Football: Indians in 2A semi tonight

The memory of that December night three seasons ago was not far

from Immokalee High football coach John Weber this week.

His Indians played the biggest game in school history, losing to

Gulliver Prep 29-28 in double overtime in the 2000 Class 2A state

semifinals.

"I think about it every day," he says. "I wouldn't have done

anything different, but I still think about it."

The Indians return to that stage tonight at South Broward High

School, where they will play Hollywood-Chaminade in the Class 2A

state semifinals. They'll have a chance to do what the team of 2000

couldn't -- reach the state title game.

The seniors of 2003 were the freshmen of 2000. Few on this team

know what it was like to play in that game, but those who were in

that game have been around to tell them.

"They said it hurts to the soul," running back Javarris James

says.

"We want to win. We don't want to have that feeling."

To dodge that feeling, the Indians (8-4) must vanquish a

giant.

Chaminade (11-1) has reached the state semis the last three

seasons.

The Lions lost to Jacksonville- Bolles 6-0 last year in the

Class 2A title game.

Chaminade rolled through the 2003 season. The Lions beat

Clewiston, Bishop Verot and Bradenton-Manatee, all on the road.

Their only loss, by three points, came to Class 5A Miami-Edison,

who plays Hollywood-McArthur tonight for the Class 5A Region 4

title.

Chaminade runs a wing-T offense, but without most of the bells

and whistles that usually come with it, Weber says.

"They don't do a lot of shifting or motion," he says. "They feel

they have good enough athletes that they don't have to do

that."

Chaminade features a three- pronged running attack of Alex

Broomfield, James Jones and Charles McCrea. The trio has rushed for

2,009 yards and 26 touchdowns. Quarterback Jason Ryan has thrown

for only 652 yards, but has connected with favorite receiver John

Dunlap for seven of his 10 touchdowns.

Defensively, the Lions line up in a "50" defense designed to

stop the run. Clewiston tried that against Immokalee last week to

less-than-desirable results. The Indians rushed for 215 yards, with

James rushing for 121 of those, and quarterback Louis Gachette

passed for 198 yards and two touchdowns.

Playing the run would leave Chaminade's defensive backs

one-on-one with Immokalee's receivers, including state sprint

champion McIntosh Nicolas, but Weber says the Lions feel their

defensive backs are strong enough to go one-on-one with anyone.

If the ghosts of 2000 weren't enough motivation, Immokalee's

underdog status might help.

Many around the state already predict Chaminade in a show down

with Madison County for the Class 2A title.

Let them predict, Weber says.

"One thing I learned a long time ago is you don't play these

games on the radio or in the newspapers," he says. "I like when

people make us the underdog. We've been the underdog a few times

and won some of those games."

The Indians aren't worrying about what others are saying,

lineman Rigo Garcia says.

"We're gonna just be quiet, do what we have to do and that's

it," he says.

Immokalee has faced a roller coaster season -- winning its first

five games, losing three straight, losing Weber for three games and

winning the district title in that span -- but feels its on the

right track in the playoffs.

Friday's game is the type Weber likes. No frills. No tricks.

No smokescreens. Just two teams playing to see who's best.

"They line up and tell you this is what they're going to do," he

says. "Now they're going to tell you to stop it. If we're good

enough, we'll stop it."