LAKELAND — When Lakeland played Orlando Edgewater last week, it faced a team that was equally balanced between running and passing. When the game was played, the Eagles barely ran the ball, opting to pass mostly with limited rushing attacks.
Lakeland will play another high-powered passing attack this week when it hosts Ponte Vedra at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at Bryant Stadium in the Class 5A state semifinal. The Dreadnaughts (11-2) are looking to return to the state championship game for the fourth consecutive year, including three straight years under Marvin Frazier. The winner will face the St. Thomas Acquinas-Riverdale winner.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementUnlike last week, the Dreadnaughts likely will have to contend with a dangerous rushing attack. Quarterback Cole Rosendahls 3,137 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes are the biggest offensive threats that Lakeland’s defense has to be concerned about stopping, running back Alex Winkles has rushed for 1,093 yards and 12 touchdowns.
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Lakeland's Malik Morris (0) chases down Sebring's Laquest Brown (4) during their game at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland, Fl on Friday October 10, 2025. Lakeland defeated Sebring 34-7.“They pass a little, more than they run, but it's like 60-40,” Frazier said. “Because of our run defense, are they going to be even more pass heavy? You never know. Hopefully, they watched last week and they saw our DBs are pretty good. Everybody can see that our defense is pretty stout in every area, and uh that, that has to come from playing a hard schedule. When you play at De La Salle and you play a Lake Mary, you play a First Academy, even Miami Northwestern, whatever blemishes you do have, you know that by now, and we, we've been able to shore that all up and get a little better as the season's going on.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA big strength of Ponte Vedra’s passing game is that the Sharks spread the ball around. Four receivers have between 41 and 53 receptions — Winkles (53), Davitt Doherty (52), Jack Berquist (48) and Tucker Henderson. Angelo Kekelik has 29 catches.
Penalties hurting Lakeland's offense
Frazier’s bigger concern is getting the offense back on track, which means eliminating, or at least reducing, penalties that consistently put the offense in bad situations.
“We have got to find some magic pill to not get penalties,” Frazier said. “We're playing behind the sticks on offense every freaking snap it seems. I'm about to call the Space Jam people or something. We got, we got to figure a way to not get penalties. If we can play a clean football game, we might be a decent offense.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt practice to start the week, Frazier focused heavily on technique and fundamentals rather than running plays in hopes of reducing penalties.
Frazier also noted that the Sharks have won the turnover battle so taking care of the ball also is a big priority.
“They're well-disciplined, they don't beat themselves,” Frazier said. “They forced a lot of turnovers. It’s going to be a game where we're going to have to play our most disciplined football, and hopefully we got a chance at the end.”
From the third game of the season through the first round of the playoffs (nine games), Lakeland had scored 28 or more points in every game, including 40 more five times. However, the offense has scored just three of the six touchdowns the Dreadnaughts have scored in the past two games. Special teams scored two touchdowns and the defense scored once.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWho will win?
It’s hard to pick against Lakeland. Ponte Vedra is averaging just 3.3 points per game more than Lakeland (35.9-32.6) despite averaging more than 80 yard more per game on offense and plauing an easier schedule. Defensively, despite playing a harder schedule, Lakeland is allowing four points per game less than Ponte Vedra.
If Lakeland can eliminate the penalties, the offense should be able to get back on track. However, don’t sleep on the Sharks. With their passing game, Lakeland can stop Ponte Vedra most of the time but all it takes is a couple of big plays and it’s a different game. Lakeland, 31-17.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Here's a look at the Lakeland-Ponte Vedra Class 5A state semifinals
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