Falcons, it was clear who was doing most of the raining down on.
This "backyard brawl" was seized by the home team early with two first quarter
touchdowns. First, it was quarterback A'Darius Anderson on the initial drive
who scored on a keeper from 4 yards out to give Dunedin a 7-0 lead. Jimbo
Chmelik would throw one of two interceptions on the night and it set up
another Dunedin score. Cue the talented tailback named Adaris Bellamy, who on
this wet night had the Cougar defense spinning in circles. Bellamy
finished with 278 yards and 3 TD's, and may be not only the best back in the
county, but in the Tampa Bay area. His first score would come lightning quick
for 73 big ones. After a taunting penalty was assessed, the extra point was
blocked and it was 13-0.
The second frame began much to the chagrin of
the Cougars, who saw Bellamy take in a 2 yard touchdown run after pounding his
way through the middle for a commanding 20-0 advantage. Having already
overcome a deficit this big, Countryside went to work offensively and got on
the board on a hook-up between Chmelik and Richard Shockley for a halftime
score of 20-7. If the garnet and gold were going to get back in the game, the
first play of the third quarter didn't help. Running back Mike Towns caught a
pass for 77 yards, and would subsequently tally a 3 yard touchdown to make it
27-7. Cougar halfback Maurice Threatts would come to life scoring from the
1 on a crucial fourth and one and erase the deficit to 13 with a score of
27-14. Bellamy would answer back like thunder and a big drive for Dunedin
ended with a 7 yard TD and would up their lead to 33-14, despite missing a
two-point conversion attempt.
Countryside looked to answer back and
close the gap through the air, and Martavious Jones would easily score against
a prevent defense to make it 33-21. Both defenses stood up and played well in
the fourth quarter, the only blemish for Countryside was an Anderson 8
yard score to cap the game at 39-21, with the red and black once again missing
a two-point try. The Falcons are now (3-1, 1-0) while the Cougars fall to
(2-2, 0-1). Next, the garnet and gold return to Cougar Field next Friday to
host the Tarpon Springs Spongers, followed by the homecoming game on October 5
vs. Palm Harbor. All games start at 7:30. Be there, or be square.
