Section B DIXIE COUNTY ADVOCATE, CROSS CITY, FLORIDA THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2006 Bears Playoff Hopes Dashed In Pensacola By John Kelley The Bears lost their playoff game to a tough Pensacola Catholic team Friday night in Pensacola. The final score was Crusaders 36 Bears 6. The Bears fell behind and were unable to score until the fourth quarter when quarterback Kameron Keen scored on a quarterback sneak into the end zone. While the Bears lost this game they still had an impressive season, posting 8 wins and only three losses. Coach Wilkerson had said earlier in the season, that no one expected the Bears to do as well as they were doing. He said this after the Bears had won their eighth game over rival Taylor County. The Bears also gained a reputation this year as a come from behind team, often scoring late in the games they played to come back and win over their opponents. During the first district game played against the Fort White Indians, the Bears pulled off an upset to beat the Indians 24 to 20. The Bears won this game during the last 20 seconds of play. Oh my what a game! Another memorable game was the epic battle of the defenses against the Williston Red Devils. The Bears took control of the game during the last minutes and held on to win in what was definitely one of the sweetest wins in Boyette Stadium. These games will certainly provide us fans with many memories to hold us until next season. The Buddy Show by Buddy Martin Slicing Through The Tension Bowl GAINESVILLE The tension was so great for . Steve Spurrier that he couldn't stay in one place :' for more than a few seconds. So South Carolina's coach paced the East sidelines between the 40-yards lines like an expectant father, twirling his visor in the air, picking up a piece of trash paper and tossing it aside, wiping his brow and even admonishing the CBS cameraman not to expect any animated reaction on his part. Time was out and the minutes seemed months. Everything came to a standstill at Florida Field, but the collective hearts were still beating a million times a minute. Across the way, Urban Meyer was almost gagged by the suspense. Having already used one time out to try and freeze the kicker, Meyer eschewed the use of another because "I couldn't stand it." In the single most dramatic moment of his coaching career, Meyer was relying on a long shot a blocked kick to bail his team out and maybe his season. So he wanted to get on with it. Aside from the hopes of a BCS title game riding on it, .there was the matter of losing two years in a row to the guy who used to have his job. As much as he admires Spurrier, Urban Meyer hates losing to him more. "It meant a lot more to me than I will probably admit to," Meyer said of his desire of beating Spurrier. So this was it. One single play would determine if Spurrier was going to come back home and spoil the party. And one single moment would determine if the Gators big dream as a national championship contender was going forward or would come to a crashing halt. As South Carolina's field goal kicker measured his steps, awaiting the snap with eight seconds to play, the Gamecocks needing a 48-yarder to win, The 01' Ball Coach assumed his normal sideline pose, one foot over the other, crossing his arms then uncrossing them and steeling himself against any body language that might look negative after the outcome. "I told the cameraman not to bother shooting me," Spurrier would say later, "because my reaction was going eck Out Te DW OTE U/et uWww.dcadvocate During every great season of football someone has to eventually be bested. The same goes for our beloved Dixie County Bears. As for the three loses posted to the Bears 2006 season, the toughest game by far was losing to the Madison County Cowboys. The game was played in hostile Cowboy country, in a frog-strangling rainstorm. The rain never stopped and neither did the Bears determination, even though they were far behind in the score. This proved that the Dixie County team had the heart. The only other loss that was not a district game was to the Blue Waves of PK Yonge. The Bears won the playing game on the field but the Wave held the scoreboard. It was just one of those games where all the luck landed on the other team. To the seniors who will graduate this season, this was your moment to shine, hold your heads high and remember all victories against the cross county rivals...Chiefland, Williston, Fort White, Newberry and Taylor. To the underclassmen that will return to the field, remember that you will lead the team to victory next season and will have the chance to avenge the losses to Madison, PK and Pensacola. To the coaches, thanks for an exciting season of Dixie County Bears Football and till next year GO BIG RED! to be the same either way." As Florida's Jarvis Moss batted Ryan Succop's 48-yard field goal attempt away, the ball fell to the ground, the clock struck zero and the crowd exploded, Spurrier went slightly limp, then calmly strode to the middle of the field in a walk of resignation. Florida 17, South Carolina 16. The Gators kept frittering away chances \^ on bobbles and missed field goals and crucial penalties. The Gamecocks kept coming. "They kept making enough bad plays that it looked like something good was going to happen to us," said Spurrier, who now drops to 5-5 for the season as Florida moves up to 9-1, with a No. 4 BCS rating. Lost in all the drama, perhaps, was the fact that Florida was favored by two touchdowns and in winning by only a single point, may drop slightly in the BCS although they will move up in the polls after Auburn's loss to Georgia. Even Meyer is ready to take off the BCS wraps now. "It's time to start talking about that to our players," Meyer said of the BCS race. Meanwhile, Spurrier's trip to "The Swamp" wasn't all for naught, because he was proud of the way his team played and said quarterback Blake Mitchell redeemed himself from purgatory by playing "his best game ever." As he walked off the field, Spurrier gave a little thumbs up signal to his fans. Even though he doesn't believe in moral victories, he said many of players "played like winners." "Unf'orunaiel),' he said, "we were losers, because football is a team game." And as he left the interview room, Spurrier said to a friend: "I think it might be the Year of the Gator." For Meyer it was a notch in his gun barrel. He admitted he was about as nervous as he's ever been as a coach. Somebody wondered if it was his most tense ever. Meyer said with a smile of admission: "I'd say it was numero uno." Maybe this game won't impress the pollsters, but for sheer drama and excitement this was one of the best games of the decade at Florida Field no matter the outcome. TO ORDER BUDDY'S NEW BOOK "The Boys From Old Florida: Inside Gator Nation" go to buddymartin.org e t Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, t all. and the old words best of all.-Winston Churchill Changes Proposed For Lower Econfina River Small Game Hunting Area; The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is requesting public comments concerning proposed regulation changes for the Lower Econfina River Public Small Game Hunting Area in Taylor County. According to John Ault, FWC's regional public hunting areas biologist, "The Suwannee River Water Management District has requested the FWC consider opening the Lower Econfina River Public Small Game Hunting Area to deer hunting with primitive weapons. We are proceeding with this request and want public comments on the proposed changes." The changes would allow deer and all other legal game hunting during the archery and muzzleloading gun seasons and turkey hunting during the spring turkey season. The small game season would continue as it has since the area was established in September 2003. The changes, if approved by FWC commissioners, would take effect July 1, 2007. The seasons on Lower Econfina River would be: Archery: Sept. 22 Oct. 7 Muzzleloading gun: Oct. 26 28 Small game: Jan. 21 March 2 Spring turkey: March 15 23 Fishing and frogging: throughout the year Thank You I would like to thank all the Veterans Organizations (American Legion Post 383 & Auxiliary DAV Post 63 - Tri-County Marine Corps League & Auxiliary) and all the veterans that participated in the Annual Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony. I would also like to thank the individuals who helped make this special event a success: Chad Reed Rick Gooding Funeral Home - Elaine's Catering Town of Cross City Cross City Police Dept. Dixie County Sheriff's Dept. C.O.P.'S Lolly Sumner Rev. Ed Ivey - Chuck Eltron Angel Lee - DCHS Band Carolyn Patrone Debbie Brigman Grace Mathis Debbie Lee and DCHS JROTC. With a lot of help from a lot of people, this was an event that the Town of Cross City and I are very proud ofl Special thanks to Paul Davis and Dave Desbin for saving the day! Thanks guys. Tank Lee Mayor Town of Cross City Cranberry Nut Bars He- G Hey G 2 e sugars football book 1 cup flour by Buddy Ma Y cup butter or buddymartin.c margarine, melted for all the Gat 1% cups Ocean Spray Fresh or Frozen Cranberries 4 cup chopped walnuts Preheat oven to 3500 F. . Grease an 8-inch baking pan. Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating until thoroughly blended. Stir in flour and melted butter; blend well. nuts, mixing gently just until combined. Spread evenly in pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a tooth- . pick inserted into the cen- ter comes out clean. Cool and cut into bars. Makes i , 16 servings. Homemade Whole Berry .. Cranberry Sauce 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 12-ounce package Ocean Spray Fresh , or Frozen Cranberries, rinsed and drained H H Combine water and sugar in a medium A re saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and Call Us 1 boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cool completely IA at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Makes 2 cups. 1 Visit www.oceanspray. corn or call Ocean Spray's Consumer Affairs line at (800) 662-3263 to request a copy of the "12 Months of Cranberry" booklet filled with recipes, cran- berry facts and craft ideas. Public Comment Wanted It would be legal to take all legal game, fish, frogs and furbearers during the appropriate seasons. The possession or use of dogs, other than bird dogs or dogs with a shoulder height of 15 inches or less, would be prohibited. Hunting hogs with dogs would be prohibited. The public would have access to the area from 1 V2 hours before sunrise to 1 V2 hours after sunset. Motorized vehicles could only be operated on named or numbered roads, and ATVs and motorcycles would be prohibited. The area east of the Lower Econfina River would be open to motorized vehicles only during open hunting seasons. The Suwannee River Water Management District is holding its monthly governing board meeting in Mayo Nov. 16, and this item is on the agenda. The public will have an opportunity to provide comments at that time. The meeting begins at 8:30 a.m. at the Lafayette County Commission Room. People can also send their comments to John Ault via e-mail at john.ault@MyFWC.com or by mail to 3377 E. Highway 90, Lake City, FL 32055. More information on the Lower Econfina area can be found at: hup .l3, FWC.com/hunting/wma/2006- 07/NorthCentral/LowerEconbrochure.pdf. itor fans! Get your copy of the new Florida today THE BOYS FROM OLD FLORIDA written martin. Check out details for ordering your copy on )rg. This book would make a nice Christmas present or fans on your list! 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