By: J. Daniel Pearson
Positively Osceola
At the end of the day, Gateway’s first loss of the year (5-1, 1-1) can be explained away by one factor, its opponent – St. Cloud (4-2, 1-1) was able to shut down the Panthers star running back Nydrell Thigpen.
Although Thigpen scored two touchdowns and went over the 1,000-yard mark in just his sixth game of the season, the St. Cloud defense packed eight men in the box and limited the talented junior to just 57 rushing yards on the night — more than 140 yards under his season average.
In the meantime – despite playing without starting running back Michael Cuyler (shoulder) — the Bulldogs were able to rush for a season-high 150 yards and four touchdowns. Back-up Eli Manning accounted for most of the damage with 82 yards and two scores.
“In a nutshell, that was it. We felt we could run on them and we challenged Eli all week – telling him we needed that extra effort to turn a 2 or 3-yard gain into five or six yards and he gave us that.” St. Cloud head coach Mike Short said. “Containing Thigpen was the real key. We stacked eight in the box and it still took three or four guys to being him down on every play. I really wish he was a senior because I’m not excited about playing him again next year.”
Although the St. Cloud defense was tough against the run all night, the game still came down to the final play.
Manning’s second touchdown of the night gave St. Cloud a 28-21 lead with six minutes to go and a St. Cloud interception three plays later appeared to sew up the win. But needing just two first downs to seal the victory, St. Cloud’s offense stalled and they punted to the Panthers with just over three minutes left.
Two false starts and a botched running play had the Panthers backed up to their own goal line with time ticking away. But Thigpen gained 16 on a screen pass and quarterback Aristotle Span Jr. scrambled for 10 and a first down to give Gateway life. Thigpen grabbed another screen for 11, a pass to Johnny Reyes went for 12 and Nathaniel Cadogan pulled in a 16-yarder to push the ball the St. Cloud 32 with 39 seconds remaining.
Thigpen would gain 12 on another sideline pass and 15 more yards were tacked on after a late hit on the play. Reyes took a screen to the St. Cloud six but a quick handoff to Thigpen was stopped for no gain. With the clock running, Span Jr. took the snap with one second left, but Bulldog linebacker Colton Sklarek blitzed up the middle and sacked him to end the game.
“And incredible frustrating game on several levels,” Panthers head coach Marlin Roberts said. “We haven’t been in a situation to win a big game like this in years and the moment might have gotten too big for these guys. Still I am still proud of them. They fought like crazy and never gave up. If we had scored, we would have went for two and the win, it just didn’t work out for us.”
The Panthers return to action next Friday with a district home game against Tohopekaliga (4-2, 1-0). St. Cloud (4-2, 1-1) has a non-district home game with Windermere (4-2). “I really believe we will have to win out to make the playoffs, so tonight’s win was vitally important,” Short said.
Around the County
Tohopekaliga (4-2) took an early lead against New Smyrna Beach, but five costly turnovers cost them in a 35-14 non-district loss. Celebration (1-5) won for the first time all season with a 7-0 win over Liberty (1-5). Nova Lakes, Harmony and Poinciana were off.
Score by Quarters
St. Cloud 0 14 7 7 –28
Gateway 7 7 0 7 –21
G: Nydrell Thigpen 1 Run (Julian Cumbas kick)
SC: Eli Manning 5 run (Jaden Taylor-Irons run)
G: Aristotle Span Jr. 15 run (Cumbas kick)
SC: Taylor-Irons 3 run (run failed)
SC: Manning 2 run (Adriel Gomez kick)
G: Thigpen 3 run (Cumbas kick)
SC: Owen Sullivan 1 run (Gomez Kick)
