With the Class 3S state playoffs just a week away, Zephyrhills got a 40-6 wake up call from the Dunnellon Tigers Friday night.
The Bulldogs (7-3) came into the matchup after claiming the district title with a 63-35 come-from-behind win over Cypress Creek last week.
This week’s game didn’t see any second half heroics. It saw the Bulldogs inability to stop the run. The Tigers racked up nearly 400 yards rushing. They had one pass play the entire game.
Was it a let down after last week? Was it the fact the Bulldogs’ buses were nearly an hour late to the game? Could it have been there was no locker rooms for the players?
It could have been a bit of all of them, but it a lack of a run defense that couldn’t stop Dunnellon and no offense.
“We ate some humble pie, didn’t we,” said Zephyrhills head coach Nick Carroll. “It’s inexcusable. From the time we got off the bus. It didn’t matter what happened before the game, you need to turn on the switch and play football. We didn’t tackle and we didn’t block and that is what you get, a 40-6 loss.”