TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Dragons Hope To Put Squeeze On Lemon Bay

Brian Gjurgevich, Highlands Today

Lake Placid's Zach Campbell stands tall after getting his helmet knocked off against Celebration in a game earlier this season.

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARK PINSON Highlands Today

Published: November 14, 2008

LAKE PLACID - The Lake Placid football team hopes to finish the season on a positive note in tonight's game against Lemon Bay.

The Green Dragons have the home field advantage, but will have their hands full with the talented Manta Rays in tonight's contest at Roger Scarborough Memorial Field.

"Lemon Bay has played some bigger schools and they look pretty big and physical," said first-year Lake Placid coach Jason Holden. "Athletically, we match up pretty well with them and we're going to have to use our speed and quickness to offset their size and power advantage."

The Class 3A Manta Rays come in with a 3-6 record and utilize a Wing-T formation on offense.

"Lemon Bay likes to run the ball and uses the trap play a lot," Holden said. "That's been an issue with our defense all season and we spent all week in practice on staying in our gaps, following our keys and tackling.

"We've been running ourselves out of the play and we've got to recognize the trap is coming and get back underneath and make a play."

The Class 2A Green Dragons are 1-7 and coming off a 39-14 loss to St. Petersburg Catholic last week.

"We've gotten off to slow starts a lot this season and we can't afford to do that against Lemon Bay," the LP coach said. "Even the game we won, we didn't get off to a fast start.

"We need to come out fired up and ready to play from the opening kick."

Lemon Bay uses a 3-5 on defense and will apply pressure from different positions.

"Lemon Bay likes to walk their linebackers up to the line of scrimmage and you know when their bringing the blitz," said Holden. "We have to communicate well and our line has to know their blocking assignments.

"We don't want any confusion and this late in the season I think we've got a handle on it."

Lake Placid will look to run the ball with tailbacks Navarhi Holden and Caleb Jones, and quarterback Zach Campbell has looked better throwing the ball as the season has progressed.

Finishing the season on a positive note is important to Holden.

"This is the last game of the season and the last time our seniors will put on the uniform and it would be great to send them out with a win," the Green Dragon coach said. "With all the turmoil and adversity and coaching changes they've been through, it would mean a lot to everybody on the team for them to win their last game.

"A win would also give us some confidence and momentum heading into our offseason workouts because we're determined to become a stronger and better football team by the time next fall rolls around."

Green Dragons vs. Manta Rays

at Roger Scarborough Memorial Field

TONIGHT at 7:30

COST $5

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT