2012 SPRING GAME

BRAVES POWER PAST OSCEOLA IN 37-20 TRIUMPH

LAKELAND | The Lake Gibson Braves have always been known for their running threat. When that doesn't work, the Braves now won't hesitate to put the ball into the hands of rising junior Trey Congdon.

Congdon completed 17 of 26 passes for 261 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Braves to a 37-20 victory over Kissimmee Osceola at Virgil Ramage Stadium.

He threw touchdown passes of 10, 40, 8 and 74 yards on Thursday, hooking up with Jordan Smith for the first two scores and Eric Carter for the latter.

Lake Gibson churned out 391 yards of total offense against Osceola.

Tyler Brown led Lake Gibson's running attack with 75 yards on six carrieswith one score in the first quarter before an ankle injury ended his night.

Lake Gibson got on the board first with a 20-yard field goal by Logan Johnson.

Following a fumble caused by defensive tackle Kennard Swanson, the Braves offense capitalized with a 6-yard touchdown run by Brown to take a 10-0 lead.

Osceola answered with a 13-yard touchdown pass from DaeQuan Harrison to Davantae Small, then took the lead on a 50-yard punt return by Dwight Fagan.

But the Braves responded with a 10-play, 66-yard drive, ending on a 10-yard touchdown reception by Smith in the back of the end zone on fourth down.

On the Braves' next possession, Congdon hit Smith in stride on third down for a 40-yard touchdown to make it 23-14 at the half.

The Braves scored again on their initial possession of the second half when Carter made a spectacular one-handed catch in the back of the endzone. The next time Lake Gibson touched the ball, Congdon found Carter deep down the sideline and he outran the Kowboys secondary for a 74-yard score.

Following the game, Carter received scholarship offers from Minnesota, Iowa State and Marshall.

-THE LEDGER

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SIGNING DAY

FOUR BRAVES MAKE CHOICES

Four Braves from the Class of 2012made their college choices official on Wednesday, and one has already enrolled in a university. All-State defensive end Trent Taylor already signed and enrolled at the University of Tennessee. The Lakeland Ledger Defensive Player of the Year graduated last month. His defensive line mate, Devante Terrell, signed with Western Kentucky while offensive linemen Chris Sadler and Glen Nichols both signed with Division II Florida Tech. Florida Tech is located in Melbourne and will begin playing football in August 2013. Kicker Cody Seeley put pen to paper for Stetson University.

Linemen DeMarcus Martindale and Augie Schmidt are expected to make their decisions in the next few weeks. Linebacker Alex Potter is also expected to sign in the near future.

TERRELL COMMITS TO W. KENTUCKY

This weekend, Lake Gibson (Fla.) three-star defensive tackle Devante Terrell visited Western Kentucky. After the visit, Terrell decided he didn't need to take anymore visits.

Terrell called InsideHilltopperSports.com this afternoon to say he'd committed to the Toppers.

"I just felt like I was at home," he said. "I really liked the campus, the coaches and everything they showed me. They had nice facilities and the campus was really nice too."

Last week, Terrell had a top three of WKU, Missouri and South Florida. But he said his relationship with the Toppers' coaching staff, namely assistant coach RaymondWoodieand coach Willie Taggart, made his choice easy.

"They all have a good sense of humor," Terrell said. "They'll make you laugh all day long. They're cool and they'll just keep it real with you."

Terrell and the other recruits also took in WKU's men's basketball win over Arkansas-Little Rock. Sophomore fullback Kadeem Jones was Terrell's host.

"It was real fun and they showed me a lot," Terrell said. "They pretty much went over the defense they played, told me where all the hot spots are up there and everything."

A swift-moving defensive tackle, Terrell said he feels like he'll be a good fit, after speaking with WKU's coaches.

"We had a meeting and the coaches pretty much broke down the whole defense," he said. "Then, they showed us the type of alignments they play and everything. That's the same thing I really did at Lake Gibson, so I should fit real good."

Terrell said last week he planned on visiting Missouri and South Florida this week. But that's changed now.

"I'm probably done," he said. "I think I'm good."

- InsideHilltopperSports.com

TAYLOR ENROLLS AT TENNESSEE

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson lineman Trent Taylor was picked as a First-Team member of The Associated Press' Class 6A All-State team.

He wasn't in town to hear about it though, because he was already on his way to Tennessee to start classes as a college freshman.

He starts school on Tuesday.

Taylor, also PolkPreps.com's 2011-12 Large School Defensive Player of the Year, left for Tennessee on Saturday.

He finished his final class on Friday, an online Spanish class and scored two points higher on his ACT recently to be able to enroll early.

"He's the first one. He's the guinea pig," Lake Gibson defensive line coach Robert Whitaker said

"It's a great advantage for him because he can get in there and learn what college life is about before football starts and not be overwhelmed."

Taylor wasn't the lone All-State selection in 6A from Polk County.

- THE LEDGER

TAYLOR NAMED LEDGER PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Its common for players at small schools to play on both sides of the ball because of depth issues.

But at big schools?

When Lake Gibson suffered key injuries on the offensive line, the team called on Trent Taylors athletic ability.

Taylor proved he could handle those duties. And despite only getting a rest during special-teams plays, he remained dominant on defense. He was the teams third leading tackler with 66 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and 14 sacks.

Taylor is the 2011-12 PolkPreps.com large school defensive player of the year.

The 6-3, 255-pound senior finished his career with more than 45 sacks and 74 tackles for a loss.

Lake Gibson defensive line coach Robert Whitaker, who has coached Taylor since his freshman season, said it will be tough to replace Taylor.

His leadership ability and his knowledge of the game will be missed, Whitaker said.

Lake Gibson head coach Keith DeMyer said if Taylor hadnt been able to succeed as a two-way player we wouldnt have been able to win as many games as we did.

In all my years (33) of coaching in the county at this level, I have never had a kid do that and play at the level he did on both sides of the ball, DeMyer said.

Auburndale head coach Kenneth Grantham felt Taylor was the most dominant player he saw all season.

We couldnt run away from him or at him, Grantham said. He was everywhere, blowing up every play.

Taylor has committed to the University of Tennessee and hopes to enroll in January to get familiar with campus life and participate in spring ball.

- THE LEDGER

PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1

BRAVES TORPID 2nd HALF ENDS SEASON AT 8-3

DAYTONA BEACH | Third-ranked Mainland is in the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs for the first time in two years.

After being knocked out 29-28 at Orange Park a year ago, the Buccaneers scored 18 second-half points to come away with a 31-14 victory over Lakeland Lake Gibson Friday night at Municipal Stadium.

"I was impressed with a lot of things,'' Mainland coach Scott Wilson said. "I'm happy overall. This is a playoff-caliber team that is well coached. I was impressed with our guys. I just wish we would've finished a little better in the first half.''

The first half ended with a fourth down conversion into the endzone, breaking a 7-7 tie and sending the Buccaneers into the locker room with a 13-7 lead.

In the second half, Lake Gibson struggled with special teams and Mainland took advantage. The Braves had a punt blocked, a punt that shanked off the punter's foot, and had muff on a punt return, which Mainland recovered. Each of those events set up the Buccaneers inside the Braves 40-yard line. To make matters worse, after Mainland's final score, the Braves were assessed a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Buccaneers chose to onside kick from the Braves 30-yard line.

"We just made too many mistakes. The team with the most mistakes loses,'' Lake Gibson quarterback Trey Congdon said. "We just couldn't finish.''

Mainland (10-1) won its 10th straight game, setting up a showdown next week at No. 7 Winter Haven (11-0), a 37-15 winner over Seabreeze (7-4).

The Buccaneers weren't flashy but they moved the ball well enough (305 yards) and kept the Braves (8-3) guessing.

Defensively, the Buccaneers uncharacteristically gave up a pair of scoring drives and didn't force a turnover but also only limited the visitors to just 180 yards on the evening.

Defensive lineman Kennard Swanson had twotouchdown runs for Lake Gibson.

Mainland also got a solid night offensively out of quarterback Shelton Willis, who completed 7 of 14 passes for 119 yards and threw for touchdowns of 24 and 19 yards.

-DAYTONA BEACH JOURNAL and LAKEGIBSONFOOTBALL.COM

BRAVES CRUISE TO PLAYOFFS AFTER 8-2 YEAR

EAGLE LAKE | Lake Gibson got a field goal and a defensive touchdown in the final 20 seconds of the first half Friday night, taking a commanding lead that held up for a 31-16 victory over Lake Region.
What shaped up as a passing duel between two of the countys top three quarterbacks did not materialize as a shootout, partly because the Thunder couldnt protect LT Thompson from the Lake Gibson pass rush. The Braves sacked Thompson five times and forced an interception and a fumble in the final minute of the first half, both of which led to scores.
Defensive lineman Devante Terrell lumbered 21 yards with a fumble recovery on the final play of the half, leaving Lake Gibson with a 31-7 halftime lead in its regular-season finale. The playoff-bound Braves (8-2) will play on the road in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 18.
Sophomore quarterback Trey Congdon completed 14-of-23 passes for 184 yards for the Braves, throwing only five passes in the second half after Lake Gibson had built up the big lead. Thompson, under heavy pressure all night, completed 12-of-21 passes for 168 yards, half of them on a perfectly executed 83-yard touchdown to Andre Palmer that gave the Thunder their only lead of the game at 7-6.
Lake Gibson answered quickly with the help of Congdons 48-yard completion to Eric Carter. Tyler Brown had a pair of rushing touchdowns for the Braves.
Lake Region (5-4) can finish with a winning season with a victory next week at Winter Haven.

-THE LEDGER

BRAVES FINISH RIVAL 23-22 TO ADVANCE

LAKELAND | With the game on the line, Lake Gibson's defensive line came up big.
And the Braves did it without one of their studs.
Devante Terrell sacked A'Treyu Farrior on fourth and seven with less than 30 seconds left, and Trent Taylor pinned Kathleen deep on a sack of his own five plays earlier to help the Braves beat Kathleen, 23-22, on a gloomy and damp evening at Johnny Johnson Stadium.
Cody Seeley hit a 35-yard field goal at the 7:40 mark to put Lake Gibson ahead for good.
"We ain't going home," said a beaming Taylor as he bear-hugged coach Keith DeMyer.
"We sure ain't going home."
Not now.
The win puts the Braves in the playoffs in Class 6A, District 10 with Winter Haven, which clinched the top seed.
Now Lake Gibson has to worry about getting healthy. Kennard Swanson, who leads the team in sacks with 10, only played for two snaps Friday night. He injured his ankle last week against Bartow and wasn't able to go full speed against Kathleen. But the Braves (7-2) made it work without him, particularly late.
"Defensively they made some big plays when they had to make them," DeMyer said. "They weren't doing them all night long but they are sure a resilient bunch."
Both teams opened the contest with huge plays.
Kathleen threw the Braves off with its no-huddle offense on its opening drive, driving the ball 71 yards down field in less than two minutes with Farrior scoring on a quarterback keeper to put the Red Devils (5-3) on the board.
Lake Gibson answered back on the ensuing drive, marching 80 yards behind a 63-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Trey Congdon to a wide open Kendall Gant.
The third quarter opened in similar fashion. Tyler Brown scored on the Braves' first series of the second half on a five-yard scamper down the right side to put the Braves ahead 13-12. Brown finished with 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Kathleen answered back when Terry Bentley, who rushed for 98 yards, scrambled into the end zone down the left side from nine yards out, giving Kathleen a 19-13 lead.

First Quarter
K -- A'Treyu Farrior 2 run (two point failed), 10:05
LG -- Kendall Gant 53 pass from Trey Congdon (Cody Seeley kick), 8:34.
K -- Terry Bentley 2 run (pass failed), 6:21.
Third Quarter
LG -- Tyler Brown 5 run (kick blocked), 9:11.
K -- Bentley 6 run (Omar Carvajal kick), 4:50.
LG -- Tyler Brown 75 run (Seeley kick), 1:25.
K -- Gildardo Mata 45 FG, :08.
Fourth Quarter
LG -- Seeley 35 FG, 7:40.

BRAVES RUN BY BARTOW 28-14

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson used a season high in rushing from Tyler Brown to post an important 28-14 victory over Bartow Friday night in a Class 6A, District 10 game in front of 900 fans on senior night at Virgil Ramage Stadium.
The junior running back rushed for 186 yards on 35 carries and scored one touchdown as Lake Gibson (6-2, 2-1) moved into the driver's seat for a possible playoff berth.
"The strength of our team especially the last two weeks has been the running game," Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said. "When you have an effective running game, you keep the athletes that Bartow has on offense on the sideline."
After a scoreless first quarter, Lake Gibson scored the first touchdown of the game early in the second as quarterback Trey Congdon scored on a 1-yard run to complete an 11-play, 80 yard drive with 75 of those yards came from Brown.
The Yellow Jackets (2-5, 0-2) tied the game as Jeremy Manning scored on a 35-yard reception from quarterback Dimitri Leverett as he caught a slant, broke two tackles and outraced the Braves secondary for the score. He also threw a touchdown pass for Bartow's second touchdown, a 13-yard pass to Eric Rokkard in the fourth quarter.
"This game had so many twists and turns," Yellow Jackets coach Brett Biggs said. "We have a motto before every game which is, Play your heart out,' and that is what they did tonight."
The Braves' defense played a bend-but-don't-break style as it allowed 321 yards of offense but held the visitors on downs three times.
In a contest that featured five turnovers, including three on three consecutive possesions in the third quarter, the Braves finished the scoring as senior defensive lineman Ray Lewis picked up a fumble and raced 20 yards to the end zone as the game ended to set off a wild celebration by the Brave team.
Lake Gibson travels to cross town rival Kathleen next week.

- THE LEDGER

SWANSON GIVES BRAVES POWER IN BACKFIELD

Lake Gibson junior Kennard Swanson didn't ask for the role of short yardage running back.

But he's certainly reveling in the spotlight, especially after every time he scores a touchdown.

"I like it," said Swanson, who normally plays on the defensive line for the Braves.

"It's something I always used to do in little league and I like that I can do it in high school, too."

Swanson, a 6-foot, 250-pound tackle, has been utilized often in Lake Gibson's offense, especially when the Braves need a big back to rumble through opponents.

He's also gotten into the end zone six times, including twice last Friday against Ridge Community.

"It's not anything we are going to hang our hat on," Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said.

"It's more or less on goal line, short yardage situations somewhere where it will be tough to score. So we bring the big boys in and rough some bodies up."

Swanson isn't the lone defensive lineman stepping in on offense.

The 6-1, 280-pound Devante Terrell, who recently picked up an offer from Arizona State University, is featured as the fullback on plays where Swanson is set to run the ball.

"He likes to block for me," Swanson said.

And that's a scary thing for opponents who aren't really expecting hard-hitting lineman to come out of the backfield.

DeMyer started using Swanson and Terrell in those roles against Auburndale on Sept. 16.

In that game, Swanson scored a touchdown for the first time in his high school career.

He also had six tackles and a sack.

While it seems like a lot of work, both lineman haven't complained about having to play on both sides of the ball.

"They enjoy the notoriety," DeMyer said.

"You know how those D-lineman are never get their name in the paper. But Kennard is having a good time with it and all the kids are enjoying him running the ball."

And he's getting pretty good at it.

"He's not little but he's pretty nimble on his feet," DeMyer said. "And he turned out to be a little better than I thought he would be I knew he was athletic, but he's stepping around defenders, jumping over defenders. It's kind of worked out OK."

The good news: DeMyer still has another year to coach Swanson up.

And that's promising considering the Braves, who have won four of their last five games, are having success on offense with another young player: sophomore quarterback Trey Congdon.

Congdon leads the county in passing with 1,291 yards.

Lake Gibson is still in the playoff hunt in its district, but will have to get through Bartow and Kathleen if it wants to solidify the second spot behind Winter Haven.

And if Swanson is needed to bully in another run, he's fine with being called on.

"Whatever they tell me to do I'll try my best," Swanson, 16, said.

- THE LEDGER

BRAVES BACK ON TRACK, BATTER BOLTS 35-14

DAVENPORT | The Lake Gibson Braves came into the game looking to reestablish themselves as a running team, and they did precisely that, pounding Ridge Community 35-14..
"That is one thing we had to get back to, Lake Gibson football," Braves coach Keith DeMyer said. "And Lake Gibson football is running the football."
The Braves scored four rushing touchdowns, two by defensive lineman Kennard Swanson, who doubles as a short-yardage back.
Swanson scored the first points of the game on a 9-yard run in the first quarter, putting the Braves ahead 7-0.
It took the Bolts only 15 seconds to answer.
Shykeem Pitts took the following kickoff 90-yards for the tying touchdown.
"He's phenomenal," Ridge coach Richard Tate said. "He had another big game and another big return."
Unfortunately for Ridge, that would be the team's last points of the half.
Lake Gibson retook the lead halfway through the second quarter on a 4-yard Swanson run.
Later, Kendall Gant intercepted a Pitts pass late in the first half and returned it to the Ridge 14 to set up an 11-yard Trey Congdon touchdown pass to Brandon London.
Ridge's Anthony Parnell took the ensuingkickoff to the Lake Gibson 24, but a penalty and a fumble ended the drive.
After recovering a fumble on the second half kickoff, Lake Gibson added to its lead, scoring on a 2-yard run by Eric Carter.
Ridge answered with a 1-yard Kareem Smith touchdown run, but failed to put any more points on the board. Tyler Brown, who rushed for 109 yards, closed the scoring with a 1-yard run in the third quarter.

- THE LEDGER

GIBSON FALLS AT DENISON

WINTER HAVEN | With Winter Haven coach Charlie Tate back on the sidelines, the Blue Devils used a punishing defense, the accurate leg of kicker Moise Jean and two late touchdown passes to take control of the Class 6A-10 district race Friday night at Denison Stadium.

Winter Haven's defense limited Lake Gibson (4-2, 1-1), Jean kicked three field goals and Jontrell Hawkins caught two touchdown passes to lead the Blue Devils past the Braves, 25-10, leaving Winter Haven (5-0, 2-0) as the lone unbeaten team in 6A-10.

Tate was reinstated earlier in the week after being placed on administrative leave in early September following allegations he pushed a student.

Lake Gibson came in averaging 42 points per game in its past three contests, but Winter Haven's defense held the Braves to a total of 153 yards and sacked Braves quarterback Trey Congdon four times. Lake Gibson finished with 86 yards rushing.

"They (the Blue Devils' defense) did a great job against the run and kind of forced them to play catch. I was scared to death that at any minute, if they went big (on offense) and they scored, we might never see the ball again," Tate said of his defense. "It was a great defensive effort."

Congdon, the county's passing leader with 1,138 passing yards going into the game, finished the night completing just 8 of 23 passes for 52 yards.

"If we take advantage of some of the opportunities they gave us, it could've been a little different, but they're a good football team," Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said. "Right now, they're a better football team than we are."

For most of the night, Winter Haven clung to a lead provided by an early safety and Jean's leg.

A blocked punt out of the end zone and a 49-yard field goal by Jean helped the Blue Devils take a 5-3 first-quarter lead. Jean added a 35-yarder to make it 8-3 at the half, and after Lake Gibson's Kennard Swanson scored on a 9-yard run early in the third quarter, Jean booted a 43-yarder to put the Blue Devils back on top, 11-10, with 4:25 left in the third quarter.

Winter Haven quarterback Levi Borders hooked up with Jontrell Hawkins for touchdown passes of 25 and 33 yards to put the game away.

On the second score, Hawkins was wide open, catching the ball at the 15 and going into the end zone untouched. Borders finished the night 12-of-28 for 177 yards passing, and Hawkins had seven catches for 103 yards and two TDs.

Lake Gibson travels to Ridge Community next Friday.

- THE LEDGER

GIBSON HAMMERS TITANS 48-0

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson forced and recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff, and never looked back as the Braves topped Tenoroc, 48-0, on Friday night.
Trey Congdon led Lake Gibson, completing 9-of-15 passes for 265 yards and four touchdowns.
After recovering a fumble on the opening kickoff, the Braves drove 18 yards for the score, capped by Kennard Swanson's 6-yard rumble.
Tenoroc went three and out on the following possession, but forced a Lake Gibson fumble on the punt return and got the ball back on the Braves' 49-yard line.
On first down, Titans quarterback Travis Tucker scrambled away from the pass rush and threw a bomb down the right sideline to a wide open Brandon Moore, who dropped the pass at the 10-yard line.Tenoroc wouldn't get that close to a score again until there was less than one minute left in the game.
On the Braves' following possession, Tyler Brown made one cut and burst 62 yards for a score.
Congdon then went on a rampage, throwing touchdown passes on the next four Lake Gibson drives.
His first touchdown was a 52-yarder to Jordan Smith with two minutes left in the first quarter. Congdon would then hit Eric Carter on a 15-yard scoring pass, Smith again on a 15-yard scoring pass and Sammie Jackson on a 40-yard scoring pass in the second quarter.
Lake Gibson kicker Cody Seeley kicked a 30-yard field goal to end the first half, giving the Braves a 45-0 lead. Seeley added a 29-yard field goal in the third quarter. Swanson led the defense with four sacks.

- THE LEDGER

BRAVES POUND SEBRING IN DISTRICT DEBUT

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson quarterback Trey Congdon had Sebring wishing they were still in 3A.
The sophomore threw for 166 yards, completed 12 of 16 passes and threw two touchdowns in the Braves' 36-7 victory over their new district opponents Friday night at Virgil Ramage Stadium.
The Braves broke out from a close first quarter and scored 28 unanswered points to get their first Class 6A-District 10 win of the season.
Braves receiver Eric Carter scored twice on passes from Congdon a 35-yarder in the second quarter and 19-yarder in the third.
"Winning your first district game is as important as they come," Lake Gibson head coach Keith DeMyer said after the win. "We played well on defense, but we'll have to step up our game offensively, especially in the rushing game, if we're going win our games later in the season."
The Braves netted 130 yards on the ground but held the Blue Streaks to minus-1 rushing yards. The Braves' defense forced four Sebring fumbles, including a missed snap that was recovered in the end zone by defensive lineman Devante Terrell.
Terrell wasn't the only defensive lineman to find the end zone. Senior lineman and Polk Preps Super 16 member Trent Taylor had two sacks and two tackles for loss and Kennard Swanson ran for a 7-yard touchdown.
Sebring quarterback Davaris Faulk was chased most of the game but managed to find Michael Weston on a 19-yard pass early in the second quarter.
Next Friday, Lake Gibson will host Tenoroc for their Homecoming game.

SAMMIE JACKSON REACHES THEEND ZONE

YOUNGBRAVES SHINE IN 43-6 VICTORY

AUBURNDALE | Lake Gibson defensive linemen Devante Terrell and Kennard Swanson got to spend some time on offense Friday night against Auburndale.

But it's not like the Braves needed them.

Freshman wide receiver Sammie Jackson caught three touchdown passes and Eric Carter one from quarterback Trey Congdon and running backs Tyler Brown and Thomas Bowles helped Lake Gibson (2-1) rack up 401 yards of total offense to keep the Bloodhounds winless this season, 43-6.

And while the main task for Swanson and Terrell was to contain Auburndale's run game a job they did pretty well except for a few runs by the Bloodhounds' Devonte London, the two reveled in the spotlight after both assisted in the Braves' fourth touchdown of the evening.

And what's it like seeing two 6-foot-1, 260-plus pound guys rushing at you?

"I bet it was scary," said Terrell, who used his 285lb. frame as the lead blocker for Swanson on his 7-yard touchdown run late in the third.

"I know I would be if I were in their shoes seeing two big guys run my way."

The kicker: The play, a bull rush straight up the middle with Terrell knocking down defenders, could have happened earlier in the game. And it could be a sign of things to come for Lake Gibson, which has been hobbled at the running back position and is still searching for that key player to power the running game.

"We've been practicing that the whole week," Terrell said. "We even told coach we wanted to do it in the first quarter."

But it wasn't necessary because the Braves started rolling once Congdon realized he was able to pick apart Auburndale's secondary, which gave up 227 yards.

For the third week in a row, the Bloodhounds seemed to step on their own toes.

Down 3-0 in the first quarter, they recovered a fumble only to turn it over one play later on their own 33-yard line. The Braves scored 40 seconds later on a 24-yard strike from Congdon to Jackson. Later in the second quarter, the sophomore quarterback found Carter for a 40-yard touchdownbefore finishing tthe half with a 15-yard scoring pass to Jackson with 57.9 remaining.

"We had some young kids step up on both sides of the ball tonight," said Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer. The Braves open district play next weekagainstSebring.

"We can physically match up with the people we play, but as a coach I haven't been able to eradicate that loser mentality," Auburndale head coach Ken Grantham said.

- THE LEDGER

DEMYER SAYS BRAVES NEED TO FOCUS, EXECUTE

On the third play of last Friday's game against Lake Wales, Lake Gibson safety Jordan Ensslin missed a tackling assignment that allowed the Highlanders to break off a nearly 30-yard play. Lake Wales scored eventually, putting the Braves on their backs early.

"They come out and I think it was a little dive play and they parted the red sea and I missed the assignment," Ensslin said. "It was a small mistake but it cost us."

But not as much as the three fumbles in the third quarter and the bevy of dropped passes in the fourth.

Those errors played a part in Lake Gibson's 19-16 loss to Lake Wales, and have been a major focus this week in practice as the Braves (1-1) prepare to play Auburndale (0-2) on the road Friday.

"If we played the same way we played against Lake Wales Friday night where we had so many dropped balls we're going to be in some trouble," Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said.

"We had three or four dropped passes in the last two minutes when we were moving the ball down to tie it or win it. We can't do that."

DeMyer said his team got tired and lost focus down the stretch.

So his staff has been making it a point this week to stress how important those waning minutes are in the third and fourth quarters.

And that could be a key to this game if Auburndale plays the way it did against Winter Haven in week one, scoring 17 points late in the game.

"We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot and capitalize when we have the chance to," Bloodhounds defensive end Wilshonn Jefferson said.

"Coach has been stressing that all week."

At Lake Gibson, the message has been "focus, focus, focus," and on defense, wrapping up players on tackles and executing with correct form.

If Lake Gibson' defense doesn't follow suit and misses more than 16 tackles, the players won't get a sticker on their board.

"We want to make sure we keep getting those," Ensslin said.

- THE LEDGER

TAYLOR ENJOYS VISIT TO VOLS

Lake Gibson defensive end Trent Taylor had never been on a plane before early Saturday morning when he boarded a flight for Knoxville to see what Tennessee had to offer on an official visit. But, the pre-trip nerves were worth it in the end after Taylor returned home Saturday night.

"It was good. I met a lot of players, a lot of fans, all the coaches and stuff. It was good. I had fun," Taylor said.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound defensive lineman had pedestrian expectations before the visit to Rocky Top, but his experience far outweighed what he thought it would be like.
"People were telling me it was going to be a nice place and stuff. But, I didn't think it was going to be as much fun as I had. I mean, I had fun. I had a good time," he said. "The fans, they were wild, I didn't expect that. The stadium and all that. I didn't expect none of that stuff."
Taylor gave a visit an 'A' and said the highlights of his trip included a conversation with defensive line coach Lance Thompson as well as the Vols' 42-16 win over Montana.
"Coach Thompson, we had a talk and he was just being real with me and that he was going to work me hard and just being honest with me. I really liked that," Taylor said. "I liked the game a lot. They played really well. They did good. I think I liked that the most."
Since Taylor didn't arrive on campus until Saturday morning, he was able to stick around until late Sunday afternoon and was able to not only see the Vols' game day preparation, but also saw what went on the day after a game.
"I watched them lift weights today and I liked that too. Everybody was all hyped up and stuff and they were getting their reps in," Taylor said. "Coach (Ron) McKeefery, he's a cool guy. He was telling me the same thing. If I come up there he's going to work me. Make me better, make me stronger, faster. That's what I liked to hear. I liked that."
Next up for Taylor, when it comes to recruiting, will be a pair of visits later this fall, although he doesn't have firm dates for the trips yet.
"I'm going to try and take a visit to USF and Miami and that's about it right now," Taylor said.

- rivals.com

TYLER BROWN INTO THE END ZONE

TURNOVERS, MISCUES DOOM BRAVES

LAKELAND | Lake Wales held on for a 19-16 victory Friday night when Lake Gibsons Cody Seeley, who had kicked three field goals in the third quarter, missed on a 42-yard attempt with 24 seconds left.
The winning margin for the Highlanders (2-0) was provided by Tate Mathewsons 48-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Lake Wales also scored on a safety when a punt snap went over Seeleys head and into the end zone.
Lake Gibson (1-1) nearly erased a nine-point Lake Wales lead after Glenn Redding ran 42 yards for a Highlanders touchdown early in the second half.
Lake Wales lost three fumbles in the third quarter to help the Braves get back in the game, and Seeley made them pay with field goals of 30, 29 and 36 yards within a span of five minutes. The last one brought the Braves to within three points with 2:56 left in the third quarter, but neither team scored after that.
Redding ran 17 times for 105 yards for Lake Wales in a game marked by eight turnovers four by each team on a wet field.
It was a great ballgame, Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said.The ball was wet and youre going to have that problem, but we cant put the ball on the ground. Were not as potent offensively as we have been, and if we do that were not going to win a lot of ball games.
Lake Wales gained only six first downs and 156 total yards.
Lake Gibson's Trey Congdon threw for 147 yards, but was intercepted once. Tyler Brown had 43 yards and a touchdown for the Braves.

It was two good teams and it could have gone either way, Lake Wales coach Rod Shafer said. You take wins like this and walk away. Before the season started I said we could be 0-4 after the first four games. Now we get our bye weeks.

- THE LEDGER

KENNARD SWANSON AFTER A SACK

CONGDON NAMED PolkPreps.com PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Lake Gibson sophomore Trey Congdon led the Braves (1-0) pastGeorge Jenkins last week with his 243-yard, three touchdown performance in his first game back after being sidelined for two weeks with an ankle sprain.

Congdon was off a little at first he had two interceptions to go with two touchdowns in the first half but he settled down and connected with Kendall Gant on a 54-yard score in the third quarter to cushion the lead. He also ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to finish Jenkins 34-7. Lake Gibson hosts Lake Wales on Friday.

- THE LEDGER

LAKE GIBSON HAMMERS JENKINS 34-7

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson overcame five first-half turnovers and 161 yards in penalties to roll to a 34-7 win over George Jenkins Friday night at Virgil Ramage Stadium.

For Lake Gibson, it was a matter of overcoming the early miscues. For Jenkins, it was a case of missed opportunities.

Braves sophomore quarterback Trey Congdon threw two first-half interceptions, but also threw two of his three touchdown passes in the first half to Eric Carter. Junior halfback Tyler Brown ran 90 yards for another touchdown, staking the Braves to their 20-7 halftime lead.

"Trey is pretty calm," Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said. "He doesn't get too excited on the plus side, or the minus side."

The Braves also lost three first-half fumbles, helping George Jenkins start four of its six first-half possessions in Braves territory. The Eagles managed just one score, a 15-yard touchdown run by Trent Rains. They turned the ball over on downs once and punted twice.

"We had so many opportunities to make big plays, especially early, and we didn't press down on the gas," George Jenkins coach Matt Thompson said.

Congdon, who passed for 243 yards, added a 54-yard TD pass to Kendall Gant and a 1-yard TD run in the second half.
For the night, Lake Gibson outgained George Jenkins 488-75.

The Eagles played most of the night without top running back Keke Wilson, who aggravated an ankle injury in the first quarter.

Lake Gibson hosts Lake Wales next Friday.

- THE LEDGER

TAYLOR TAKES SECOND LOOK AT 'CANES

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson's Trent Taylor is wavering on his commitment to the University of Miami after hearing about the NCAA's investigation into allegations that former and current athletes received impermissible benefits from a former booster.

Taylor, a defensive end who also had a scholarship offer from Louisville and interest from Tennessee, Florida and USF before committing to Miami in February, spoke to coaches from Tennesee, Florida and USF on Wednesday night regarding interest in getting back on their radar.

"Obviously there's been a change of heart," Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said. "I think he's concerned, and this news has kind of opened up his eyes a little bit."

DeMyer said Taylor has not decommitted from Miami, but that he wants to leave his options open in case the NCAA hands down a heavy punishment.

Earlier this week, Yahoo!Sports reported that a former Miami booster gave impermissible benefits to current and former athletes at Miami, including to 12 current players, and that assistant coaches on former head coach Randy Shannon's staff knew about those gifts, which included cash, cars, fancy dinners and entry into nightclubs and strip joints.

The NCAA is investigating those claims and has been doing so for the past five months, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

"Nobody knows what's going to happen with Miami," DeMyer said. "But if the Hurricanes still want to hang with Trent, they need to be understanding moving forward. At this point, he just w ants other coaches to know that he wants back on their list."

DeMyer said Tennessee has already asked Taylor to take an official visit to its campus this fall.

- THE LEDGER

NICHOLS KEY PIECE OF LINE

Last season, Glenn Nichols helped anchor an offensive line at Lake Gibson that opened holes for running backs Shawndell Artis and Remi Watson to amass over 3,000 yards.

And he was only in his first year learning the Braves' offensive system.

Nichols, who transferred from Tenoroc as a junior before the football season started in 2010, was shuffled into the mix on the line the first two games. By week three, he was a full time starter and a was big reason for Lake Gibson's success on the ground.

"We got as far as we did because of him," Lake Gibson offensive line coach Dan Morse said.

"Once he locks on to people they're pretty much done. He's very physical, a really good down blocker and he's able to work his hands very well. His demeanor is such on Friday night that he wants to put people down."

And he's getting noticed for it. Nichols has interest from Florida, FAU, FIU, USF, Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Tennessee and Minnesota.

He's also one of this year's PolkPreps' Super 16 selections, a list of the top 16 rising seniors in Polk County.He teams with seniors DeMarcus Martindale Augie Schmidt and Chris Sadler to form one of the top offensive lines in the area.

According to Morse, Nichols' greatest attribute is his strength. He's part of the 1,000-pound club at Gibson, which means his max in squats, bench press and hang cleans all add up, or exceed that weight.

But he's a perfectionist and thinks he's got a lot to work on.

"I'm not the tallest person out there and I need to improve my footwork," Nichols said.

Whatever he's done up to this point has worked, though, enough to help Gibson to last year's regional finals.

- THE LEDGER

GRANT RUNS STRONG IN BRAVES' LOSS

KISSIMMEE | Lake Gibson came into its spring football practice with the task of finding a replacement for running back Remi Watson.

Watson was The Ledger's Offensive Player of the Year as a junior and First-Team All-County as a senior.

But if Thursday's spring game was any indication, the Braves' should be fine behind rising senior Anthony Grant.

Grant rushed for a team-high 110 yards on 29 carries in the Braves' 21-14 loss to Kissimmee Osceola at Osceola High School on Thursday evening.

"Offensively, we ran the ball better than I thought we could only because I didn't know what to expect from Anthony," Lake Gibson coach Keith DeMyer said. "I thought Grant ran the ball strong."

Grant was just one of the highlights of the evening for Lake Gibson.

Rising sophomore quarterback Trey Congdon threw for a touchdown and ran for one in the game. He also led the Braves on a last-minute rally that came up short in the final seconds.

"He had his moments where he looked like he got better from last year," DeMyer said of Congdon, who was 10-of-22 for 157 yards and a touchdown. "And there were some moments where he went back into old habits. He's progressing the way he needs to progress."

Receiver Eric Carter led the Braves with seven catches, including a 16-yard touchdown.

Despite missing five projected defensive starters DeMyer was pleased.

"There was no give up, there was no let down," he said. "They pushed it right to the edge. I can't ask for anything more from this football team."

The Ledger

May 27, 2011

FORMER LAKE GIBSON STAR HEADEDTOTHE NFL

One productive season in college football can translate into a plethora of dollars in the NFL for a promising player.

Former South Florida defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul spent only one season in major college football before landing a monster contract with the New York Giants after being selected in the 2010 draft.

Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Cam Newton also spent a short time as a headliner for Auburn and ended up the top draft pick this year.

He'll be getting paid soon, as will a local product, Bilal Powell, who worked his way out of a crowded backfield at Louisville and ran to stardom last season.

The Lake Gibson High School graduate said hello to pro scouts by rushing for 1,405 yards, which ranked second among all Big East players. The production helped him get drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets a week ago.

"I feel so blessed that God gave me this opportunity," Powell said in a Louisville release.

Powell, the 126th overall pick, won't be getting paid as much as Pierre-Paul or Newton. Still it's amazing how much he's made of a short period.

"The fact that he was available when he was, I think he went 126th overall, we just thought it was really good value for us," general manager Mike Tannenbaum said in a New York Jets release.

Powell wasn't always a hot commodity.

He totaled 933 yards in his first three seasons at Louisville (30 games, five starts) and had a modest eight touchdown runs to his credit.

Powell spent 12 games in his senior year making a name for himself. He put together the second-highest single-season rushing total in Louisville history and had 11 scores on the ground.

"That's why he was the face of this program," head coach Charlie Strong said after the Cardinals' Beef O' Brady's Bowl victory in December.

Now Powell will be one face on the Jets' multi-headed backfield beast.

"We're really excited about him," Tannenbaum said. "We think he's a three-down back, run, catch and block. We're really excited about his future."

The 5-foot-10, 207-pound bruiser should jell well with the Jets' rushing approach that already features the very physical Shonn Greene. That's if Powell holds up while playing in bad weather and being hit by linebackers much bigger than in the Big East.

Durability issues were raised before the draft when Powell suffered a hamstring injury during the combine and Louisville's pro day.

If he's right by the season and it's likely he should be fine before the NFL season begins the tread on Powell's tires probably won't be worn down quickly on a team that could have a five- or six-back rotation.

"Well, the ideal thing is you keep pounding him and keep pounding him and you use as many as you can, those fresh backs, and not just for games, but the way the season plays out. I think we've had a lot of success with that the last two seasons," Tannenbaum said.

Now Powell gets a chance to help the Jets' motor keep roaring thanks to one season of making a lot of noise in the college game.

The Ledger

May 8, 2011

LAKE GIBSON DE TRENT TAYLOR COMMITS TO UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

LAKELAND | Lake Gibson High School's Trent Taylor toured the state's "Big Three" and decided he'll continue his football career in Hurricane country.

The junior defensive lineman verbally committed to Miami on Sunday -- the same day he visited the school.

Before deciding, Taylor visited Florida on Friday and Florida State on Saturday, according to Braves head coach Keith DeMyer.

The coach said Miami has been on his 6-foot-3, 255-pound star's mind for a while now.

"I know over the years when he came to us as a ninth-grader and as a 10th-grader he said 'I want to go to Miami.' That was one place he always wanted to go," DeMyer said. "... I guess that kind of stuck with him."

- THE LEDGER

- FEBRUARY 24, 2011

LAKE GIBSON'S REMI WATSON, ERRIN JOE SIGN D-1 LETTERS

As Lake Gibson running back Remi Watson signed his letter of intent to go to Marshall on Wednesday morning, his parents sat on each arm, beaming with a sense that everything turned out right.

Little more than a year ago, things didnt seem so certain.

Thats the most gratifying, satisfying thing, you know, with all that hes been through, his father, Remi Sr., said Wednesday. But we just talked several times to him and said, Just take all the negative and turn it into a positive.

The same week he was named The Ledgers Large School Offensive Player of the Year in December 2009, the younger Watson and four other Lake Gibson kids were arrested in St. Augustine on charges of attempted armed robbery. One in the group not Watson had pulled a gun on two teenagers and demanded that they empty their pockets.

A good student who had never been in trouble, Watson spent a night in jail and spent several months wondering what had happened to his bright future. He was cleared of all charges in May, but the lessons will stick with him forever.

I believe in the Lord that everything happens for a reason, his father said. Just look at it as a learning lesson. I hated that it happened, and we were kind of concerned. But we knew over time that everything would work itself out.

Everything worked out Wednesday.

In front of about 100 people in the Lake Gibson auditorium, Watson and teammate Errin Joe signed football scholarships to Division I schools. Joe, flanked by his family, including father, Tenoroc Principal Ernest Joe, signed with Georgia Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Its one of the few places where youve got a win-win situation, Joe said about Georgia Tech. Youre going to compete well on the field, and at the same time youre going to get a high-quality education.

I do have family there, so its going to be a home away from home, and theyre going to keep me grounded up there.

Joe joins one other Polk County player in Atlanta Lakeland redshirt freshman linebacker Quayshawn Nealy. Even though Georgia Tech is a major Division I school from a BCS conference, Joe, an offensive lineman, said his chances of playing early are very good.

Theyre losing four linemen this year, he said. Ive been talking to the coaches, and theyre telling me theyre going to play some young guys this year. Im already working toward that goal.

Joe will enroll at the end of June and major in broadcast journalism. They have a great connection with CNN and Turner Broadcasting.

Lake Gibson head coach Keith DeMyer said Georgia Tech was the perfect fit for Joe.

You know, someplace close that we could go watch him and hed be on TV a bunch, DeMyer said.

DeMyer said Watson and Joe are very academically solid. They both committed in January, and neither wavered, despite the pressure of the recruiting trail.

At first, like everybody else, all the kids were excited about having all that attention, DeMyer said. But after a while it gets old, and I know the ones that weve had here in years past, at this time, its just a sigh of relief that its over with, the decisions made, theyre signed and now they can finish up their high school career and look forward to some bigger times.

Few were more relieved than Watson.

Coming down toward the end, it got kind of stressful, Watson said. I went on my official visit to Marshall. As soon as I hit the city, its green and white everywhere. The fans know who you are, and it just felt like home away from home.

Watson will join three other Polk players at Marshall. Sophomore defensive back Donald Brown of Frostproof was his host during his visit. Lakeland defensive back Darryl Roberts is a rising sophomore. And Lakeland running back Steward Butler, The Ledgers 2010 Large School Offensive Player of the Year and state rushing leader this season, signed his letter of intent for Marshall on Wednesday.

Watson said hes excited about having Butler as a teammate and competitor for carries.

Im not going to down nobody else, but Im going to do what Ive got to do to get on the field, he said with a smile.

Watson said he and Butler should compete for carries right away.

Talking to the coaches, they struggled a little at running back, he said. They have no problem with playing freshmen, and me and Steward both have the talent to make an impact immediately on the field.

Watson also plans to enroll in the summer and study business.

All the things that Remis been through in the last year or so, DeMyer said, to come through and have this opportunity, its a reflection of him and his family. And I think our support here has worked out great for him.

- THE LEDGER

- FEBRUARY 3, 2011

"ONCE A BRAVE, ALWAYS A BRAVE"

HOME OF THE BRAVES

Welcome to the online home of the Lake Gibson Braves, one of the most successful football programs in the state of Florida this decade.

This site willl update often with the latest Lake Gibson Football news, scores, stats and more.

We will be adding new features throughout the season so check back daily!

2010 & 2009CLASS 4A DISTRICT 8 CHAMPIONS

TRADITION

Located in one of the most fertile recruiting grounds in all of college football, Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland, Florida boasts a powerful tradition that includes eight regional finals appearances, two trips to the state championship game and back-to-back district titles in 2009 and 2010.

STATE FINALIST:

• 2003
• 2004

REGIONAL FINALIST:

• 2000
• 2001
• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• 2010

"ONCE A BRAVE ALWAYS A BRAVE"