Defending state champion Lakeland ends Bartow's undefeated season with 30-2 win

Lakeland defense extends shutout streak to seven straight quarters while recording fourth straight win

LAKELAND, FLORIDA – Make it four straight wins for the Dreadnaughts.

Class 4S defending state champion Lakeland ended Bartow’s undefeated season with a 30-2 win on Thursday at Bryant Stadium during a huge showdown in Florida high school football. Bartow had won its first six games of the year under new head coach Tyler Eden. 

Lakeland running back Rick Penick takes off down the field against Bartow on Friday at Bryant Stadium. He would also score on a 5-yard touchdown reception later in the game / Bill Kemp

Not only was it Lakeland’s fourth consecutive win, but it was nearly the Dreadnaughts fourth shutout of the season, which was spoiled after Bartow picked up a safety in the first quarter to take a 2-0 lead.

“We have a great defense,” Lakeland head coach Marvin Fraizer said. “A lot of people were probably misled when a team like St. Joseph (from Philadelphia) came in here and scored so many points along with Miami Norland. Those two teams were Top 25 nationally. So, when we play anyone else, our defense is lights out.”

Lakeland’s defense has now posted seven consecutive quarters of shutout football, having beaten rival Lake Gibson last week 21-0 in a lightning-shortened game after three quarters.

Lakeland junior free safety Keon Young highlighted the defensive effort, recording an 83-yard pick-6 with just 49 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Dreadnaughts a 21-2 lead.

“Keon is going to be rated as one of the best safeties in the country for his class, and there is a reason for it,” Fraizer said. “He has a nose for the ball. He is tenacious.”

Young would add to his night in the fourth quarter with a fumble recovery which pretty much sealed the victory.

“We are fitting to win every game now for the rest of the season,” Young said. “We just needed to get our respect because we played a couple of the top teams in the country, and we lost. There is going to be no more scoring on us.”

Lakeland (5-2) took a 7-2 lead in the second quarter after Malik Morris scored on an 8-yard run with 11:52 left. The Dreadnaughts expanded the lead to 14-2 with 5:04 left in the second when Zander Smith connected with Carlos Mitchell on a 7-yard touchdown pass.

Smith fired a second touchdown pass in the third quarter – a 5-yarder to Rick Penick -- to give Lakeland a commanding 28-2 lead with 4:20 left in the third. The Dreadnaughts recorded their own safety in the fourth quarter when a Bartow snap sailed out of the end zone with 10:00 left in the game.

“Thanks God our defense hasn’t had an injury bug because our offense has had the bug,” Fraizer said.

Lakeland hosts George Jenkins (4-0) in District 7 showdown Oct . 13 while Bartow (6-1) heads to Haines City for a District 8 clash.