With the Seminole High School Athletic Hall of Fame Class for 2024 in attendance, the Seminole High School football team (4-0) put on quite a show for the honored alumni, pulling out a 41-38 victory over previously unbeaten Lake Wales High School (4-1) at Thomas E. Whigham Stadium in the Tim Raines Athletic Complex Friday.
The heart-stopping victory by the Fighting Seminoles was the highlight of an evening that saw Seminole County programs go a seasons-best 7-3, with The Geneva School (4-1), Lake Brantley High School (2-3), Lake Howell High School (1-3), Hagerty High School (4-1), Orangewood Christian School (2-4) and Winter Springs High School (3-1) also picking up victories.
Here is a recap of the week’s action:
Seminole 41, Lake Wales 38
Hall of Fame Night at Seminole High School produced a Hall of Fame type game between a pair of highly-ranked and undefeated squads before a frenzied crowd and the newest inductees _ Kadeem Edwards, Bobby Lundquist, Langston Menefee, Troy Turner, Tim Raines Jr., Adrian Hillsman, Dave Rogers, Kerry Wiggins Sr. and the 1979-1980 Boys Basketball Team _ who were honored during a halftime ceremony.
Visiting Lake Wales, a 2022 state champion and ranked No. 5 in Class 4A, took an early 3-0 lead on a 22-yard field goal from Isaac Rivera, but over the end of the first quarter and the first part of the second period, the host Tribe took the lead for good on three touchdown passes from Michael Clayton (14-for-22, 213-yards) to Xavier Tucker (40-yards), Devin Voltaire (6-yards) and Tucker again (18-yards).
But despite leading 24-10 at halftime, the Highlanders, who came into the contest riding a 28-game regular season winning streak and an overall record of 31-1 since 2022, refused to go away and scored four second half touchdowns, but overtime the guests would score, the Noles would answer, getting a field goal from Liam Allen (who scored 11 points himself on the evening) and kickoff returns of 93-yard from Tucker and 95-yards from Khamani Robinson.
Still it took a block by Juan Berchal on a 43-yard field goal in the final minute for Seminole to preserve the victory.
Tucker had a huge game, catching five passes for 122-yards and the two touchdowns, to go along with the 93-yard kickoff return, while Robinson also had a monster game with two kickoff returns for 137-yards, including the 95-yard touchdown, 11 carries for 57-yards and one pass catch for 10-yards.
Berchal also had a big all-around game with the field goal block, nine tackles, an interception, a force fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass defended.
Seminole 41, Lake Wales 38
First Quarter
LW _ Rivera 22 FG.
SHS _ Tucker 40 pass from Clayton (Allen kick).
Second Quarter
SHS _ Voltaire 6 pass from Clayton (Allen kick).
SHS _ Tucker 18 pass from Clayton (Allen kick).
LW _ Levidiotis 22 run (Rivera kick).
SHS _ Allen 36 FG.
Third Quarter
LW _ Levidiotis 10 run (Rivera kick).
SHS _ Allen 35 FG.
LW _ Christian 85 kickoff return (Rivera kick).
SHS _ Robinson 95 kickoff return (Allen kick).
Fourth Quarter
LW _ Levidiotis 3 run (Rivera kick).
SHS _ Tucker 93 kickoff return (Allen kick).
LW _ Brantley 69 pass from Levidiotis (Rivera kick).
Dr. Phillips 26, Lake Mary 21
Lake Mary High School (2-2) suffered its second straight heart-wrenching loss, seeing a 21-20 lead turn into a 26-21 deficit in a matter of seconds late in the game and the Dr. Phillips (4-0) defense made the lead stand up with back-to-back interceptions in Orlando.
The host Panthers took an early lead, but the Rams answered with a pair of 6-yard touchdowns _ a run by Gavin Isaacs in the first quarter and a pass from Noah Grubbs (15-for-22, 138-yards, touchdown, 2 interceptions) to Chase Hinshaw in the second quarter _ and held a 14-13 halftime lead after blocking an extra-point try just before halftime.
Dr. Phillips regained the lead in the third quarter, but Lake Mary was able to answer on a 4-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Thomas (74-yards rushing, touchdown).
It looked like the Rams might be able to pull off the win, when they took possession with under 4-minutes to play, but after marching down to the 30, the Panthers defense stiffened and forced the guests to turn the ball over on downs with 3:45 left.
Dr. Phillips immediately regained the lead for good when quarterback Stanley Anderson-Lofton (16-for-22 passing for 232-yards, 2 touchdowns; 60-yards rushing, touchdown) found Mykel Calixte (2 touchdown receptions, interception) over the middle for a 70-yard scoring strike with 3:35 remaining.
Lake Mary had two more chances inside the final two minutes, but each drive ended in an interception.
Dr. Phillips 26, Lake Mary 21
First Quarter
DP _ Matthews 16 run (Montalvo-Salazar kick).
LM _ Isaacs 6 run (Bacardi kick).
Second Quarter
LM _ Hinshaw 6 pass from Grubbs (Bacardi kick).
DP _ Calixte 4 pass from Anderson-Lofton (kick blocked).
Third Quarter
DP _ Anderson-Lofton 48 run (Montalvo-Salazar kick).
Fourth Quarter
LM _ Thomas 4 run (Bacardi kick).
DP _ Calixte 70 pass from Anderson-Lofton (2-point fails).
Hagerty 49, Timber Creek 26
Hagerty High School went on the road and put on quite a show as quarterback Caden Mitchell was 16-for-22 passing for 170-yards and two touchdowns and also had 14-yards rushing; running backs Porter Williams (12-carries, 146-yards, two touchdowns; 1-reception, 10-yards) and Jalon Lewis (11-carries, 123-yards, touchdown; 3-receptions, 24-yards, touchdown) combined for 303-yards of total offense and three touchdowns; wide receiver Christian Lopez (3-receptions, 50-yards) caught a 33-yard touchdown; and the defense recorded a pair touchdowns on a 25-yard interception return by Kale Encarnacion and a 50-yard fumble recovery return by Kelton Fitzgerald.
Lake Howell 40, Harmony 18
Lake Howell High School recorded its first win of the season and in the process broke a 5-game losing streak with the big win over Harmony.
Quarterback Luke Barhorst was 9-for-13 passing for 111-yards and two touchdowns; Shamar Morris had a big all-around night, going 3-for-7 passing for 45-yards and an interception, carrying the ball seven rimes for 37-yards and two touchdowns and catching three passes for 36-yards and a touchdown; Decorie Johnson carried the ball eight times for 75-yards and a touchdown and caught two passes for 50-yards; and Javon Funnye had a 34-yard carry and also caught five passes for 77-yards and a touchdown.
Lake Brantley 13, Pine Ridge 6
Stephano Samper kicked a pair of field goals in the second quarter and Trenton Greenstreet ran for a fourth quarter touchdown to break a 6-6 tie as the Patriots picked up a big road victory in Deltona.
Freshman quarterback Ezekiel French was 7-for-10 passing for 93-yards and an interception and carried the ball 13 times for a game-high 56-yards and the defense held the Panthers to 127-yards of total offense.
Orangewood Christian 12, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic 7
Luke Askew (12-carries, 50-yards) and Jackson Hudspeth (4-carries, 40-yards) scored second half touchdowns as the Rams rallied for the victory.
Here are the Week 5/6 results and the Week 6/7 schedule:
WEEK 5/6
Thursday, September 19
Windermere Prep 18, Trinity Preparatory School 14.
Friday, September 20
Dr. Phillips High School 26, Lake Mary High School 21.
The Geneva School 28, Bradenton Christian High School 0.
Hagerty High School 49, Timber Creek High School 26.
Lake Brantley High School 13, Pine Ridge High School 6.
Lake Howell High School 40, Harmony High School 18.
Lyman High School was off.
The Master’s Academy was off.
Orangewood Christian School 12, Spring Hill-Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School 7.
Oviedo High School was off.
Seminole High School 41, Lake Wales High School 38.
St. Petersburg-Shorecrest Prep 52, Lake Mary Prep 14.
Winter Springs High School 14, Kissimmee-Gateway High School 7.
WEEK 6/7
Friday, September 27
(Games at 7 p.m., unless otherwise posted)
Edgewater High School vs. Lyman High School at Carlton D. Henley Sports Complex.
Evans High School vs. Lake Howell High School at Richard L. Evans Field.
The Geneva School at Winter Haven-All Saints’ Academy.
Winter Garden-Horizon High School vs. Winter Springs High School at A.W. Epps Sports Complex.
Lake Mary High School vs. Hagerty High School at Sam Momery Stadium.
Lake Mary Prep at Tavares-Liberty Christian Prep.
Orangewood Christian School vs. Trinity Preparatory School at Hubbard Field.
Jacksonville-Providence School vs. The Master’s Academy at Pennington Field, 7:30 p.m.
Seminole High School vs. Lake Brantley High School on Tom Storey Field at Darvin Boothe Stadium.
Wekiva High School vs. Oviedo High School at John Courier Field.
