At Zephyrhills
Score: Zephyrhills 43, Ridgewood 7
Spring game-breakers: Rarely has Zephyrhills ever been more balanced or as deep in the offensive backfield as this bunch. There is a quarterback duel between returning starter Mike Smith, also a standout linebacker, and Jarcques Meza. But it doesn’t stop there. No fewer than six running backs carried the ball Friday, and it just might stay that way in the fall. Jaylen Pickett rushed for a game-high 118 yards and a touchdown on five carries with Jordan Roberts and Malik Mutcherson each adding two scores. Roberts had one touchdown rushing and another on a 46-yard pass from Smith while Mutcherson’s two runs resulted in scores on runs of 64 and 32 yards. Devin Brockington, T.J. Lee and Frank Everett also got touches. …Ridgewood’s offense was mostly ineffective until the final minute of play. Darnell Williams gained 37 yards on the Rams’ longest play from scrimmage to set up a 3-yard scoring pass from backup quarterback Nick Michaels to Josh Sojka. …Williams led the Rams with 70 rushing yards.
Did you know? Longtime Pasco football assistant and baseball coach Ricky Giles is a Zephyrhills assistant. That keeps him close to his son, coach Reggie Roberts.
Audible 1: “We’re going to run the football. That’s Bulldog football.” — Coach Roberts, alluding to the backfield depth and solid blocking up front led by two-way standout Riley Murphy
Audible 2: “These are my kids. Everybody is in my system now.” — Roberts, who enters his fourth year coaching at his alma mater