Monday Night Lights Part 2: Leopards Dominate Citrus Hurricanes

The Hernando Leopards (4-3) dominated the winless Citrus Hurricanes 42-8 at Tom Fisher Stadium on Monday night. Despite a pair of early turnovers, the home team moved the ball at will with Senior Gabe Sansone and Sophomore Kamoni Dotson on the ground and in the air, respectively.

“Offensively, except for the two fumbles that we lost, we played pretty much mistake-free,” said Hernando Head Coach John Scargle. “The offensive line was pass blocking. They were opening up gigantic holes for the running backs. So, we kind of had our way either way. Whatever we wanted to do, pass or run, it worked out good for us.”

For the second time in three weeks, high school football teams across the state of Florida were forced to postpone their matchups in the hopes of staying safe during a devastating cyclone. It was fitting, then, that the Purple and Gold took it to the Hurricanes in a mostly smooth outing at home.

Monday also saw the triumphant return of Sophomore RB/LB Jeremiah Brown following a frightening injury against Springstead last month. For the night, he would amass 51 yards on 8 carries (6.38 yards per carry) while fumbling once.

Late in the first quarter, after Hernando had coughed up their second fumble deep in Citrus territory, the defense would right that wrong immediately. On the second play of the visitors’ next possession, Senior Keaundre Gavin pressured Junior QB EJ Cortes into lofting up a duck that was picked by Sophomore Isaiah Williams near the red zone.

Hernando punched it in on the very next snap as Junior QB Michael Saltsman called his own number and rushed 25 yards down the right sideline for the game’s opening score. It was off to the races from there for Coach Scargle and company.

The play – or rather the sequence – of the game for the Leopards came later in the second frame. With Hernando’s defense facing a 4th and goal on their own three-yard line, Junior WR/DB Stevontae Hasberry nabbed an interception inches outside of the endzone. The Hurricane’s five-plus minute drive ended with a goose egg.

From there, the home team got to work. A quick, six-play drive spanning 99 and a half yards saw three running backs tote the rock (Sansone, Brown, and Freshman Mason Pauliot) before Dotson finished things off.

With just over two minutes before the half, the sophomore wide receiver took a short pass from Saltsman, shed multiple tackles, and tiptoed down the right sideline for the 48-yard house call. This was a pivotal stretch as Hernando came out on the positive end of a potential 16-point swing shortly before the intermission.

Dotson made the most of his touches on Monday as he stockpiled 125 yards and 2 touchdowns on only 4 catches. Not to be outdone, Sansone accrued 145 yards on just 6 carries and found pay dirt twice in the Leopards’ rout of the Hurricanes.

Looking ahead, the Leopards will play the Lecanto Panthers following another foreshortened week due to the storm. Besides wanting to “clean up fumbles,” Coach Scargle is looking for his squad to “play unbelievable pass defense […] move the chains, keep their offense on the sidelines, and put some points on the board.”