Lakeland High School Football Dreadnaughts 5A State Champions

Working Overtime
by Jordan Thurn 

Lakeland, now 9-1, beat long time rival, the Kathleen Red Devils, for the twentieth year in a row, winning in overtime play 28-27 at the Great American Rivalry game sponsored by the United States Marine Corps. “We played to the end,” said senior captain, Timothy Simmons. 

In the first quarter, Kathleen recorded a touchdown for their first possession of the game, running the ball into the end zone with 8:10 remaining on the clock. Simmons blocked the Red Devils kick, keeping their lead to 0-6. 

On Kathleen’s following possession starting on the 34 yard line, Jalen Stevenson picked up a fumble to give the Naughts the ball on Kathleen’s 27 yard line. After four plays, Ra’Don Dwight capped the Naughts drive running one yard to score on a hammer play with 4:39 remaining in the first quarter. Caleb Hough made the following kick for the Naughts to give them the lead, 7-6.  

Defensive back Tre’ Dempsey intercepted a pass and ran it to Kathleen’s 49 yard line to give the Naughts possession of the ball. Isaiah Walker connected with Shaquan Perkins on a third and seven attempt to reach the end zone with 1:09 left in the first quarter, posting a score of 14-7, where it would remain until after half.

To start the third quarter, on the Naughts second possession which lasted 13 plays and went the extent of 96 yards, Braxton Huggins made the final push with 17 seconds remaining in the third to further the Naughts lead to 21-6. “The O-line did a good job blocking for us tonight,” running back, Robert Smith said.

In the fourth, Kathleen’s gained momentum when they ran the ball 62 yards to score with 11:49 remaining on the clock, setting the score to 21-14 after they completed a two point conversion. The Red Devils tied the Naughts with a 52 yard run with 34 seconds remaining in the game to send Lakeland into it’s third overtime game of the season with a score of 21-21

Lasting only one round of overtime play, Perkins scored on a second and twelve attempt to give the Naughts the lead 28-21. Kathleen played all of their cards after they scored on their first down of overtime play by electing to go for a two-point conversion. A group of Lakeland’s defensive lineman withheld their attempt and secured the Naught’s victory.  

As decided by the representatives of the Great American Rivalry and the Marine Corps, Walker was named MVP of the game. “[Getting MVP} makes me feel like I redeemed myself from last week,” Walker said.

The Naughts go on to face the Kissimmee Kowboys away next week, “We have to practice harder than we ever have, and we have to keep doing our thing,” Walker said.