Miami Springs junior kicker Rodrigo Hernandez kept hearing the same phrase toward the end of Friday afternoon's game against Coral Gables:

``No pressure.''

Hernandez had the daunting task of kicking a 50-yard field goal with fewer than 30 seconds left.

His effort had the distance, but drifted wide left.

And with it, Miami Springs' hopes of making the playoffs for the first time since 1995 likely faded as well as Coral Gables remained perfect with a 19-17 victory at Tropical Park.

Miami Springs (1-4) fell to 0-2 in district play with three district games remaining, and already has lost to Columbus.

The Cavaliers (5-0) won their first five games for the second consecutive season and remained in a three-way tie with Columbus and Miami High for first place in District 14-6A. All three teams are 2-0 in district play.

''A lot of character and heart on this team,'' Coral Gables coach Joe Montoya said. ``We struggled a little bit and forced them to kick that field goal. Our offense just clicked when we needed it.''

Led by junior Jarvis Bridge's 196 yards on 22 carries, Coral Gables rallied from a 17-7 deficit.

Quarterback Patrick McCain connected on a 23-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Lee late in the third quarter to cut Miami Springs' lead to 17-13.

A Miami Springs miscue on special teams led to Gables taking the lead.

Hernandez could not handle a high punt snap and ended up throwing an incomplete pass on fourth down that gave Gables possession at the Springs 13-yard line. McCain scored five plays later on a quarterback sneak to give Gables the lead for good.

• Carol City 35, Krop 6: For the third week in a row, Carol City relied on its defense and special teams, and it delivered eight of the Chiefs' 35 points in a win over Krop at Traz Powell Stadium.

Carol City (3-2, 1-0 District 12-6A) won its third consecutive game and got its first district win of the season.

The Chiefs defense gave up 7 yards of offense and registered five sacks against Krop (1-5, 0-1).

The Chiefs running game was able to control the tempo as it grinded out 243 yards, led by Ruben Lawhorn's 91 yards.

Lawhorn scored three touchdowns in the game: a 71-yard run, a blocked punt he returned 27 yards to the end zone and a scoring pass from Devonte Mathis just before halftime.

He [Lawhorn] is just a great kid that does everything we ask of him and [Friday] you see his hard work paying off big time,'' Carol City coach Harold Barnwell said.

Carol City sacked Krop quarterback Marlon Kelly, causing a fumble that rolled out of the end zone in the second half.

''As tough as our district is, we need every district win we can get if we want to get in the playoffs,'' Barnwell said.

-- J.T. WILCOX

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