Different feeling at Da Wood

Posted Oct 8, 2009 by Adam Adkins

Updated Oct 8, 2009 at 03:03 PM

There certainly has been a different feeling out at Armwood this week.

This is the first time since a 2006 regular-season loss to Winter Haven that the Hawks have taken the field following a loss. Before last Friday’s home loss to Plant, each of Armwood’s last three setbacks occurred in the playoffs (to Plant in 2006 and 2008, and to Miami Washington in 2007). That meant there was no shot at redemption.

The Hawks took the field this week to prepare for Friday’s Class 4A-District 9 opener against King knowing their season – and their ultimate goal – was still in reach.

“Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to beat Plant,” Armwood coach Sean Callahan said, “but our goal was always to win a 4A state championship. We’ve played two quality 5A teams in Tampa Bay Tech and Plant, and if we take those lessons that we battled in both of those games, I think we can be a good football team. But we’ve got to grow up a little bit.”

Callahan wants to see his team respond in the face of adversity. He admitted when the Hawks went into halftime down 7-0 against the Panthers that “my kids looked at me like we were down 70-0,” and he wants his team to learn to continue to play hard even if things aren’t going the Hawks’ way on the field.

“It’s easiest to ride high,” Callahan said. “I told our team I want to see us win a game that we were losing (at one point). I want people to get physical and nasty at the right time.”