Lakeland dismantles Clearwater football to the delight of packed homecoming crowd

Five different Dreadnaughts combine to score six touchdowns

LAKELAND, Fla. – It wasn’t supposed to be that easy.

Lakeland – ranked No. 7 in the SBLive Florida Football Power 25 rankings – dismantled No. 21 Clearwater Academy International 44-6 in front of a packed homecoming house at historic Bryant Stadium on Friday.

“They were (circled) on my calendar from the first time I saw them on film,” Lakeland coach Bill Castle said. “You have to give our offensive line credit. I thought they did a tremendous job. They didn’t have an easy assignment because they were stunting and blitzing in a lot of different places. It is kind of like their style of defense.”

The Dreadnaughts (7-0) picked up six touchdowns from five different players in the onslaught. But even more impressive was the defense, which would have pitched a shutout if not for just one play.

Lakeland senior quarterback Zach Pleuss fires a pass over the middle to Tyler Williams (10) during a match-up of ranked teams on Friday at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland. The Dreadnoughts beat Clearwater Academy International 44-6 / Photo by Bill Kemp

“Offensively, we never try to feature one person,” Castle said. “But you got to be happy with our defense because (Clearwater Academy) has a really good offense. Our defense played lights out. They were averaging 40 points per game or something.”

Lakeland took a 3-0 lead at the 8:49 mark of the first quarter after a 31-yard field goal by sophomore Calum Maldoon. The Dreadnaughts pushed the lead to 9-0 by the end of the first quarter after getting a 49-yard touchdown run by junior running back Markel Johnson.

Clearwater Academy (7-1) answered with their only big moment of the night when junior quarterback Evans Chuba chucked a 74-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide out Makih Johnson to narrow the lead to 9-6 midway through the second quarter.

It was all Lakeland from there.

Before the second quarter ended, the Dreadnaughts held a 30-6 lead, getting a 2-yard quarterback sneak touchdown from senior Zach Pleuss, a 25-yard touchdown run by D'Marius Rucker and a 5-yard touchdown reception from Tyler Williams.

Lakeland running back D’Marius Rucker breaks for the open field against Clearwater Academy International on Friday at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland. He scored on a 25-yard run / Photo by Bill Kemp

“Monday through Thursday, even when practice is over, we have guys staying after,” Pleuss said. “All of our running backs, all of our tight ends and wide receivers, we work on chemistry. That is what it is all about.”

Pleuss picked up his second rushing touchdown with 28 seconds left in the third quarter on a 1-yard quarterback sneak.

“It’s great when you get down to the goal line, Coach Castle trusts me, and I have to get in the box,” Pleuss said.

Lakeland capped the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown catch by Jayren Dennis with 10:36 left in the game to invoke a running clock.

Lakeland will travel to arch-rival Kathleen for a 4S District 7 matchup Friday while Clearwater Academy hosts Roar Prep & Vocational Academy.

Clearwater Academy International quarterback Evans Chuba hands to ball off against No. 7 Lakeland on Friday at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland. Chuba tossed a 74-yard touchdown pass in the game / Photo by Bill Kemp