Lakeland High School Football Dreadnaughts 5A State Champions

Lakeland Falters, loses to Ridge, 0-7
by Jordan Thurn 

​“The season’s not over, sometimes life’s not fair. This is a lesson you have to learn in life. How do men act in a situation like this? Let’s get our minds right. We win together, we lose together—it hurts me bad when we lose,” Coach Bill Castle said in the team huddle after the game. Lakeland lost to Ridge Community 0-7, Lakeland’s first regular season loss since the team’s upset against Kissimmee Osceola in 2007.

​The night was a defensive standoff. Ridge Community’s singular score of the night came from a picked ball on a third and four attempt which was ran 60 yards down the field. Ridge picked up the lead with 2:41 left in the fourth quarter, and never let it go. “We can’t win them all,” Kenny Story said.

​It has been nine years since the ‘Naughts have been defeated by a Polk County team. The team received a District runner up title because of this loss. The last time the ‘Naughts were not District champs was in 2007.

​Lakeland goes away next Friday to face their cross-town rivals, the Kathleen Red Devils. “To the end,” De’Mon Peeples said.