Lakeland vs. St. Thomas Aquinas: Florida Open Division Football Playoff Preview

Lakeland has the quarterback mobility and defensive momentum to make its Open Division opener interesting. Turning those strengths into a road victory will require the Dreadnaughts to control a game against a St. Thomas Aquinas team that has found several ways to win.

The fifth-seeded Dreadnaughts (9-1) visit the top-seeded Raiders (10-0) on Friday, Nov. 13, in the opening round of Florida’s inaugural Open Division pool play. Lakeland enters after shutting out The First Academy 35-0, while Aquinas closed its regular season with a 49-8 victory over West Broward.

Pool A Offers Little Room for a Slow Start

Friday’s winner will take an early step toward the semifinals, although neither team faces elimination in the opener. Each Open Division participant plays three pool games, with the top two teams from each four-team group advancing.

Chaminade-Madonna and Venice complete Pool A. For Lakeland, an opening victory would remove the group’s highest seed from its remaining schedule and provide an immediate advantage in the race to advance. Aquinas has an opportunity to establish control of the pool before facing its other two opponents.

Hendrix Gives Lakeland More Than One Way to Move the Ball

Hendrix has thrown 17 touchdown passes while completing 71 percent of his attempts. He also averages 54.1 rushing yards per game and has scored 10 rushing touchdowns, giving Lakeland a quarterback who can punish a defense for concentrating too heavily on its receivers.

Senior Xavion Mitchell leads the Dreadnaughts with 70.9 rushing yards per game and nine rushing touchdowns. Junior receiver Cam Fuse averages 59.6 receiving yards, while senior Joseph Howard Jr. has five touchdown catches.

That balance matters against Aquinas. Lakeland needs enough production on early downs to keep Hendrix’s running ability relevant throughout a possession. Repeated third-and-long situations would allow the Raiders to attack the pocket with less concern about the ground game.

Aquinas senior defensive lineman Wyatt Smith enters with 14 sacks. Lakeland’s protection must give Hendrix time to find Fuse and Howard without asking the quarterback to escape pressure on every important passing down.

Lakeland Must Make Aquinas Work for Its Possessions

The Dreadnaughts allowed 88 points across their 10 regular-season games. Their closing shutout provides encouragement, but Aquinas presents a different challenge with a rushing attack averaging 234.1 yards per game.

Senior backs Tyler Reid and Ryan Mathis each have seven rushing touchdowns. Junior Collin Francis has added six, giving the Raiders multiple options to sustain drives and finish possessions.

Lakeland’s first responsibility is limiting the gains that keep that rotation moving. If Aquinas consistently creates manageable second and third downs, the Dreadnaughts will have fewer opportunities to pressure the passing game.

Junior quarterback Blake Calixte has thrown 12 touchdown passes. Senior receivers Austin Coles and Julius Jones Jr. provide targets for an offense that can challenge Lakeland beyond the line of scrimmage when defenders commit to stopping the run.

The Dreadnaughts Need to Keep Their Full Offense Available

Lakeland’s upset bid becomes more difficult if an early deficit forces Hendrix into a pass-heavy approach. Protecting the football and avoiding stalled possessions would help preserve the combination of Mitchell’s rushing, Hendrix’s mobility, and opportunities downfield.

For Aquinas, forcing Lakeland to abandon that balance would put Smith and the rest of the defense in a stronger position. The contest could turn on whether the Dreadnaughts can keep moving the chains before the Raiders’ pressure begins dictating their decisions

Game Info

Matchup: No. 5 Lakeland (9-1) at No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (10-0)
Date: Friday, Nov. 13, 2026
Kickoff: 7 p.m. ET
Location: St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Fort Lauderdale

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