In order to prevent East Lake from capturing its fourth straight district title on Friday night, Pinellas Park head coach Kenny Crawford knew his team needed to keep the score close and get their impressive ground game going.
Unfortunately for the host Patriots, they couldn’t accomplish either of those objectives.
The Eagles raced out to a 21-7 lead after one quarter and took a 38-7 lead into halftime, and by the time East Lake’s backup quarterback took a knee on the final play of the game, the Eagles had locked up the 7A-9 title by a final score of 45-14.
“Momentum is big and we knew if we wanted to be in this game, we couldn’t let them get momentum and big plays right away, and we couldn’t get that done,” Crawford said afterwards.
“When we get behind it makes it tough, because we’re not a super throwing team, we’re a run first team, and when we get down like that it makes it hard.”
Pinellas Park (6-2, 3-1) actually kept it close early, as the Patriots answered a 64-yard touchdown reception by East Lake standout George Campbell on the third play of the game with a 73-yard scoring strike from quarterback Nick Hernandez to Marcellus Ware two plays later to tie the score at seven.
But from there, it was all about the Eagles’ offense.
East Lake (8-0, 4-0) marched down the field on the ensuing drive, courtesy of five penalties on the Patriots, before quarterback Jake Hudson (15-28, 275yds, 4TDs) snuck it in from three yards out to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead.
After forcing a three-and-out and getting the ball at midfield, East Lake needed just four plays to score again, when Campbell caught a short pass from Hudson and raced 25 yards into the end zone for a 14-point East Lake lead.
Campbell, who has committed to play at Florida State and has hit his stride after a slow start to the season, added a 13-yard touchdown catch with four minutes left to play in the second quarter to make it 31-7 Eagles.
The lanky senior finished the half with 7 catches for 158 yards and three touchdowns.
“We always try to come out and try to put the gas pedal down, execute the stuff that we need to and try to get in the end zone early,” Campbell said. “Tonight we were able to do that.”
The Patriots briefly made things interesting after Ware (199 tot. yds) took the opening kickoff of the second half 55 yards, and nine plays later, beefy running back Kal-El Williams scored from one yard out to cut the deficit to 38-14.
But another touchdown by East Lake, a one-yard run by Dylan Rennaker, to open the fourth quarter capped the scoring and sealed the district crown for the Eagles.
“This is the first step,” Eagles coach Bob Hudson said. “Playoffs, and it seals home field, so I’m excited about that.”