Winter Haven Rolls to Class 6A-10 Victory

Sat. September 24, 2011 at 12:25 a.m. | By Polk Preps Staff

By MIKE COBB
LEDGER CORRESPONDENT

LAKELAND | Friday night's Class 6A-District 10 matchup between Winter Haven and Kathleen was expected to be a close game.
It turned out to be a Winter Haven rout. The Blue Devils used their running game to set up the play-action pass and led 35-3 after three quarters before Kathleen added a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to make the final score 35-17 at Kathleen's JohnnyJohnson Stadium.
"This was a huge win for us," Winter Haven acting head coach Tom LeJeune said. "I couldn't be prouder of our kids."
Winter Haven (4-0 overall, 1-0 in 6A-10) used its running game to control the ball and the clock, running for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Walter Bridges led the way with 80 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
"Once we established the run, that opened up the passing game," LeJeune said.
Blue Devil quarterback Levi Borders was 9-of-18 for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Borders also ran for a touchdown.
Kathleen's defense helped the with seven offsides penalties.
"We can't give teams easy first downs," Kathleen coach Irving Strickland said. "They (the Blue Devils) are a good team, but we shot ourselves in the foot.
"We've got to get it turned around. We've got to stop making foolish mistakes."
Winter Haven's defense also contributed a pair of takeaways that led to scores as well as four sacks against Kathleen quarterback A'Treyu Farrior.
Gildarto Mata's 25-yard field goal gave the Red Devils (2-2, 0-1) an early 3-0 lead, but it didn't last long.
After punting on its first possession, Winter Haven scored on its next five possessions including a one-play, 3-yard possession after Blue Devil defensive back Alex Jean returned an interception 39 yards to the Kathleen 3.
That led to Bridges' second touchdown run and a 21-3 halftime lead.
"That was huge," LeJeune said of Jean's interception. "We knew we'd get the ball to start the second half."
The Blue Devils drove 78 yards in seven plays to make it 28-3 on a 13-yard TD pass from Borders to sophomore Kendrick Holland. Borders added a 4-yard run to make it 35-3 late in the third quarter.
James McClinton ran 4 yards for one touchdown, and Farrior connected with R.J. Johnson for 45 yards and a score in the fourth quarter for Kathleen.
Kathleen plays at home next week against Haines City. Winter Haven is off.