By FRANCIS FEDOR
Sumner, coming off a thrilling late win over Plant, continued to build momentum with a 44-21 win over the previously undefeated Plant City Raiders in the Tank. The victory came in front of a large crowd on homecoming night and puts the Stingrays in a great position for the stretch run. In the Stingray win streak, three of the four games have been decisive victories.
Sumner junior Trey Brown pressures the Plant City Raider QB as the pass is blocked in Stingray 44-21 win on Sept. 26.
Stingray senior Jamareis Conyers celebrates with the Sumner student body after one of his four interceptions in win over Plant City on Sept. 26
Stingray junior QB Antonio Balaguer flicks the ball to a teammate in win over Plant City on Sept. 26.
The Stingrays opened the scoring on the first drive of the night with Antonio Balaguer finding Taesean Robinson for a 70-yard TD. It was the only passing TD for the night for Sumner. Balaguer finished with 161 yards passing and the one TD. The Raiders tied the score on their first possession of the night, finding a hole in the Sumner secondary, and it started to look a lot like the Plant game the previous week. The Stingrays responded with two TD’s, one a 2-yard bull rush by Balaguer, calling his own number, and the second by Cedric Johnson who rushed for 65 yards on 15 carries for the night. The Rays never trailed after those two scores. The defense came up big again, led by Jamareis Conyers intercepting four Raider passes, two going for a TD, and six tackles. Conyers is ranked sixth in FL in interceptions. Christian Mollinio jumped routes for two INTs, one returned for a TD. Tyler Lynch also had a Pick-6 late in the game to end any discussion of a Raider rally.
Sumner junior Christian Mollinio defends a Plant City receiver and had two interceptions in win over Plant City on Sept. 26.
Sumner showed that it can close a game. After the Raiders scored their first TD, the Stingrays rattled off six scores before Plant City saw the scoreboard, and by that point, the game had all but been decided. Head coach George Selvie and his staff have all their units working together for total team wins. The defense continually pressured the QB and had five sacks for the game. The Rays have 22 sacks on the season for an avg. of nearly four per game, 2.5 times the national average.
The Stingrays have four games left in the regular season, starting on the road to take on the highly ranked Lakeland Dreadnaughts (9th in FLA and 52nd nationally). The Dreadnaughts sole loss came to the Concord, CA, De La Salle Spartans (ranked 24th in the nation). The Rays play two district games to wrap up their district competition against Strawberry Crest and Alonso and currently control their own destiny, with the Alonso game becoming the determining factor for who wins the district bracket.
Francis Fedor Photos
Sumner junior Robert Garcia tries to pull away from a Plant City defender in win on Sept. 26 in the Tank.
The Marlo Hollingswood-led Morgan Mustangs got a big win over the Plant City JV, 27-13, and are now 4-1 in their inaugural season.
See separate article for the rest of the South Shore Six write-ups.
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