On Friday, Sept. 5, the Knights suited up for their most anticipated football game of the season against South Tampa rivals Plant High School. The two schools have played each other since Robinson was created in 1959, and both have built strong football programs over the past 70 years. However, the teams haven’t always been equally matched. Despite experiencing decent success in football, Robinson has not beaten the Panthers since the 2004-05 season, something the Knights were determined to change going into the game.
Florida is known for its erratic weather, and the night of Sept. 5 was no different. Intense storms and lightning delayed the kickoff. Despite the bad conditions, Jack Peters Field filled up fast as more and more RHS students clad in all black showed up to support their team. When the game finally started around 8:50 p.m., the home stands were completely packed, with the game having the highest attendance out of any previous competitions this season.
Despite the noise of the fans, the Panthers struck first, stunning the Robinson defense with a mix of great quarterback mobility and a strong offensive line that gave the receivers plenty of time to get open. When it was Robinson’s turn on offense, they had no such luck. Deep punts by Plant consistently pinned them back deep in their side of the field, and a strong pass rush kept them there. To make matters even worse, on Robinson’s opening drive, the punter dropped the ball on the one, leading to Plant scoring back-to-back touchdowns early.
Fortunately for the Knights, after going down by 36 at the end of the first quarter, the team was seemingly shocked back to life. The defense managed to slow down the devastating Plant passing game, but even when the Knights got the ball back, little happened. Despite Robinson’s wide receivers often managing to find space and get open, questionable decision-making by the quarterback and a pass rush that made the Knight O-line obsolete often led to the ball going straight back to the Panthers. After the Plant punt returner took a kick all the way back to the RHS end zone, it seemed as though the Knights’ fate was sealed.
With the final score being 78-7, it brings the season total of points scored by Robinson to just thirteen, and raises the points scored against the Knights to a whopping 176. Now down 0-3, the team seems to be scrambling to find answers.
“Our goal right now is to come back stronger as a team and fight through adversity,” Linebacker Amir Hosni (’27) said. ” We’re spending more time in the classroom and on discipline, especially with offside calls.”
The team definitely has talent, but they need to begin to put the pieces together, starting with a strong work ethic and a commitment to the team. Implementing and encouraging discipline helps build the team from the bottom up and create a productive environment from which success can grow. This was further emphasized by the team’s head coach in the midst of a rocky start to his first year with the Knights.
“Until you establish a culture that holds people accountable, you cannot go forward,” Head Coach Mike Simmonds said. “All you gotta do is be the best you can be and win the day in front of you.”
Despite the loss, the Knights aren’t down yet. The team is all eyes ahead, looking towards the future and redemption, and is prepared to work hard to get there. It’s not how often you get knocked down, it’s how often you get up, and the football team is ready to prove they’re not done yet.
