Bulldogs explode for 24 points in fourth quarter

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Bulldogs explode for 24 points in fourth quarter

Sports

Thursday, 29 September 2011 00:00

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
St. Cloud Coach Mike Short saw his team struggling Saturday morning during its game against Gateway, so he decided to speed things up.
“I told the guys we had to start moving the ball, pick up the pace, so we went no-huddle,” Short said.
Good idea.
Not only did the Bulldogs erase a 12-7 deficit when quarterback Phillip Steinmetz connected on a 52-yard TD pass to Austyn Jandrew, but the quicker pace took a toll on the Panthers, who seemed to wear down under the brutal heat and humidity in the fourth quarter.
St. Cloud scored 24 points in the last 9:15 minutes of the game to blow open a one-point contest for a 45-20 victory at Gannarelli Field that counted in the 7A District 6 standings.
The Bulldogs, 2-2 and 1-0 in the district, host Leesburg Friday at 7:30 p.m. for homecoming.
Last week’s game was suspended midway through the first quarter Friday because of lightning.
Gateway, 2-2, took control with a punishing running game when the game resumed Saturday.
“Gateway’s got some pretty athletic big guys, and I knew we had to wear them down,” Short said. “That’s why we picked up the pace.”
Steinmetz ran for 86 yards and two touchdowns and passed for two more, both to Jandrew, who had 122 yards on five catches.
Running back Eric Pfeifer gained most of his 131 yards rushing, for a county-leading 520 yards, in the fourth quarter when he scored on runs of 5 and and 70 yards.
Ian McKenzie picked off a pass to set up one of St. Cloud’s three fourth-quarter TDs.
“I knew it was going to be a pretty intense game, mainly because (Gateway Coach) Marlin (Roberts) and I know each other so well and the kids on both teams really wanted to win the game,” Short said.
It was the second week in a row that the Bulldogs played, and won, on a Saturday.
Short said it was a significant win because the Bulldogs now are 1-0 in the district along with Liberty and Osceola.
“Not that Gateway is out of it by any means, but it would have been a lot tougher for us (in the district race) if we hadn’t come back and won that one,” Short said.
Leesburg enters Friday’s game 3-1 after losing a district contest against rival East Ridge Friday. The Yellow Jackets bring one of their most talented teams of recent years, Short said.
“They have a couple of play makers. They can throw the ball,” he said.
Short said challenging early-season games against Lakeland and Rockledge helped his team prepare for the challenges ahead.
“Sometimes, especially when you are 0-2, you wonder if you did the right thing, but I can see that it has helped us the last couple of weeks,” Short said.
Friday’s game will be the final tune-up before the Bulldogs travel to Osceola Oct. 7 for the annual showdown that this year may decide the 7A-6 title.