Bulldogs awaken just in time, 21-14
Ridgewood gives playoff-bound Zephyrhills a fight, but Bryan Thomas intervenes with two TDs.
By FRANK PASTOR, Times Staff Writer
Published November 5, 2005
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ZEPHYRHILLS - Ridgewood approached its season finale as a playoff game. Zephyrhills looked as if it was saving itself for the postseason.
The Bulldogs were fortunate to have senior running back Bryan Thomas on their side.
The Division I recruit and Mr. Football nominee rushed for 124 yards and the winning touchdown in Zephyrhills' 21-14 win Friday at Bulldog Stadium.
"It was ugly," said Zephyrhills coach Tom Fisher. "Hopefully, our kids wake up before next week."
In its final tuneup before next Friday's playoff opener at Eustis, Zephyrhills (7-3) rallied from an eight-point deficit to win on Thomas' 50-yard run around right end in the third quarter. Earlier, Thomas scored on a 31-yard run down the left side.
Sophomore running back Byronell Arline rushed for a game-high 172 yards and two touchdowns for Ridgewood (1-9), which played its most complete game of the season. Arline runs of 32 and 6 yards staked the Rams to a 14-6 first-quarter lead, but two fumbled lateral passes ended their final drive.
"The best thing about this game is we got to play a team that's headed to the playoffs so we can measure ourself and where we stand," said Ridgewood coach Chris Taylor. "We start 16 sophomores, and we held right with them, so hopefully we take that now into the offseason and build on that."