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In a blink of an eye, high school football is back.
The Kickoff Classics take place this week, and three of the expected top teams in the county will jumpstart the action on Thursday. Lakeland again is headed out of county to play in a preseason event. Last year, the Dreadnaughts headed to Vero Beach and played Miami Northwestern.
This year, Lakeland is headed to Palm Beach Central High School to play West Broward as part of the Sports For Change Football Kickoff Classic. The game is at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, former district rivals will meet when Auburndale travels to Lake Wales. The game is set for 7:30 p.m.
There’s not a lot of game planning — if any — in these games as most coaches are concerned with running their system and take note of what’s working and what’s not working.
“We don't really know what they're going to do,” Lakeland coach Marvin Frazier said. “They don't really know what we're going to do. There's not a game plan that goes with it. You are running your stuff and you're trying to see if you are executing your stuff and do you have a physical team? Can you throw the ball a little bit?”
West Broward should give Lakeland a strong test as the game features last year’s Class 6A state runner-up (West Broward) against the Class 5A state runner-up (Lakeland). Both teams were shutout in the championship game as West Boca Raton defeated West Broward, 31-0.
Lakeland brings back experience on both offense and defense, but there are questions that need to be answered on game night. On offense, Lakeland’s fate likely will come down to the improvement of the offensive line, which has struggled against St. Thomas Aquinas the past two seasons in the state championship game.
Defensively, the big question coming out of last season was who was going to replace linebacker Malik Morris, Zephaniah Rogers and Ziggy Riley. A new question developed last week when defensive end/edge rusher Drew Sapp sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Frazier did not name a replacement for Sapp but noted that there is plenty of depth at the position.
“We've been using a ton of people there, and I really don't know who's got the edge at the moment, but it will be by committee,” he said.
Among the players include Kash Johnson, Vario McBride, Dante McCoy and AJ Davis.
When teams were reclassified in the spring, Auburndale moved up to Clas 5A, while former district rival Lake Wales stayed in 4A. The two schools have had some memorable games over the years.
While the two schools couldn’t find a regular-season date to play each other, they are playing in the preseason.
The game features two of the top quarterbacks in the county in Lake Wales’ Kingston Loydd and Auburndale’s Teo Edwards. Both had breakout seasons as freshmen, and both teams feature top skill position players around them, especially at wide receiver.
Auburndale coach Antonio Thomas knows the talent he has at the skill positions, and his biggest focus on offense will be elsewhere.
“My offensive line is definitely something that we want to see what we got up front,” he said. “Just kind of get an idea of how good this group is and how far they need to go. My defensive line is definitely a group that I'm interested in watching play as well. The line of scrimmage is really my biggest point of interest.”
Auburndale graduated four of five starters on the offensive line, so the development of the new starters will be important. Junior James Stubbs (6-4, 290) has shown a lot of potential.
While Auburndale lost players on the defensive line, Thomas has like what he has seen in fall practice. Sophomore Andy Westry has been a bright spot in preseason practice as well as Michale Gaskins.
Auburndale won’t have junior running back Anthony Howard Jr. as he has yet to be cleared as he rehabs from a knee injury, but Thomas expects Howard to be cleared when he sees his doctor next week.
“His dad been sending me videos of him lifting weights and doing different things,” Thomas said. ‘He looks like he's ready to go right now, but obviously you have to wait until they clear him.”
While the Bloodhounds wait for Howard, Jonas Metelus and AJ Holloway will share carries in the backfield.
Lake Wales will give Auburndale’s refurbished defense all it can handle as around Loydd, the Highlanders boast arguably the best wide receiver in the county in Kaneilius Purdy and the best running back in Kamari Smith.
Here is this week’s games.
Lakeland vs. West Broward at Palm Beach Central, 7 p.m. (KC)
Auburndale at Lake Wales, 7:30 p.m. (KC)
Santa Fe Catholic at Chiefland, 6 p.m.
All Saints at Orangewood Christian, 7 p.m.
Ridge Community at Victory Christian, 7 p.m.
Bartow at Wiregrass Ranch, 7:30 p.m.
Davenport at Lakeland Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Discovery at Central Florida Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Fort Meade and Winter Haven at Mulberry, 7:30 p.m.
Braden River at George Jenkins, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Region at Haines City, 7:30 p.m.
The First Academy at Kathleen, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Gibson at Palmetto, 7:30 p.m.
Ida Baker at McLaughlin, 7:30 p.m.
Tenoroc at Oak Ridge, 7:30 p.m.
Frostproof at Clewiston, 7:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland, Lake Wales, Auburndale get head start on Kickoff Classics
Continue reading...
The Kickoff Classics take place this week, and three of the expected top teams in the county will jumpstart the action on Thursday. Lakeland again is headed out of county to play in a preseason event. Last year, the Dreadnaughts headed to Vero Beach and played Miami Northwestern.
This year, Lakeland is headed to Palm Beach Central High School to play West Broward as part of the Sports For Change Football Kickoff Classic. The game is at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, former district rivals will meet when Auburndale travels to Lake Wales. The game is set for 7:30 p.m.
There’s not a lot of game planning — if any — in these games as most coaches are concerned with running their system and take note of what’s working and what’s not working.
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“We don't really know what they're going to do,” Lakeland coach Marvin Frazier said. “They don't really know what we're going to do. There's not a game plan that goes with it. You are running your stuff and you're trying to see if you are executing your stuff and do you have a physical team? Can you throw the ball a little bit?”
West Broward should give Lakeland a strong test as the game features last year’s Class 6A state runner-up (West Broward) against the Class 5A state runner-up (Lakeland). Both teams were shutout in the championship game as West Boca Raton defeated West Broward, 31-0.
Lakeland brings back experience on both offense and defense, but there are questions that need to be answered on game night. On offense, Lakeland’s fate likely will come down to the improvement of the offensive line, which has struggled against St. Thomas Aquinas the past two seasons in the state championship game.
Defensively, the big question coming out of last season was who was going to replace linebacker Malik Morris, Zephaniah Rogers and Ziggy Riley. A new question developed last week when defensive end/edge rusher Drew Sapp sustained a season-ending knee injury.
Frazier did not name a replacement for Sapp but noted that there is plenty of depth at the position.
“We've been using a ton of people there, and I really don't know who's got the edge at the moment, but it will be by committee,” he said.
Among the players include Kash Johnson, Vario McBride, Dante McCoy and AJ Davis.
Former district foes Lake Wales, Auburndale meet
When teams were reclassified in the spring, Auburndale moved up to Clas 5A, while former district rival Lake Wales stayed in 4A. The two schools have had some memorable games over the years.
While the two schools couldn’t find a regular-season date to play each other, they are playing in the preseason.
The game features two of the top quarterbacks in the county in Lake Wales’ Kingston Loydd and Auburndale’s Teo Edwards. Both had breakout seasons as freshmen, and both teams feature top skill position players around them, especially at wide receiver.
Auburndale coach Antonio Thomas knows the talent he has at the skill positions, and his biggest focus on offense will be elsewhere.
“My offensive line is definitely something that we want to see what we got up front,” he said. “Just kind of get an idea of how good this group is and how far they need to go. My defensive line is definitely a group that I'm interested in watching play as well. The line of scrimmage is really my biggest point of interest.”
Auburndale graduated four of five starters on the offensive line, so the development of the new starters will be important. Junior James Stubbs (6-4, 290) has shown a lot of potential.
While Auburndale lost players on the defensive line, Thomas has like what he has seen in fall practice. Sophomore Andy Westry has been a bright spot in preseason practice as well as Michale Gaskins.
Auburndale won’t have junior running back Anthony Howard Jr. as he has yet to be cleared as he rehabs from a knee injury, but Thomas expects Howard to be cleared when he sees his doctor next week.
“His dad been sending me videos of him lifting weights and doing different things,” Thomas said. ‘He looks like he's ready to go right now, but obviously you have to wait until they clear him.”
While the Bloodhounds wait for Howard, Jonas Metelus and AJ Holloway will share carries in the backfield.
Lake Wales will give Auburndale’s refurbished defense all it can handle as around Loydd, the Highlanders boast arguably the best wide receiver in the county in Kaneilius Purdy and the best running back in Kamari Smith.
Here is this week’s games.
Thursday's games
Lakeland vs. West Broward at Palm Beach Central, 7 p.m. (KC)
Auburndale at Lake Wales, 7:30 p.m. (KC)
Friday's games
Santa Fe Catholic at Chiefland, 6 p.m.
All Saints at Orangewood Christian, 7 p.m.
Ridge Community at Victory Christian, 7 p.m.
Bartow at Wiregrass Ranch, 7:30 p.m.
Davenport at Lakeland Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Discovery at Central Florida Christian, 7:30 p.m.
Fort Meade and Winter Haven at Mulberry, 7:30 p.m.
Braden River at George Jenkins, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Region at Haines City, 7:30 p.m.
The First Academy at Kathleen, 7:30 p.m.
Lake Gibson at Palmetto, 7:30 p.m.
Ida Baker at McLaughlin, 7:30 p.m.
Tenoroc at Oak Ridge, 7:30 p.m.
Frostproof at Clewiston, 7:30 p.m.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland, Lake Wales, Auburndale get head start on Kickoff Classics
Continue reading...
