COMMENTARY: It’s just my take. Next week? My PHU season recap.
NOTE: See the full statistical breakdown at the end of this story
The boys are worn out, they’ve dealt with brutal injuries, and they’ve been overmatched by older, more experienced district clubs two out of the past three weeks — yet they’re still on the cusp of the first winning season at Palm Harbor University since these diehard seniors were in middle schools.
And the underclassmen were finger painting in elementary school.
It’s been six years since the 2016 team went 6-3 at PHU, and the 2015 team went 6-4. Only five teams in PHU’s short history have accomplished a winning season, and this year’s young team would love to close out 2022 with a “winning season” stamp.
On Friday night, Palm Harbor (5-4) plays host to its neighbor, Dunedin (1-8). Both clubs are young, but both clubs are hungry. Dunedin coach Mitch Disney is building the Falcons up for the future, but PHU coach Mike Mullaney would love to exit 2022 with a winning record and begin to build what is sure to be a promising future up the street from where you all live, Palm Harbor diehards.
100TH ALL-TIME WIN AT PHU: The Hurricanes did it, with their win at Sickles
If you break down PHU’s season, district opponents Steinbrenner and East Lake were clearly at a higher level, winning by large scores (but next year?). If you look at the other two losses, a 3-point loss in the season opener at home against Osceola HS in Seminole and the 6-point loss at Countryside in Clearwater? This PHU team has overachieved. The schedule may be miles away from Florida’s best, but many of these starters normally would play with the Junior Varsity.
PHU FOOTBALL HISTORY: Year-by-Year Look at the Hurricanes
Yet they have a chance Friday night to nail down only the sixth winning season in school history and set the tone for something even bigger in 2023. And they have two to three years to build on it and continue to build a platform at a school not known for football …. yet.
Want a challenge, PHU? It starts Friday night.
Dunedin has had a tough year, admittedly — but the Falcons also ground out a 3-point win in overtime against Tarpon Springs at home, a team PHU beat on the road by 7.
PHU has a chance to do something special on Friday night and will have six months to build its brand name into spring ball and nearly nine months to set the tone for 2023.
And for the seniors who truly have been the glue of 2022? They’ll be able to look back at this year as the one where nothing big was supposed to happen — yet it did.
SEASON PREVIEW: I was WRONG – Palm Harbor Football 2022 Preview — worth a look
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THE GAME PREVIEW
THE RECORDS: Dunedin is 1-8, PHU is 5-4
COMMON OPPONENTS:
ST. PETE — Dunedin lost 49-0; PHU won 27-6
TARPON SPRINGS — Dunedin won 3-0 (OT); PHU won 21-14
SEMINOLE — Dunedin lost 12-0; PHU won 17-14
COUNTRYSIDE — Dunedin lost 24-7; PHU lost 34-28
OSCEOLA — Dunedin lost 50-3; PHU lost 23-20
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DUNEDIN’S TOP PLAYERS:
PASSING: Emarion Henry (Soph.) — 221 yards passing, 1 TDs, 8 INT
RUSHING: Chris Bostick (Sr.) — 217 yards rushing
RECEIVING: Keaton Chappelle (Sr.) — 85 yards receiving, 7 receptions; 5 INTs on D
DEFENSIVE LEADER: Samuel Haertle (Sr.) 118 tackles, 11 TFLs — 4 tackles away from Dunedin’s single-season school record
ALL-TIME SERIES — PHU vs. DUNEDIN:
19 all-time meetings between the rivals
PHU last beat Dunedin on the field in 2021 (43-0) — Dunedin last won in 2014
Dunedin leads 10 wins to 8 PHU wins
First played in 1999, last played in 2021
PALM HARBOR STATISTICAL LEADERS (coming into Dunedin):
