Venice vs. Lake Mary: Live score; updates; Florida 7A high school football state championship

The Indians and Rams clash to kick off the final day of the 2024 FHSAA football state championships in Miami

Venice head coach John Peacock has his team in another Florida Class 7A state title game. / THOMAS BENDER/HERALD-TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Florida High School Athletic Association's (FHSAA) high school football state championship series has reached its final day as two more state titles are on the line.

Opening Saturday's action is the Class 7A championship game featuring the Venice Indians (13-1) squaring off with the Lake Mary Rams (12-2) at 12:30 p.m. from Pitbull Stadium.

---

FHSAA CLASS 7A FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BRACKET

---

High School On SI will be providing live updates all afternoon.

(Keep refreshing page for live updates from the game)

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	F
Venice	7	24	14	7	52
Lake Mary	0	6	7	6	19

VENICE VS. LAKE MARY - LIVE UPDATES

RECAP

MIAMI -- Venice used a 24-point explosion in the second quarter to run away from the Lake Mary Rams, 52-19, in the Class 7A state championship game on Saturday in Miami.

It is the fourth overall state championship for Venice (14-1), but first since 2021. The Indians finished as state runner-up the last two seasons,

After Lake Mary scored on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Noah Grubbs to Chase Hinshaw with 5 minutes, 26 seconds left in the second quarter to cut Venice's lead to 7-6, the Indians countered with 24 straight points to take a commanding 31-6 halftime lead and never looked back.

Jayce Nixon, a Northern Iowa signee, threw a TD pass; WInston Watkins Jr., an Oe Miss signee, returned a punt 60 yards for a TD; Brunno Reus, an FSU signee, kicked a 39-yard field goal; and Gata Wilder, a Louisville signee, scored the first of his three TD runs during the 24-point outburst.

Wilder finished with more than 170 yards rushing, and Watkins added two TD runs.

Lake Mary (12-3) was led by Grubbs, a Notre Dame commit who threw three TD passes, two to Hinshaw, Tyree Weatherspoon also caught a TD pass for the Rams. It was Lake Mary's first state title game appearance.

PREGAME

Kickoff is slated for 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Three-time state champ Venice is in its fourth consecutive state championship game, having won it all in 2021. The Indians finished as state runner-up to Lakeland the last two seasons.

Lake Mary, coached by former UF lineman Scott Perry, is making its first state title appearance,

LAKE MARY wins toss, defers to second half.

FIRST HALF

FIRST QUARTER

Lake Mary defense forces 4th down, Venice calls timeout on opening possession,

Venice RB Gata Wilder makes first down on 12-yard run, but fumble by Wilder later leads to punt as Lake Mary forces punt,

INTERCEPTION: Venice senior DB Kyni Brantley picks off tipped pass from Lake Mary QB Noah Grubbs.

Venice misses 39-yard field goal, no score,

Lake Mary backed up at its 19-yard line, forced to punt.

TOUCHDOWN: Gata Wilder crashes 11 yards up the middle! Venice leads Lake Mary, 7-0, with 2:10 left in 1Q.

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Venice 7, Lake Mary 0.

SECOND QUARTER

Lake Mary and Venice exchange punts,

LAKE MARY K Emilio Bacardi misses 43-yard FG with 8:53 left.

Venice forced to punt,

TOUCHDOWN! Lake Mary QB Noah Grubbs fires nice 4-yard TD pass to Chase Hinshaw but Rams miss PAT, trail Venice 7-6 with 5:26 left.

TOUCHDOWN! Venice QB Jayce Payne hits Malakai Corbett for 37-yard catch-and-run with 4:33 left. Indians lead Lake Mary 14-6,

LAKE MARY punts and Ole Miss signee Winston Watkins Jr returns it 60 yards for a TD for Venice. Indians now leads, 21-6, with 2:31 left in the first half.

Lake Mary punts again.

Venice K Brunno Reus makes 39-yard fied goal to give Indians a 24-6 lead with 1:22 left in the first half,

INTERCEPTION! Venice's Ben Zarkiewicz picks off pass from Noah Grubbs.

TOUCHDOWN: Gata Wilder scores on run up the middle! Venice leads Lake Mary, 31-6, at halftime,

SECOND HALF

THIRD QUARTER

LAKE MARY forced to punt.

VENICE QB Jayce Nixon intercepted by Nolan McClanahan!

TOUCHDOWN! LAKE MARY QB Noah Grubbs throws perfect 14-yard pass to Chase Hinshaw, The duo combines for the second time today! Venice leads 31-13 with 8:48 left in the 3Q,

TOUCHDOWN! Venice RB Gata Wilder scores on 7-yard run! Now has 174 yards rushing, 3 TDs, Indians stretch lead to 25 again, 38-13, with 6:28 left,

Lake Mary punts.

TOUCHDOWN! Ole Miss signee Winston Watkins Jr. scores on 8-yard TD run to give Venice a 45-13 lead over Lake Mary with 1:11 left in the 3Q,

LAKE MARY's Parker Perales takes shot in ribs on passing play, leaves game with 28 seconds left in the third quarter. Rams turn the ball over on downs.

END OF THIRD QUARTER: Venice 45, Lake Mary 13

FOURTH QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN! Winston Watkins Jr. scores on 21-yard TD run! Venice takes 52-13 lead over Lake Mary with 11 minutes left, forces running clock,

TOUCHDOWN! Lake Mary QB Noah Grubbs throws TD pass to Tyree Weatherspoon, two-point pass fails. Venice leads 52-19

FINAL SCORE: Venice 52, Lake Mary 19

---

Follow High School On SI throughout the 2024 high school football season for Live Updates, the most up to date Schedules & Scores and complete coverage from the preseason through the state championships!

Be sure to Bookmark High School on SI for all of the latest high school football news.

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone - as well as follow your favorite teams and top games - you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App| Download Android App