Dreadnaughts Sink Sharks, 40-13.

Lakeland’s offense came to play, like a battleship going to war, against Ponte Vedra.

The Dreadnaughts piled up 486 yards of offense in a 40-13 rout of Ponte Vedra on Friday night at Bryant Stadium in the FHSAA Class 5A Semifinals.

Kelin Hendrix (QB) completed 13 of 17 passes for 144 yards. He also rushed eight times for 136 yards, including a season highlight fourth-and-1 touchdown, as he denied tackles and outran the Sharks for a 77-yard score. His touchdown widened Lakeland’s lead to 14-0 with 4:41 remaining in the second quarter.

Cameron Fuse (WR) was the Dreadnaughts’ leading wide receiver with six catches for 95 yards and one touchdown.

Ahnarri Cooper (RB) added 14 carries for 87 yards and three touchdowns. Ja’darious Dobie was the Dreadnaughts’ third leading rusher running six times for 63 yards. Lakeland rushed 38 times for 342 yards, an impressive nine yards per carry average.

Ponte Vedra’s Cole Rosendahl (QB) attempted a whopping 47 passes, completing 28, for 288 yards. Jack Berquist (WR) led the Sharks with nine catches for 120 yards and a score. Alex Winkles (RB), who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards, only managed 14 rushing yards on the night; he added five catches for 40 yards.

Lakeland, advancing to the state championship game for the fourth year in a row, will play St. Thomas Aquinas in a rematch of last year’s 5A State Championship. It will be the eighth time the two teams will have met in the championship game. Lakeland holds a 5-2 advantage. The Dreadnaughts are seeking payback as St. Thomas Aquinas won last season. Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM on December 11th at Pitbull Stadium on the campus of Florida International University (Miami).