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Sports

Sports Notebook: Carrollwood High School Football

Both Tampa Gaither and Carrollwood Day School have very winnable games this week.

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The Cowboys (3-2, 2-0 in district) are coming off a much needed, 37-7 home victory over Steinbrenner last Friday. Senior Eddie Pastrana had five interceptions in the game.

"It was a great win over a local rival," said head coach Jason Stokes. "I think it showed we are a different team this year."

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The win marked the first home victory of the year for the Cowboys.

"We needed it; I think the fans might have started to get a little down on us," said Stokes.

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The Cowboys are now positioned handsomely atop District 7, just a half game ahead of Tampa Bay Tech, whom they face Nov. 4. That matchup will determine a great deal about who will win the district and may even decide it outright. It is starting to look like a two-horse race between Gaither and Tech.

Tampa Bay Tech is largely a victim of its schedule, having suffered losses to , and , all district champions from last season. Tech goes up against Steinbrenner this week.

Next up for Gaither is a trip to East Bay this Friday to take on the Indians (3-3, 1-1). Gaither needs to get the win to keep pace.

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The Patriots (3-3, 1-3) are doing their best to weather the midseason storm. A rash of injuries and close calls have taken a toll on their thin roster.

"If I had five more guys we'd be undefeated," said head coach Lane McLaughlin.

The Patriots have averaged about a 5.5-point differential in their three losses.

What would McLaughlin give for those five extra varsity players?

"A couple fingers," the coach said.

The last-minute, 26-20 loss to Canterbury only typifies how tough of a season it has been for CDS. Watching junior Robert Davis cut Admiral Farragut's Todd Macon after a 20-yard run with a wrecked shoulder shows the type of demand that's required from the Patriots' star players.

Despite playing through injuries, both senior QB Deuce Gruden and Davis are most of the way recovered. However, junior Nate Lewis and senior Chance Furman are out.

This week, CDS has a chance to get back on track as it hosts Bradenton Christian (2-3, 2-2) in yet another district game. It's easy to overlook BCS, but District 5 has proved that anyone can beat anyone this year. Just look at Cambridge losing to Calvary Christian 48-35 last week.

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