Lakeland High School Football Dreadnaughts 5A State Champions

Lakeland kicked off the 2025 FHSAA Class 5A, Region 2 Football Playoffs with a commanding 35-0 victory over Wesley Chapel at Bryant Stadium on November 14th.

The Dreadnaughts leaned on their potent passing attack, echoing their strategy from the Specially Fit Academy matchup earlier this season. Quarterback Kelin Hendrix (QB) led the charge, completing 8 of 15 passes for 267 yards, and tossing five touchdowns. Cam Fuse (WR) was electric, catching four (4) passes for 140 yards and scoring three touchdowns on plays of 49, 34 and 44 yards. Ja’Darius Dobie (RB) contributed with a 43-yard touchdown reception, while Jamie Williams (WR) made a pivotal 54-yard touchdown catch on a crucial 4th-and-1.

Lakeland’s ground game provided solid support, racking up 83 yards on 19 carries. Ahnarri Cooper (RB) led the charge with eight (8) carries for 85 yards, averaging an impressive 10.6 yards per attempt.

Defensively, Lakeland was relentless, limiting Wesley Chapel to just five (5) passing yards and 51 rushing yards on 31 attempts — a mere 1.6 yards per carry. The shutout does not fully capture the defense’s dominance throughout the contest.

Next up, Lakeland will host the Gaither Cowboys in the Region 2 Semifinals at Bryant Stadium on November 21st at 7:30 PM. Gaither, boasting a 10-1 record with their only loss to Armwood, advanced after a 56-0 rout of Winter Springs.