813Preps Week 8 Game of the Week
Our Rick Cantor brings you a quick look at what to expect from our Week 8 feature game tonight.
Where We Will Be: Wharton (5-1, 1-0) @ Tampa Bay Tech (7-0, 1-0)
Are you looking for big time recruits and top-tier athletes? How about size? Blazing speed? An intriguing coaching matchup? If so, this is the game for you.
Although we typically feature five or six games to watch, this week is different as all eyes will be on this heavyweight bout on Orient Road.
The most anticipated game of the season, and perhaps the past few seasons, will take place on Friday night as Wharton travels down I-75 to face Tampa Bay Tech in a Class 3M-District 4 showdown with playoff implications and plenty of pride on the line.
Since a season opening loss to Jesuit, the Wildcats have been dominant. Wharton has pitched a pair of shutouts and knocked off quality programs – including a district victory over Armwood, blowouts of Newsome and Gaither, and a shutout of Sumner. The loss to the Tigers may have been the best thing to happen for the Wildcats, as it allowed third-year head coach Mike Williams to measure where his team was, and a few things to work on.
Although Williams is a former NFL receiver, Wharton is a defensive-minded team with plenty of star-power on that side of the ball. Among the big-time playmakers are edge Booker Pickett Jr. (14 sacks), four-star corner Dijon Johnson (interception, four pass deflections), linebackers Cam Campbell (51 tackles, eight tackles-for-a-loss, five sacks), Tyler Green (32 tackles), and juniors Zyon Nobles (five sacks), Ja’Maree Thomas (two interceptions), and Andre Ellis (19 tackles).
The Wildcats will need the stars to shine to slow down a Tech offense cooked up by 12th-year head coach Jayson Roberts and his staff. The Titans have a seemingly endless parade of skill players and are prone to strike for a huge play at any time and on any down and distance.
Senior Zay Washington runs the show for Tech, a state finalist from 2021 and winner of 20 consecutive regular season games. He is flanked by 6-foot-3 sophomore Dallas Wilson (430 yards, four touchdowns), speedy junior Javion McKay (376 yards, seven touchdowns), and senior Mehki Penix (two touchdowns). The offense is balanced by junior running back Rod Gainey (122 yards-per-game, 11 touchdowns).
While the key matchup appears to be Tech’s explosive offense versus Wharton’s top tier defense, the game could come down to the Wildcats ability to put the ball in the end zone. Wharton will look to a trio of juniors in four-star running back Stacy Gage (nine touchdowns), receiver Arkese Parks (325 yards, five touchdowns), and signal caller Jackson Jensen (174 passing yards-per-game) to keep up with the Titans.
Running lanes may be tight for Gage and company, as the Titans top two tacklers Jahiem Borden (32 tackles, 10 tackles for loss) and Donteye Drew (31 tackles, 11 tackles for loss) are defensive lineman. Ends Antonio Camon (20 tackles, four sacks) and Matthew Stahl (nine tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks) set the edge, with veteran linebackers Corey Lucius (31 tackles) and Ed Gwinn (25 tackles, six tackles for loss) patroling the middle. In the backfield, senior Norris Davis (24 tackles) and sophomore Johnnie Tyson (26 tackles) lead the way.
The bottom line is this game stacks up to possibly be a game for the ages. The buzz has been akin to the legendary Plant-Armwood matchups of the mid 2000’s and early 2010’s. A win by Wharton would be the signature win Williams’ squad is looking for and solidify a spot at the upper echelon of teams in the 813. For the Titans, a win would put an exclamation point on the dominant two-year run for Roberts’ squad and ensure his Titans will be mentioned as one of the best teams in county history.
So, will it be #techtechtech or #getmore?
Week 8 Game Slate
(all games at 7:30 unless noted)
Dunedin (0-6) at Berkeley Prep (3-3), 7pm
Jefferson (2-5) at Robinson (4-2)
East Lake (5-1) at Sickles (1-6)
Newsome (4-2) at Durant (6-1)
Bloomingdale (2-5) at Spoto (2-4)
Carrollwood Day (3-2) v Seffner Christian (3-3) at King HS
Sumner (5-2) at Riverview (4-2)
Palm Harbor (4-2) at Steinbrenner (3-3)
Middleton (3-3) at Brandon (1-5)
Strawberry Crest (5-2) at Alonso (5-2)
Freedom (0-7) at Armwood (3-3)
Jesuit (3-3) at Gaither (3-3)
Cambridge Christian (4-2) at Clearwater Central Cath (5-1)
Tampa Catholic (4-1) at Blake (6-1)
Plant City (2-4) at Plant (5-2)
King (1-6) at Chamberlain (0-6)
Hillsborough (2-4) at Leto (2-5)
East Bay (6-0) at Lennard (0-7)
