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Dreadnaughts Oust Chiefs

By NICK WILLIAMS

nwilliams@tampatrib.com

Published: December 6, 2008

LAKELAND - This wasn't the ending that Chamberlain envisioned.

The Chiefs' season was supposed to end at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando two weeks from now, with the players hoisting 71-year-old coach Billy Turner into the air as they celebrated winning the Class 5A state championship.

They were supposed to bring Chamberlain, and Turner, a state title.

It didn't happen that way.

The eighth-ranked Lakeland Dreadnaughts defeated Chamberlain 40-20 on Friday in the Class 5A-Region 2 final, ending the Chiefs' season at 11-2.

Lakeland (13-0) will host Pensacola Pine Forest (12-0) in the 5A state semifinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. Pine Forest defeated Orange Park, 33-7, to advance.

"I didn't want the season to end this quick," said Chamberlain senior quarterback Dontae Aycock. "Our goal was a state championship."

In his 30 years as the head coach at Chamberlain, Turner has not beaten Lakeland. Friday's loss was the fourth to the Dreadnaughts in the postseason this decade.

"They were physical. They beat us in every area," Turner said. "We couldn't block them, and we couldn't stop them."

The Dreadnaughts jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead and kept Chamberlain scoreless until 3:29 left in the third quarter. Their defense held one of Hillsborough County's top offenses to 55 first-half yards. Their offense put up 228 yards in the first half.

"The sad part is, they made a good football team look bad," Turner said.

There was talk that Lakeland wasn't as dominant as it used to be.

"Lakeland ain't as good as it used to be? Who said that?" Turner said. "I hope I didn't say it, because they are as good as they ever were."

Aycock finished the game with 57 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries, and passed for 55 yards and another score. Senior running back Kenny Allen had 48 rushing yards and a 24-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

"We came out kind of slow," Aycock said. "Once we found out we could move the ball on them, then we started moving the ball. They're a good team. We knew they were a good team."

Running back Aaron Truedell led Lakeland with 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while junior tailback Rodney Watson added 73 yards and two touchdowns.

"You have to give our offensive line credit for that," Lakeland coach Bill Castle said. "They really did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage and giving us some running lanes."

"I enjoyed the year," said Turner, who surpassed the 250-win milestone this season. "I'm proud of our football team. They don't have anything to feel bad about."

After the game, Turner wouldn't say if his 49-year career was over.

"I can't say, my wife would kill me," he said. "I'm going to wait until after the Christmas holidays, and I'll decide something then."