High School

5 things you should know ahead of Monday's Lake Mary-Sanford Seminole tilt

Before the two Central Florida powers face off, we give you five things you should know before entering the Monday night showdown

Andy Villamarzo

Seminole vs Cocoa Football Highlights 10-7-2022
Seminole vs Cocoa Football Highlights 10-7-2022 / SBLive Sports

Hurricane Milton forced a bevy of games to get shuffled around and one of them was the state's top matchup between Lake Mary and Sanford Seminole.

The two neighboring rivals are among the top programs in Sunshine State out of Central Florida and will meet in a rare Monday night game.

The Seminoles upended the Rams last season 29-28 and Lake Mary will be looking to exact some revenge this time around on the road. The argument could be had that the winner could be the early front-runner in Class 7A to make a run towards the state championship.

Before the two area powers clash in Sanford, High School On SI Florida gives you five things you should know before entering Thomas E. Whigham Stadium on Monday night:

1. Nothing better than Monday Night Football, right?

Though under the circumstances stemming from Hurricane Milton, playing a little Monday night football hasn't come with higher stakes than this Class 7A, District 3 showdown. The winner of this game will ultimately decide who wins the district and may have an easier path when it comes to attempting to reach the state championship game. Both programs know the importance of winning this game playing it on a Monday night magnifies that a little bit more. Don't worry if either team is getting any practice time as both have held practices in order to prepare for this one, so expect a epic contest between the Central Florida powerhouses.

2. Noah Grubbs vs. Michael Clayton

Lake Mary's Noah Grubbs has committed to Notre Dame ahead of what looks to be a big season for the 2026 quarterback

If you're not thinking that this isn't a quarterback-eccentric matchup, you might want to think again. Lake Mary's Noah Grubbs (Notre Dame commitment) going head-to-head with Sanford Seminole's Michael Clayton alone makes this a game onlookers are going to want to pack in Thomas E. Whigham Stadium on Monday night. Both signal callers have played well this season, but in a game like this, intensity will be at an all-time high and this tilt will ultimately come down to which quarterback plays better. If you like quarterbacks, you won't want to miss this one.

3. Which defense rises to the occasion?

Both defenses have been playing well, with Lake Mary allowing under 17 points per game and Seminole right around 18. When looking at which players have stood out this season on defense, for Seminole, look no further than middle linebacker Rasheem Turner Jr., who has tallied 50 tackles, nine for a loss and three sacks. Flipping over to the Lake Mary spectrum on defense is Rams' outside linebacker Luke Preito, who leads the team with 39 tackles, three for a loss and an interception. Expect these two defenses to be at the top of their game, but which one will make that one more play to come out on top will be answered Monday night.

4. Seminole's Khamani Robinson could be the X-Factor

A player we really like in this game and think will need to have a major role if the Seminoles are going to win is the elusive Robinson. The shifty running back has been the team's top rusher on the season, tallying 531 yards on just a mere 52 carries and has scored seven times. When looking at a player that could be in line to really breakout, it could be Robinson, who is averaging an impressive 10.2 yards per carry.

5. Bragging rights importance can't be underscored

Not many games have the importance that goes along with area bragging rights on the line as well. The two schools separated by a mere 6.5 miles and about 15 minutes driving distance have plenty of players that have played against one another over the years. Better believe that when the two teams hit the field, there will be no shortage of chirping going on back and forth all throughout the evening. Get your popcorn ready for this game in the 407.

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-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl

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Andy Villamarzo
ANDY VILLAMARZO

Andy Villamarzo has been a sports writer in the Tampa Bay (FL) Area since 2007, writing for publications such as Tampa Bay Times, The Tampa Tribune, The Suncoast News, Tampa Beacon, Hernando Sun to name a few. Andy resides out of the Tarpon Springs, FL area and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in the summer of 2022 covering the Tampa Bay Area. He has quickly become one of Florida's foremost authorities on high school sports, appearing frequently on podcasts, radio programs and digital broadcasts as an expert on team rankings, recruiting and much more.

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