Largo’s Jarvis Stewart and Frankie Hernandez returned to practice this week and will play Thursday against Gibbs after sitting out Friday’s game because of school-related suspensions.
Stewart and Hernandez, both USF recruits, are two of the Packers' best players and their absence was felt in a 22-0 loss to East Lake that snapped Largo’s 18-game regular-season win streak.
Stewart, a running back, had the only 200-yard games of his career the previous two seasons against the Eagles. Without him, the Packers managed just 146 total yards, including 30 rushing in the first half. Hernandez, a linebacker, had nearly 100 tackles last year. Without him, Largo gave up more than 240 yards rushing to East Lake. Hernandez also backed up Stewart at running back.
Their return comes at an opportune time with games against Jesuit, Lakewood and Venice coming up in the next five weeks.