Chargers take on No. 8 Edgewater

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Chargers take on No. 8 Edgewater

Sports

Wednesday, 06 October 2010 18:22

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
Liberty faces its toughest test of the season Friday at 7:30 p.m. when it travels to defending 4A-7 champion Edgewater for a crucial district contest.
The Chargers, 3-2, tuned up by running away from Lake Howell, 48-20, last week as fullback Evan Durand scored three touchdowns, including one on a 40-yard run, and J.J. Elisis returned a kickoff 69 yards for a touchdown and caught a 5-yard TD pass from quarterback Greg Hankerson for another.
Hankerson also hit Jalen Benn for a 12-yard touchdown pass and Evan Claudio for an 8-yard score.
Chargers Coach David Benson said it was a good performance by his team, especially Durand, who is one of the team’s most talented players.
“Pound for pound, he’s probably the strongest guy on the team, and one of the fastest,” Benson said. “He runs a 4.5 40. He’s just a good football player. In a perfect world, we’d probably use him more in the (running back) rotation with Jalen and J.J., but he’s also statistically one of the best linebackers in the county.”
Elisis is one of the most dangerous return men in Central Florida, and he provided more proof with his 69-yard return last week that demoralized Lake Howell, which had just scored to pull within seven at 27-20.
“He has had a phenomenal last couple of years in the return game. We average about 40 yards a return,” Benson said. “Teams have started kicking away from him. He’s brought two back this year and had another against Harmony called back.”
Lake Howell led 14-13 at the half after Durand scored on a 1-yard run and Elisis caught his touchdown pass, but after the intermission, Durand’s 40-yard TD run and the touchdown pass from Hankerson to Claudio put the Chargers ahead for good, 27-14.
Liberty’s defense came up with four turnovers, including interceptions by Dario Bennett and Joey Graham and fumble recoveries by Bennett and Akia Farruya. Demetrius Taylor caused a fumble and Mauricio Chacon and Julian Aleman registered sacks.
At Edgewater, 2-2 and No. 8 in the 4A state poll, the Chargers face a traditional district power. The Eagles were off last week after a come-from-behind 20-17 win at St. Cloud.

“What a lot of people don’t understand is that winning is an attitude,” Benson said. "A lot of people panic in situations when they get behind, but (the Eagles) know that a kid is gonna make a play, and when you have that confidence, it makes a huge difference."
The Chargers match up physically with Edgewater, Benson said. The question is, are the Chargers mentally prepared to beat Edgewater, on the road, in a game that may determine a playoff spot?
"There's no question that we have the athletes to run with them," Benson said. "What it comes down to is will we execute the X's and O's?" he said. "We can't let them dictate the game."
Both teams have sophomore quarterbacks. Liberty's Hankerson had the best game of his brief varsity career last week and is a threat to run or pass. Edgewater's J.D. Woodman led the Eagles on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives to erase a 17-7 deficit at St. Cloud. Woodman's 12-yard TD pass to Alton Howard on fourth down was the game-winner.
"Their quarterback is young, like Greg, and he throws a good ball. What we want to do is to get him out of his comfort zone," Benson said.
Benson said Howard is a difference-maker.
"That kid is so fast it's scary," Benson said.
The Liberty coach said his team knows it is the underdog.
"Nobody is going to give us a chance, so we're going to work hard practice and go in there and give it our best, and we'll see what happens," Benson said.