Live score updates: Lakeland vs. Miami Central

Two Florida powerhouses collide in a season-opening clash between the Dreadnaughts and Rockets in South Florida

Lakeland (0) Malik Morris signals a Lakeland touchdown in a 2023 contest against Bartow. / Ernst Peters/The Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Two proud Florida high school football programs are set to meet in their respective season-openers, Friday night in South Florida, as Lakeland, the No. 9 team in the SBLive Florida Top 25 High School Football Rankings, ventures south to tangle with nationally ranked Miami Central (No. 4 in Florida and No. 20 in the SBLive/Si national rankings).

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Miami Central, now in Class 3A, looks to return to state championship glory and the Rockets will be led by quarterback Bekkam Kritza, a Penn State commit. Lakeland may have the best high school football program in Florida, outside of South Florida. The Dreadnaughts are led by junior linebacker Malik Morris. Expect Kritza and Morris to get well acquainted in this one.

Stay with SBLive for live updates, big play highlights and analysis throughout the Lakeland vs. Miami Central game.

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	1	2	3	4	T
Lakeland	3	6	0	7	16
Miami Central	0	6	0	2	8

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LIVE UPDATES: LAKELAND VS. MIAMI CENTRAL

PREGAME

- Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 pm ET

1st Quarter

Central kicks off to two-time defending state championsh Lakeland.

Lakeland is down inside the Central 20-yard line with 8:41 remaining in the first quarter.

FIELD GOAL: Lakeland has a fourth-and-10 from the 11-yard line. Dreadnaughts go up 3-0 on a 27-yard field goal by No. 31 Calum Muldoon.

Central gets its first possession and fouling a penalty will start at its own 11-yard line.

Lakeland forces Central to punt on fourth-and-15 from its own 12-yard line and there is a flag on the return. Waterbreak time.

After a huge run up the middle by Jadarius Dobie, Lakeland is in Central territory at the 49-yard line with 3:11 left in the first quarter.

Lakeland punts leading 3-0 with 25 seconds left in the first quarter. Central will start from its own 25.

END OF THE FIRST QUARTER. Lakeland leads 3-0.

Second Quater

TOUCHDOWN: Central goes up 6-3 after a huge 56-yard touchdown pass from Bekkem Kritza to Nae'Shauun Montgomery. Point-after kick failed.

Lakeland is forced to punt but Central coughs up the ball after a vicous hit. Lakeland recovers the fumble get a first-and-10 after a quick timeout.

Lakeland is threating at the Central 7-yard line with 7 minutes left in the second quater.

FIELD GOAL: Lakeland knots the game 6-6 with a 26-yard field goal by
Calum Muldoon with 5:25 left in the first half.

Lakeland is down to the Central 12-yard line with 2:00 left in the first half.

It's a very physical game wtih four personal fouls in the first half.

Lakeland goes up 9-6 with 12 seconds left in the first half on a 25-yard field goal by Calum Muldoon.

Central calls a timeout with 3 seconds left in the half.

That's the end of the first half with Lakeland leading 9-6.

HALFTIME

Third Quarter

The third quarter is underway with the Central getting the ball at their own 20.

Central picks up a parir of first downs and is out to their own 41 with 9:57 remaining.

LIGHTNING DELAY: Play is suspended with 8:47 left in the third quarter. Central was driving down to the 44 when play was suspended. Lakeland still leads 9-6.

Lakeland has scored its nine points on three first-half field goals by
Calum Muldoon. The field goals were kicked from 25, 26 and 27 yards out.

PLAY RESUMES: Lakeland and Central retake the field after the lightning delay has concluded.

Central begins play at the Lakeland 43, trailing 9-6 with 8:24 left in the third.

Central calls a timeout on a fourth-and-1 from the 34-yard line with 6:25 remaining in the third quarter.

Lakeland's defense holds and the Dreadnaughts will take over on downs at the 35.

Lakeland is foreced to punt and Central takes over on their own 35-yard line with 4:55 left in the third quarter.

Central fumbled and then recovered on a wild hot-potato exchange. Lakeland almost recovered the fumble. There was also a facemask flag on the play.

Kritza hooks up with Montgomery on a big first down pass but there was a flag on the play against Central. The penalty backed Central up to its own 48.

Lakeland's defense holds. Central is forced to punt and Lakeland blocks the punt. The Dreadnaughts will take over at the Central 38. with 21 seconds left.

End of the third quarter. Lakeland still leads Central 9-6.

Fourth quarter

Lakeland sets up at the Central 34 and Zander Smith hits Shannard Clower with a huge pass down to the 4-yard. Spetacular catch.

TOUCHDOWN: Lakeland scored on 2-yard run by Malik Morris. The Dreadnaughts are called for an unsportsmanlike conduct in the end zone but Calum Muldoon boots the PAT and Lakeland leads 16-6 with 10:15 left in the game.

Central starts at its own 23-yard line trailing 16-6.

Central punts and Lakeland will take over at their own 35 leading 16-6 with 8:58 left.

Personal foul on Lakeland. The Dreadnaughts are forced to punt and Central downs it and will begin their own drive at the 30 with 7:12 left in the game.

Central quarterback Bekkem Kritza hits Nae'Shaun Montgomery with a 25-yard pass to the Lakeland 20-yard line.

Central picks up a safety and narrows the Lakeland lead to 16-8 with 3:10 remaining in the game.

Central crosses midfield and is now down to the Lakeland 48 with 2:45 left in the game.

Bekkem Kritza hits Nae'Shaun Montgomery with a pass down to the 36. with 2:13 left. Might be an interesting finish.


Facing a third-and-short, the Lakeland defense holds on the 26-yard line and Central calls timeout.

Bekkem Kritz's pass is batted down at the line of scrimmage and Lakeland takes over on downs at their own 26 leading 16-8 with 1:27 left in the game.

Lakeland goes into victory formation, takes a knee and runs the clock out to win 16-8.

Final 16-8.