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'Naughts Must Tackle Pensacola To Earn Title Shot

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By NICK WILLIAMS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 10, 2008

LAKELAND - There's no place like Bryant Stadium in Lakeland, where the Lakeland High football team's games literally are larger than life.

There is a 15-by-20-foot, $400,000 JumboTron, built in 2007, the golf cart converted into a large helmet that leads the team on to field, and a three-story media box that displays the years the program won its six state titles.

But in a program used to ending its season hoisting a state trophy, Lakeland saw an early exit from the state playoffs in 2007 year when Kissimmee Osceola eliminated the 'Naughts in the 5A region semifinals, 22-7.

The loss implied the program wasn't as dominant as it used to be.

This season, the Dreadnaughts are undefeated at 13-0 and ranked No. 6 in the USA Today Super 25

The Dreadnaughts host Pensacola Pine Forest in the Class 5A state semifinals at 7:30 p.m. Friday. The winner will play St. Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale or Largo in the state title game Dec. 19 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

With a dominating, 40-20, performance over Chamberlain last week, Lakeland showed the program is back to its usual juggernaut, self.

"We proved them wrong," said junior running back Rodney Johnson. "We believe we're the better team [in 5A], and we're going to show them next week and the week after that."

Lakeland coach Bill Castle knows he'll have to go through a tough Pine Forest team to make it to the title game.

"They'll be completely opposite of Chamberlain," he said. "They're a very physical team."

Lakeland won three consecutive state titles from 2004 through 2006 and won the title of national champs in 2005 and 2006. The Dreadnaughts also won 53 consecutive games from 2004 to 2007.

Losing last year was motivation for this year's team.

"It was a lot more motivation," said Watson, who was a freshman on the 2006 title team. "That was the plan: to get back in it and put the team back on track."

"I like to think that may be a little part of it, but hopefully they just want to win every game they play," Castle said.

In 2006, the state final between St. Thomas Aquinas and Lakeland ended with a thrilling finish, with the Dreadnaughts stopping Aquinas at the goal line to win, 45-42, in double overtime. Aquinas, ranked No. 1 in the country, and Lakeland could meet again in the state championship game next week.

"It's real big," Watson said. "A lot of seniors are waiting for it. Me, I'm a junior, and I'm waiting for it."

Reporter Nick Williams can be reached at (813) 259-7851 or nwilliams@tampatrib.com.

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