BMAC OPINION: Palm Harbor University won its first varsity football game in 1997. On Monday, a second generation of PHU Hurricanes won its 100th.
On Monday, in a home game postponed several days due to Hurricane Ian, PHU shut out Tampa Sickles 10-0 to go to 4-2 on the season. Four games remain on the regular-season schedule, including the two biggest ones of the year — on the road against both Steinbrenner and bitter rival East Lake.
It was only the eighth shutout win in PHU’s school history.
“As for the 100th win, weird that the game was 10-0,” said PHU head coach Mike Mullaney, obviously referring to the similarity of the numbers. “I guess it was meant to be. All I wanted to do when I got this job (in 2018) was to bring consistency to the program that has been lacking for most of our history. We have kids that work hard and I am blessed with a great staff.
“We will enjoy it but our focus is now on winning 101.”
The Hurricanes opened with a touchdown run by sophomore quarterback Will Seibert in the first quarter, and it would hold up as the only points PHU would need in the prep football equivalent of Monday night football. It was Seibert’s fourth rushing touchdown of 2022, as he has assumed the rushing yardage lead this year.
Placekicker Mitch Stricker also added his first career field goal, and defensive stalwart Jason Ice had a critical third-quarter interception to help preserve the win.
PHU’s top player, linebacker Gunner Fodor, went out of the game with an injury and will be evaluated this week. And running back Mykehl Boebert already was out with a rib injury. Still, the ‘Canes are one game away from securing at least a .500 season — when many people (including this author) thought this would be a total rebuilding season.
“I’m very proud of our team tonight,” Mullaney said. “We played most of the game without our top two tailbacks, but the guys kept fighting. I can’t single out any one player because this was a team victory tonight.
“I can’t say enough about how well the defense played tonight. Sickles has a really good offense (30 points per game coming in), but Coach (Matt) LePain put together a great game plan and the kids executed.”
PHU will get a chance to rest this Friday with its open date before facing its biggest test of 2022 in Tampa against Steinbrenner on Oct. 14. That game is followed by a non-league road game at Seminole, then bitter rival East Lake on the road. The season finale in the first week of November is at home against winless Dunedin.
The Steinbrenner and East Lake games will determine PHU’s postseason fate. Sickles was PHU’s first of three league games.V
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