Plant powers through weather, beats Alonso to clinch Class 4M-District 7 championship

TAMPA, Fla.- When you think of the Plant Panthers football program over the last two decades, you think championships.

District, regional and state titles were won annually by former head coach Bob Weiner, who is now the co-offensive coordinator for the Toledo Rockets. For 16 years, that was always the mantra, championships. 

The Panthers got back to winning titles on Friday night, when they cruised to a 42-0 victory over Alonso and claimed their first district championship since 2018. In just two seasons at the helm, Hank Brown has built Plant back up to being one of the top programs in Tampa Bay. 

Weiner’s departure in early 2020 brought upon a new era of Plant football, but not one they were anything used to as the Panthers fell below the .500 mark in 2019 and 2020. Enter Brown, who has now compiled an overall record of 14-6 in his two seasons at the school as head coach. 

The wind and rain wouldn’t play a factor into how the Panthers would come out and play against the Ravens. Plant (8-2) has been a balanced football team on the offensive end, but had to rely more on keeping it on the ground because of the consistent heavy rainfall occurring. 

Brown leaned heavily on the running of sophomore tailback Waltez Clark, who had himself the best night amongst all runners. Clark ended the night rushing for 189 yards on 14 attempts and scored three touchdowns. 

He was not alone though in toting the rock in the backfield, with Jaquez Kindell also playing a role alongside Clark. Kindell ended the game with 134 yards on five attempts and a score. Plant didn’t need to run the ball all too much because of the success on the ground, with the Panthers only going for 100 yards through the air. 

Alonso (6-3) found it extremely arduous to get anything going at all on offense as the Ravens ended the game totaling 113 yards altogether. Usually productive running back Josh Andrews was kept corralled on the evening, with the runner held to a mere 64 yards. 

Clark started off the scoring with a 52-yard scamper in the first quarter and then Kindell bursted for an 80-yard score just before the opening period ended. Alonso’s defense just couldn’t find many answers for a Plant team that would not be denied and was clicking on all cylinders. 

Tough the game would enter intermission with Plant up 14-0, the Panthers would balloon the lead in the third quarter thanks to two Clark touchdown runs that put the game out of reach. The game would reach a running clock in the final quarter. 

Now the Panthers have to wait and see what all transpires with the Florida High School Athletic Association rankings as they won’t release playoff pairings until Nov. 6. For the Ravens, they still have one game remaining when they face Brandon next week with a chance to finish 7-3 and possibly a playoff berth. 

Andy Villamarzo can be reached at andyvillamarzo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @Andy_Villamarzo.