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Football: Largo 17, Boca Ciega 6

Two games into the season, the Packers prove they have the defense to prevail in close games.
 
Largo High School's Alvin Mathis (1) scrambles up the field on a pass play during the first half against Boca Ciega.
Largo High School's Alvin Mathis (1) scrambles up the field on a pass play during the first half against Boca Ciega. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]
Published Aug. 31, 2019

LARGO — When asked how many points his offense needed to score in order for his team to win, Largo linebacker Jayion McCluster had a quick answer.

“Three,” he said.

That’s not exactly accurate, but the point is made. The Packers offense did just enough and the defense played a second straight impressive game in a 17-6 win over Boca Ciega on a rainy Friday night.

Largo held the Pirates to 93 total yards, 59 on the ground. Largo got only 66 rushing yards and 146 total yards.

“We’ve been dominating the last two weeks,” said Largo linebacker Alvin Mathis, who transferred from Pinellas Park and is a Miami commit. “We’ve been shutting everybody down.”

Largo's Keylen Gulley (5) is upset after missing an attempted interception. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Tampa Bay Times ]

Largo won its season opener 7-2 over Braden River.

Friday’s game was delayed an hour and 15 minutes due to lightning. When it finally started, under a steady drizzle, Largo got rolling first.

Boca Ciega’s first drive stalled at the Largo 37. On fourth down, the Pirates attempted a fake punt but the pass was incomplete.

Largo (2-0) took over and was also forced to punt. But the Packers’ fake punt worked when Mathis caught a pass from Justin Cervoni for 34 yards. Four plays later, Mateus DosAnjos kicked a 35-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

With Largo’s defense in shut-down mode, its offense picked up two second-quarter touchdowns to widen the lead. McCluster factored in both of the touchdowns. He scored on a 1-yard keeper to end a 12-play, 36-yard drive.

On Boca Ciega’s first play on offense, McCluster stepped in front of a Taffrey Peterman pass at the 17-yard line for an interception. Quarterback Garrett Gurney plowed in from the 1 yard four plays later, and after a successful two-point conversion it was 17-0.

“I sat in the zone and he looked right at me," McCluster said of the interception. “I saw the ball and went for it."

Boca Ciega's Chris Phillips (7) breaks away from the Largo defense for a touchdown during the third quarter. [ DOUGLAS R. CLIFFORD | Times ]

Gurney started at quarterback for Pinellas Park transfer Brandon Coppola, who had a rib injury.

Boca Ciega (1-1) got back into the game on the first drive of the third quarter. Chris Phillips ran in from 20 yards to cut the lead to 17-6. The extra point was blocked.

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But from there, the Pirates couldn’t move the ball. Neither could the Packers, but by then it didn’t matter.

Phillips was the game’s leading rusher with 76 yards on 22 carries.

The game was a bit sloppy, and not because of the rain. The teams combined for 225 yards of penalties. Largo had three touchdown runs called back due to holding.

“They’re good," Boca Ciega coach Max Smith said. “I’ve got to figure out a way to throw the ball better, get guys open easier. But we just never got it going in the first half to wear them out."