Football ends regular season with dominant 49-0 win over Lyman
Under the lights on Halloween, football capped off its regular season in chilly weather during athletics’ celebration for senior night and homecoming. They left the field with a statement victory over Lyman, pushing the Huskies to 6-4 while securing their playoff berth for the first time in two years.
“It was a great win,” quarterback Royce Jenkins said. “It was a great way to end the [regular] season, and it really showed how much we’ve grown as a team.”
From the start, the offense took control of the game. Jenkins connected with multiple receivers for touchdowns, completing all nine of his passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Jackson Long led the team in rushing yards with 45, powering through Lyman’s defensive front. Meanwhile, starting running back Leonardo Gutierrez, who has played all sides of the ball so far this season, rushed five times for five yards, his lowest mark all season.
Despite this, Gutierrez’s work on special teams and defense showcased the all around versatility that has defined his season so far, as he ended the regular season with 847 rushing yards, 195 receiving yards and 10 total touchdowns.
Coach Mikles credits his players for putting together one of the most complete performances of the season.
“It was a great overall performance — from special teams to offense to defense,” Mikles said. “They’ve improved with consistency and execution, and it showed tonight.”
Defensively, the Huskies were even more dominant, with Ryan Davis anchoring a defense that held Lyman scoreless. Junior Aurelio Gutierrez had a standout performance having two tackles for loss with an interception, and led the game with six total tackles to help keep the Greyhounds out of the endzone. Junior defensive end Jonathan Lewis led the team with three tackles for loss.
“It was exciting to see everybody get in the game and be successful,” Davis said. “We’ve been consistent all season, and it feels good to finish strong.”
Eyes on Lake Mary
The win on Halloween sealed the spot in the playoffs after a season full of growth and resilience, with key wins over other Central Florida teams Lake Howell (40-21), Lake Tohopekaliga (49-20), Timber Creek (40-7), Lake Brantley (24-7) and Mount Dora (37-21), while fighting hard in close losses to Boone, Oviedo, and Seminole.
“This was a big confidence boost,” corner Jonathan Gandy said, “We wanted to show Central Florida that we’re not a fraudulent team. Wins like this prove that, but we know the job’s not done.”
On Friday the team will travel to Lake Mary in the opening round of the class 7A playoffs, joining Seminole and Lake Mary as the only Seminole County teams to make it to the 7A bracket. The team had previously lost to Lake Mary 55-17 earlier in the season, however the team is confident that this time will be different.
“Getting a big win like this gives us that feeling going into the playoffs,” Jenkins said. “We just have to stay focused and play together.”
Mikles shares that mindset, prioritizing preparation and playing confident.
“We’ve got the playoffs coming up, and whoever we face will be a really good team,” Mikles said. “We just have to stay focused and play our best football.”
Looking back onto the season
The season produced standout performances throughout the roster. Junior quarterback Royce Jenkins tossed a school record of 20 touchdowns during the season, surpassing the 17 that quarterback Caden Mitchell accomplished last year. The junior also added 1,720 yards through the air and 572 yards on the ground, while being one of the main contributors to the team’s success.
The receiving core, highlighted by first year transfers Mikeye McBurse and Tre Weatherington III, helped round out one of the most dynamic and explosive offenses in Seminole County. McBurse led the team in receiving yards with 549 and six touchdowns, while Weatherington added 479 yards and six touchdowns of his own.
“We went into practice focused, and we all played together,” Jenkins said. “Everything just came together at the right time.”
On the defense, the team held opponents to 175 points all season, only letting up 17.5 points per game to opposing offenses, with two shutouts against Lyman and Timber Creek. Leading the pack with 88 tackles, Ryan Davis cemented himself as one of the team’s most dominant seniors, Juniors Avery Zapitz and Jonathan Lewis led the team with tackles for loss, having 11 and nine respectively.
The team enters the post-season confident and motivated to keep the season alive.
After missing the playoffs last year, the team’s return to the post-season action marks a big step forward.
“Like I told the guys,” Mikles said, “Half the state has already turned in their pads. For our seniors, this is another chance, and we hope it’s not their last game.”
