TAMPA — On Friday night, Durant did something not many teams have been able to do in some time — beat Jesuit at its home stadium. The Cougars held off the Tigers 14-10 in a game that ended on a goal-line run for no gain by Vinny LoSauro. Durant snapped Jesuit's 21-game home win streak with the victory.
The fourth quarter was full of dramatics, and Durant celebrated by storming the field moments after the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Cougars senior running back Cameron Myers exploded down the field for a 75-yard touchdown with 7:32 left in the game. He went untouched down the left sideline to put his team back in front just 24 seconds after LoSauro did the same for his side.
"It was just a play to distract them because we had another play coming. It worked so I just went up, saw the hole, it was skinny and I shot through it," Myers said. "All I saw was grass, so I just ran there and got a touchdown."
Myers was dealing with leg cramps earlier in the second half but came back in for the game's most crucial play.
He finished with 133 total yards. His sidekick in the backfield, senior David Tabakovic, had 64 yards on the ground.
The two sides turned the ball over on downs on the first three drives of the game. Durant then produced a 13-play drive, capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Carlton Potter. Potter took the high snap into his stomach, then found his way into the end zone to put the Cougars ahead 7-0 early in the second quarter.
Jesuit didn't score its first points of the night until the 4:10 mark of the third quarter when Cade Freeman connected on a 34-yard field goal.
The Tigers rode senior running back Matthew Pittman most of the night and he came up big with 72 rushing yards. LoSauro was also solid with 75 yards and the team's lone touchdown.
"We are a smash-mouth football team; we are just going to run it down your throat," LoSauro said. "After the game, Coach (Matt) Thompson was talking about adversity. We just have to bounce back and work harder on Monday."
Jesuit used five different players under center, which included quarterbacks Brendenn Flynn, Enzo Tedesco, Nick Vastano, Larry Hodges and Dane Belton. The passing game wasn't working most of the night, but when Hodges lined up under center, the Tigers made plays.
Hodges had 107 total yards including runs of 52 and 40 yards as a wildcat quarterback. His lone throw was a 42-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone to Dane Belton but it was called back due to an ineligible man down field.
Durant hosts Sickles next week while Jesuit welcomes St. Joseph's Prep (Pa.) to town.
