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Bayshore falters on turnovers
MIKE HENRY
Herald Staff Writer
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BRADENTON - Latravis Washington accepted the brunt of the blame for Bayshore High's 15-7 loss Friday to visiting Port Charlotte.
It was hard to argue with him.
For almost three quarters, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior quarterback showed signs of being the type of field general opposing defenders dread facing.
Coach Jean Gordon even turned to Washington to play defensive end after senior Antonio Jones was ejected late in the third quarter for taunting Pirates quarterback Kevin McLafferty and drawing two unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties on the same play.
But with the game on the line, Washington was unable to produce the big plays needed for victory. Jordan Ingman's diving interception with 4 minutes, 20 seconds remaining and Port Charlotte leading 9-7 squelched one threat, and Washington overthrew Marquis Murray on a fourth-down, last-gasp attempt with 26 seconds left.
"We can't win games when we have turnovers, and I apologize because I made some bad decisions," Washington said as he trudged off the field. "It wasn't nobody else's fault. I'm a senior and I have to make plays.
"We just have to come out Monday and practice harder," added Washington, who finished 9 of 23 for 72 yards, with three interceptions. "As long as we get better, I think we'll be OK."
Washington's strength and athleticism resulted in the Bruins' first score. On fourth-and-goal from the Pirates' 5-yard line midway through the second quarter, he shook off contact on an option keeper and found his way to the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
Few would have guessed it was the last time the Bruins would visit the end zone.
"We're still making silly mistakes," said Bruins coach Jean Gordon, who resumes the search for his first victory at Bayshore next week against Lakewood Ranch.
"(Port Charlotte) has a nice little offensive pass package, and I don't think we expected them to use it as much as they did. We weren't prepared as well as we could have been. We still have some glaring weaknesses . . . every time we got them third-and-long, they popped off big runs or got a completion."
Ingman caught the game-winning, 8-yard touchdown pass from McLafferty to cap a 76-yard scoring drive early in the fourth quarter. That made it 9-7, and his second interception helped end it.
"It was just a lot of film study," said Ingman, who jumped an out route to Jimmy Friedman for the theft. Another turnover - a muffed punt by Marquis Murray - led to a 5-yard touchdown by Baily Beckham with less than two minutes remaining.
"Bayshore is a very physical team, and they played a great game," Ingman said. "They're going to win a lot of football games."
You know Washington and Co. want to be the ones dishing out the gracious compliments. To do so, they're going to have to learn to play four quarters.
"Our conditioning helped us a lot. I think we did (wear Bayshore down)," said Pirates coach Joe Woodruff.
Probably Steve Young.
