At Brooksville
Crystal River 28, Hernando 3
Spring game-breakers: Bill Vonada’s coaching debut at Hernando started well with a stop on defense and a nice drive on offense. Then it turned sloppy. The Leopards committed three first-half turnovers, including a pair of fumbles that each led to touchdowns for Crystal River. Hernando’s best scoring opportunity in the first half came late in the second quarter when defensive lineman Larry O’Bonnon recovered a fumble at the 19-yard line. But the drive ended when Tyler Kline threw an interception on fourth an 1 from the 11. … Trailing 21-0 in the third quarter, the Leopards had their best drive, which ended on William Neithammer’s 30-yard field goal. Crystal River answered with a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
Did you know? Hernando graduated 21 players from last season, including three of its top four rushers and its three leading tacklers. There also were four players who transferred to other schools. The inexperience, coupled with a new scheme on both sides of the ball, made the transition tough.
Audible:“It was a little odd being on a different sideline. The kids played with passion, but we’ve got so much to work on with execution and urgency. There’s a new system, a new scheme, but the mental mistakes are something I can’t live with. There was some lack of ball security. We just have to get back to work.” — Vonada, who coached at Springstead 15 years until last season