Panthers’ Tate on record-breaking tear

Posted Nov 22, 2011 by Katherine Smith

Updated Nov 23, 2011 at 03:32 PM

Plant coach Robert Weiner has seen a lot of football this season, so when he said no one has had a more dominating performance than linebacker Mike Tate did last week against Orlando Boone, that’s saying something – especially when you factor in what quarterback James Few and wide receiver Austin Aikens did in that game (four of Few’s six touchdown passes were to Aikens).

In Plant’s 54-21 victory, Tate collected 21 tackles, one shy of a single-game team record. The senior has been on a record-breaking pace all season. Against Tampa Bay Tech in Week 5, Tate broke the previous tackles for a loss single-game record of eight with 11. His 58 tackles for a loss this season are two shy of former linebacker Mike Mirabella’s team record of 60 set in 2007. And his 150 tackles are 13 shy of the team record former safety Hunter Baldwin set in 2007.

Just two tackles for a loss against Orlando Dr. Phillips in Friday’s Class 8A-Region 2 semifinals and Tate will be joining an elite Plant group.

“It’s actually pretty humbling,’’ Tate said. “I remember being an incoming freshman and looking up to those guys and definitely learning from them about representing and just being proud to be a Plant linebacker.’’