Times’ super 7
1. East Lake (4-0, 1-0): The Eagles stay undefeated with a 61-16 win over Clearwater that set school records for most points in a game (61) and a half (54).
2. Largo (3-1, 0-0): Defense had as many touchdowns (two) as running back Jarvis Stewart in a 34-14 win over Jesuit.
3. Clearwater Central Catholic (3-1, 1-0): The 49-0 win over Shorecrest was the first time the Marauders recorded a shutout this season. CCC had seven last year.
4. Pinellas Park (4-0, 1-0): Season-high 467 yards rushing helped the Patriots roll in a 35-10 district win over Seminole.
5. Lakewood (3-1, 1-0): After a close first half, the Spartans pulled away to beat neighboring rival Gibbs 24-14.
6. Countryside (3-1, 1-0): The Cougars showed off their balance with six players scoring touchdowns in a 45-0 win over Northeast.
7. Tarpon Springs (3-1, 1-0): Defense was back in form, allowing 77 yards in a 44-7 win over Dunedin.
Knocking on the door: St. Petersburg Catholic (3-1)
Top performers
RB Pierre Johnson, Pinellas Park: After a sub-par performance two weeks ago, Johnson rebounded with 148 yards on five carries and a touchdown, had the Patriots’ only reception (25 yards) and picked off a pass in a win against Seminole.
DB Cordell Hudson, Largo: In a win against Jesuit, Hudson had a team-high 11 tackles, forced a fumble, recovered another for a touchdown and had a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown that would have been a school record for the longest return if it was not wiped out by a penalty.
DL Leo Corrigan, St. Petersburg Catholic: Corrigan doesn’t look like a lineman, but he does play like one. Just 5-10, 180 pounds, Corrigan wreaked havoc on his former team, Admiral Farragut. He had a punt block and a sack that caused a fumble. Both were turned into SPC points.
RB Patrick Miller, Tarpon Springs: Filling in for the injured Michael Ford, Miller carried the load with 16 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns.
RB Diquan Walker, CCC: Made the most of his limited touches, rushing for 105 yards on two carries and scoring both times.
What’s trending
Reunions: Dan Mancuso returned to St. Petersburg Catholic for the first time since 2006 on Friday. Now the offensive coordinator at Admiral Farragut, Mancuso coached at SPC for 17 years before resigning due to a recruiting scandal.
“Never coached from the other sideline,’’ Mancuso said.
His former team got the best of his new team 35-10.
“I know this game meant a lot to Dan,’’ AFA coach Ryan Hearn said. “Wish we could’ve pulled it off.’’
Meanwhile, East Lake defensive back Devin Abraham faced off against his father, former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Donnie Abraham, who is in his first-year as coach at Clearwater. Devin’s Eagles cruised to stay undefeated.
“Last Abraham vs. Abraham ...Hopefully! Love ya pops!” Devin said via Twitter.
Mismatches: There were only three games that matched teams with winning records Friday. The disparity showed on the scoreboard with all but one game (Lakewood-Gibbs) decided by more than 20 points. Some were downright nasty with CCC beating Shorecrest 49-0 and East Lake rolling to a 61-16 victory over Clearwater.The scores should not be as lopsided in Week 5 with interesting matchups like Largo at Lakewood and Tarpon Springs at East Lake on tap.
Quarterback controversies? It will be interesting to see what happens this week at quarterback for both Lakewood and Gibbs. Both teams switched quarterbacks in Friday’s game. Lakewood’s Joc Ellison replaced Ryan Davis on the final drive of the first half and stayed there until midway through the fourth quarter. He was 5-for-7 for 58 yards and also rushed for 99 yards on eight carries.
Brevet Killett, who was benched last week, replaced Xavier Kirnes in the second half and threw a 15-yard touchdown. Gibbs plays at Clearwater, a winnable game for the winless Gladiators.
Offense on fire: East Lake’s defense has been the hot topic, especially after recording three straight shutouts to start the season. That streak ended against Clearwater. But the offense still is on a roll. The Eagles are averaging 45 points per game and have scored 40 or more in three games.
Defense, defense: The high-scoring games were due in large part to the performance on the defensive side of the ball. Five players scored defensive touchdowns and three teams recorded safeties Friday.
Five final words
District games will get better.