Lakeland High School Football Dreadnaughts 5A State Champions

Thoroughbred Thriller
by Jordan Thurn 

“It was a four quarter game,” senior captain Timothy Simmons said. After a rough 3 quarters behind the Miami team, the ‘Naughts pulled out a win over the Hialeah Thoroughbreds in their Homecoming game, 21-0.

The Thoroughbreds got the lead late in the first quarter, when with 27 seconds left they scored on a pass. Hialeah led Lakeland until the ‘Naughts carted the ball into scoring position late in the second quarter when, on a third and goal attempt from the fourth, Gabriel Walker would carry the ball into the end zone, tying the game 7-7 with 1:51left in the half. Hialeah scored on their next possession, when their quarterback threw a 62-yard pass to George Williams to score, putting the Thoroughbreds in the lead 14-7 with 26 seconds left in the half.

In the second half, senior Braxton Huggins carried the ball on an option pitch from 15 yards, helping to tie the score 14-14, with 8:53 left in the game. 

With less than two minutes left in the game, on a second and 19 attempt, junior Sherby Samplice sacked Hialeah’s quarterback, knocking the team back ten more yards, putting the Thoroughbreds on their one-yard line. Simmons, who earlier in the game made an interception, downed the ball on Hialeah’s one on a fourth and 29 attempt. Offense helped to cap defenses efforts when quarterback, Isaiah Walker carried the ball into the end zone from inches away, with 1:15 left in the game, bringing up the final score of 21-14. Defensive lineman, Demetrius Moody helped secure the game for the Naughts. Moody picked up a fumble made by Hialeah in the final seconds of the game, inhibiting them from scoring again.

Tight end, Sherard Saddlers was crowned homecoming king during halftime, “I was just doing what the coaches were telling me to do. I was praying before the game and when they called my name, I didn’t know what to do, then I had a ten yard run, I was just happy [about tonight].”

“Keep pushing, next week is a big district game,” Coach Bill Castle said. Lakeland (7-0) takes on cross-town rival, George Jenkins (3-4) next week at home.