Largo Knocks Off Countryside, 28-7

What was billed as the game of the year turned out to be a lopsided affair, as the Largo Packers upended Countryside, 28-7, snapping a three-year winning streak for the Cougars.

The Packers (3-0) used a punishing offense and a stifling defense to throw Countryside (2-1) off its game. One week earlier, the Cougars rushed for over 300 yards against East Lake; Friday night they gained -2 yards on the ground.

Packers quarterback Juwan Brown had 112 yards rushing, including a backbreaking 68-yard touchdown run that made it 16-0 right before the half. Countryside couldn't muster anything on offense except a meaningless score with under four minutes to play that prevented the shutout.

It was a decisive win for Largo, which was ranked second in the Tampa Bay area, behind C-Side, coming into the game.

"Our kids practiced hard all week, and they came here ready to play ball on Friday," Largo head coach Rich Rodriguez said afterwards. "I thought it was going to be back-and-forth all game, but our defense did a great job. That was the difference."

Countryside had not lost a regular season game since October of 2009. But even with the defeat, the Cougars will not be affected as far as postseason hopes go; the non-district loss means nothing in the grand scheme of things.

"It's a chance to improve and a chance to get better," Countryside head coach Jared Davis told his players after the game. "Do not hang your heads. It's up to ourselves...to turn this negative into a positive."