Booker High rebounds with a decisive win over North Port High

SARASOTA

All it took was a 75-yard touchdown run by sophomore tailback Maurice Brooks to wash away the sour taste in the mouths of Booker Nation following last week's loss.

The Tornadoes tallied a whopping 277 rushing yards on 32 carries to defeat North Port 39-19 on Friday night at Tornado Alley.

Brooks registered a team-high 15 carries for 161 yards and two scores as Booker (4-1) took a 26-7 halftime lead and never looked back.

"Its great to bounce back with a win. We were hurting a little from the Riverview game, but we put it together tonight," Brooks said.

On a 2nd-and-9 from its own 25 yard-line, quarterback Brock Waters handed the ball off to Brooks who scampered up the right side of the field, breaking five tackles and tip-toeing the sideline before receiving an extra push from Charles Purvis to reach the end zone. The play took exactly 20 seconds off the clock.

"I was running and felt myself about to fall ... I thought that it was another defender, but it turned out to be one of my teammates," Brooks said. "There was nobody that would've loved to see that touchdown more than Charles. He was right there when I scored."

Freshman Curtis Campbell, moved up from JV just two weeks ago, tallied two scores and recorded 31 yards on five carries.

Jeremy Butler carved up the Bobcats' secondary as the senior wideout caught four balls for a game-high 115 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown grab in the second quarter.

"Everything felt like it was working. Everyone was on key," Butler said. "It's more of working hard all week and getting a rhythm in practice."

Booker got on the board with a 7-0 lead when Campbell scored from one yard out to cap off an eight-play, 38-yard drive that began after Vinnie DeVito recovered a North Port fumble.

After a 34-yard screen pass from backup quarterback Jermaine Leverett to Butler, Purvis leapt over the goal line to give the Tornadoes a 14-0 advantage.

On Booker's ensuing possession, Brooks bounced off three defenders to score from six yards out.

Waters then hooked up with Butler for a 29-yard play action bomb to finish a two-play, 30-yard drive that started when Cazavious Ray recovered a fumble.

Fullback Bryce Johnston led all North Port ball carriers with 168 yards on 16 carries, including an 85-yard rumble for a score in the second quarter.