For the fourth consecutive year, the Class 4A-District 8 title belongs to Zephyrhills.
The Bulldogs made history with their fourth straight crown after handily defeating district foe Tampa Freedom 50-6 in front of packed senior night crowd at Tom Fisher Field at Bulldog Stadium.
The offense scored four touchdowns while the defense added three in the rout of the Patriots. Zephyrhills finished the regular season 7-3 while Freedom wrapped up its season 3-6.
“I don’t think many teams in Pasco County have won four in arow,” said jubilant head coach Nick Carroll. “I’m really proud of our kids. I was worried with all of the (senior night) festivities that our kids would come out flat.”
The defensive performance helped take some of the pressure off the offense.
“Now we get ready for the playoffs,” Carroll said. “We’ll look at film tomorrow and have a game plan ready for Monday.”
Zephyrhills will likely enter the regional playoffs as the No. 3 seed and could face Lecanto at home in the opening round.
Carroll had the honor to recognize a strong class of seniors prior to the game. It’s a group that has been with him every step of the way during this district-title dynasty.
“They worked really hard and I’m going to miss them,” Carroll said. “There are some I’ve spent a lot of time with the last four years. To watch them grow from where they were four years ago to where they are now is special.”
Xzavier Jackson got the scoring going quickly with an early TD pass to a wide-open DJ Pickett with 11:03 left in the first quarter. Ethan Stone took an interception 48-yard for a touchdown giving the Bulldogs a 16-0 lead with just 2:13 off the clock. Later in the first quarter Jackson hit TJ Jackson with a five-yard TD pass to give the Bulldogs a 24-0 with 3:04 left in the quarter.
A defensive series filled with penalties aided the Patriots to their first and only touchdown early in the second quarter.
A 30-yard TD run by Tristan Lennon moved the score to 31-6 early in the second quarter. Pickett added a scoop and score 32-yard return for a touchdown in the second quarter to put Zephyrhills up 37-6 A Roe Miller 15-yard run touchdown run with just under two minutes in the half to put Zephyrhills up 43-6 at halftime.
With a running clock in the second half, Bulldogs linebacker Zach Carroll had a scoop and score touchdown for 36-yards on the first play of the second half to put the Bulldogs up 50-6 and that was the way the score would stay as the clock quickly ran through the second half.
In addition to the pre-game senior night festivities, two players were honored at halftime. Pickett, a five-star defensive back headed to play at LSU next fall, was selected to play in the Under Armor All-American All-Star game in January. Carroll presented Pickett with his All-Star jersey. Junior Khyrii Everett was recognized for being named Pasco County Schools Student-Athlete of the Month.