TBT loses Smith, Firlow to knee injuries

Posted Nov 25, 2009 by Bill Ward

Updated Nov 25, 2009 at 05:38 PM

Tampa Bay Tech has lost defensive starters Josh Smith and Willie Firlow for the remainder of the season with knee injuries, Titans head coach C.C. Culpepper confirmed Wednesday.

Smith is a junior who had been playing defensive tackle while Firlow is a senior who was playing defensive end. Both players tore meniscus (cartilage) in their knee during TBT’s regular-season finale against Hillsborough. In their place for last week’s first-round Class 5A playoff victory over East Lake, Culpepper used seniors Patrique Peters aand Riaz Gwyn. Those two are expected to start again Friday in TBT’s regional semifinal against Countryside.

“Of course, we’d rather have Josh and Willie healthy and playing for us right now but everyone has really stepped it up and we hardly missed a beat last week,” Culpepper said. “Instead of rotating eight guys on the [defensive] line we’ve had six but we’re still very strong there.”

Culpepper said his highly-touted defense limited East Lake to just 93 yards of offense and produced four sacks.