‘Workhorse’ Raider aids turnaround

Posted Nov 11, 2009 by Adam Adkins

Updated Nov 11, 2009 at 10:54 AM

Dazmond Patterson never searched for a reason why. Despite being a freshman and first-year varsity player for Plant City in 2008, Patterson never thought twice when Raiders coaches thrust him into one of the most prominent positions in high school football as the team’s starting tailback.

What Patterson did was recognize a chance - one he didn’t want to let slip through his fingers.

“I felt like they gave me the opportunity, and I had to seize it,” Patterson said. “Obviously there was a reason they were doing it, so I just did the best I could.”

There now is little doubt Patterson, the Raiders’ sophomore tailback, fully seized that opportunity.

Patterson not only has been among Hillsborough County’s most surprising players in 2009, but he’s also emerged as one of the area’s most productive running backs. He enters Friday’s regular-season finale against Blake riding an impressive streak of eight consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing, and he’s also coming off the best game of his prep career, when he rushed for a career-high 218 yards with two touchdowns in a big district victory over rival Durant.

“As he goes, we go,” Plant City coach Jason Strunk said of Patterson, who ranks among the area’s top rushers this season with 1,181 yards and eight touchdowns. “Dazmond’s been our workhorse. He’s been phenomenal. He’s been great.”

He’s also been a big reason why Plant City (6-3) has reversed its early-season misfortunes and is now headed to the state playoffs as the Class 5A-District 6 runner-up

You can read the full story, which ran in today’s Plant City Courier, HERE.