Blue Streaks Host Bulldogs

SEBRING - Heading in the right direction.

After overcoming some early season adversity, the Sebring High School football team is on the right track.

Last week's come-from-behind 13-12 road win over a talented Okeechobee squad was just the start of something big happening for the Blue Streaks this season.

Sebring, which lost quarterback Jamarle Fletcher to an ankle injury in the first quarter, trailed the entire game until Sam Robinson booted a 21-yard field goal on the last play of the contest.

"The kids hung in there, came together as a team and overcame a lot of adversity against a good Okeechobee squad on the road," Blue Streak fourth-year coach Jared Hamlin said. "This is a huge win for us and gives us a lot of confidence."

The big win improved the Class 3A Blue Streaks to 2-1 on the season, while the Class 2B Bulldogs come into tonight's game at 2-1.

Frostproof's only loss was to Lake Region by one point and the Bulldogs bounced back last week with a 26-0 blanking of Mulberry.

Frostproof runs the ball with senior tailback Carlton Thomas the focus of the offense.

Thomas, who is being recruited by several Division 1 schools, including Notre Dame, has rushed for more than 500 yards already this season.

Last week, Sebring faced an outstanding back in Okeechobee's Lonnie Pryor.

Pryor gained 166 yards on 23 carries, but the elusive tailback picked up 76 yards on a scoring run in the first quarter.

After that, the swarming Blue Streak defense kept Pryor's gains to a minimum.

Sebring will counter with a two-pronged rushing attack led by senior T.J. Williams and sophomore Daniel Burnett.

Williams, a powerful back who missed the first game of the season, leads the Heartland with 234 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Burnett, a shifty back, has gained 226 yards.

The Blue Streaks have the ability to throw the ball with Fletcher, who is only a sophomore, looking for speedy wide receivers Sam Robinson and Travis Overstreet.

Robinson, who also returns punts and has game-breaking speed, is the fifth-leading receiver in the Heartland with three receptions for 56 yards.

The Sebring defense, which rose to the occasion in last week's win over the Brahmans with two blocked punts and two interceptions, will need the same kind of focus and intensity against a versatile Bulldog offense.

"We preach special teams every week and we thought we saw something we could exploit in
Okeechobee's coverage," Hamlin said. The kids executed and we were able to make a couple of big plays."

The team that makes big plays and doesn't turn the ball over has the best chance to win tonight's game at Firemen's Field.

The kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Sebring High School Football Photo Gallery