Palm Harbor Football Heads to Winless Countryside Friday

KICKOFF: Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Cougars Field in Clearwater (3000 State Rd 580, Clearwater, FL 33761)

TICKETS NOTES: Palm Harbor University’s football team is traveling to Countryside HS in Clearwater on Friday at 7:30 p.m. (3000 State Rd 580, Clearwater, FL 33761). The only way to gain entry Friday is by purchasing tickets through this portal on GoFan: https://gofan.co/event/1601387?schoolId=FL5826

THE GAME STORY

When you’re 1-3, being cocky isn’t in the master plan. Being humble is.

So Palm Harbor’s football team isn’t planning on taking anything for granted when it travels to winless Countryside HS on Friday night. The Cougars (0-4) have proven in recent years it can knock off the Hurricanes, winning in 2022 and leading the all-time series 13-4-0 — so there’s no reason to be arrogant anyway.

That’s the way PHU head coach Mike Mullaney sees it.

“No matter who we play this week, our focus is on getting better and being more consistent,” Mullaney told PalmHarborSports.com. “We had two games (Tarpon Springs and St. Petersburg) where that was evident, and two games where we looked totally lost (Calvary Christian and Parrish Community).

“The message to the team this week is that we need to build off the victory last week (over previously undefeated St. Pete) and continue to get better. We have told the players that this week will let us as a staff know what type of team they want to be for the rest of the season.”

So far, the evidence has been overwhelming. This is a defensive-minded young roster, but the youngsters who were hardly proven as varsity contributors seem to be getting the game plan figured out pretty quickly — and against good competition. PHU’s opponents through the first four weeks are a combined 11-3.

When asked who have been the new names who have ascended beyond expectations, Mullaney didn’t hesitate. On defense, it has been Curtis Fisher and Joey Silvestro. Fisher is a junior and new to PHU and had been at another local school last year, but hadn’t played football in a while. Silvestro played some on varsity last year but mostly was a JV standout. The duo has combined for 27 tackles and 4 TFLs. And they are hardly alone when it comes to young standouts on the defensive side of the ball.

On offense? James Rowan has stepped up to the plate as a sophomore offensive guard. Because of injuries and other off-the-field reasons, Rowan was thrust into a bigger role than expected and held his own. He will be a talent to be relied upon looking forward.

PALM HARBOR FOOTBALL SCHOOL HISTORY: Year by Year

The offense — at full strength last week with Sr./QB Will Seibert back from injury, as well as two offensive linemen — sprung back into being able to throw and run the ball effectively against previously undefeated St. Petersburg last week. It was the first time the expected first-team unit had the luxury of being on the field together, and it worked well. Seibert was able to throw two TDs to the most dangerous playmaker on the team, Jr. Jake Rennert, and in the second half when the ‘Canes wanted to grind down the time of possession? The line and Sr./RB Jaxon Wilson did just that.

Countryside has struggled as much this year as it has in the past decade-plus, but again — nobody at a 1-3 program is expecting a cakewalk against any nearby rival. Sure, the Tarpon Springs and Parrish Community games were against good teams and could have been won, but as usual … the head coach isn’t counting moral victories.

“Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve,” Mullaney said. “I don’t like making excuses so I won’t say we could be 3-1 because our record is what it is. I will say that we have played some really good teams and in the end that will help us, but we need to be more consistent in all phases to have a better record.”

So what’s the biggest priority Friday night — especially with a massive road district game against a 4-0 Largo team looming next Friday (Sept. 27)?

“Offensively this week I really want to see us get off to a fast start,” Mullaney said. “We have taken too long to get going so far this year. We have simplified the game plan this week to work on the core of what we want to be. Defensively? Continue to get better with our assignments and we are always looking for the defense to create turnovers.”

THE SPECS:

Palm Harbor (1-3) at Countryside (0-4)

KICKOFF: Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Cougars Field in Clearwater

COACHES: PHU- Mike Mullaney (31-33 in 7th year); CHS- Eric Schmitz (57-52 in 11th year)

NOTEWORTHY

SCHOOL RECORD DEPT.: Senior placekicker Mitchell Stricker has now extended his school-record kicking points record to 84 points, thanks to another field goal and two PATs against St. Pete last week. With 11 career field goals, he’s now within two of the all-time school FGs record of 13.

DID YOU KNOW DEPT?: Countryside has had some solid football-playing alumni come through since opening in 1980. Jeff Mitchell became an All-American for the Florida Gators in the 1990s and went on to be an NFL Draft pick in 1997, picked up a Super Bowl ring with the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL, and played nine seasons. More recently, Tyler Moore also played for the Gators, and Mike Love played for South Florida and went on to play for the Buffalo Bills for three seasons.

JUNIOR VARSITY UPDATE: The JV boys are 2-2 currently and coming off a road loss to Pinellas Park Wednesday.

The PHU JV played in the PCAC county championship game last year before falling to Lakewood from the south. The JV Canes next play host to Clearwater on Sept. 25. Then it closes out its regular season with a trip to Largo on Oct. 2 and hosting rival East Lake on Oct. 9.