Lakewood Ranch football makes statement in opening game

The Lakewood Ranch High football team's season-opening game against Lemon Bay High on Aug. 23 had an inauspicious start. 

In the first quarter, the Mustangs threw two interceptions, allowed a Lemon Bay fourth-down conversion on a dropped punt and extended the same Lemon Bay drive thanks to a "12 men on the field" penalty. Lemon Bay turned those mistakes into two touchdowns, each capped with a two-point conversion. 

It was as mistake-filled a quarter as one might expect from a team that barely got to practice the previous four days. Lakewood Ranch Head Coach Scott Paravicini said his team got "about an hour and a half" of on-field practice time this week due to inclement weather and high temperatures. Paravicini said asking a team to be sharp after spending three days practicing in the cafeteria is difficult. 

Yet when the first quarter ended, the Mustangs were only down nine points, 16-7, thanks to a 60-yard scamper by senior running back Cullen McRae II. He parlayed that carry into a six-yard touchdown the following play.

In the following three quarters, Lakewood Ranch would dominate play, keeping the Lemon Bay offense off the board and adding five more touchdowns of its own, on the way to a 42-18 victory. 

"We settled into the groove of what we were trying to do," Paravicini said. "Obviously, there is stuff to clean up, but that's every week. I'm happy with the way we responded."

Photo by Ryan Kohn

The Mustangs got it done on the ground. McRae had consistent bursts through the Lemon Bay front seven all game and finished with three touchdowns. Junior quarterback Liam Fernandez added two rushing touchdowns and junior running back Colton Dempsey added another.

Paravicini praised Fernandez's decision-making and vision in the second half, as he read the defense well in deciding when to hand the ball to one of his backs and when to keep the ball himself. When Fernandez did keep the ball, Paravicini said, he made good decisions in which lanes to attack. 

The Mustangs' defense largely shut down the Manta Rays'rushing attack in the final three quarters. Lemon Bay ran a variation of a T-formation offense, also known as a full-house offense, where two running backs and a fullback line up behind the quarterback under center. The formation, one of the sport's oldest, relies on a lot of misdirection runs and little passing. Paravicini said it is a difficult offense to prepare against because teams run it so rarely, but he was proud of how his defense adapted to it as the game progressed. 

Photo by Ryan Kohn

Junior defensive back Mike Turner had an interception and junior defensive end Caua Magno forced a turnover on downs when he tackled Lemon Bay's punter after a botched snap. Magno, who doubles as Lakewood Ranch's punter, also showcased his strong leg, punting one ball for 59 net yards. 

It is the second-straight nice effort by the Mustangs' defense, which pitched a shutout in its 30-0 preseason win over DeSoto County High on Aug. 16. While DeSoto County has struggled in recent seasons, Lemon Bay went 10-2 in 2023 and had a potent attack, averaging 30 points per game. The Manta Rays beat Lakewood Ranch 20-13 to kick off last season. The improvement Lakewood Ranch made against Lemon Bay in 2024 is notable. 

Regardless, Paravicini is not letting his defensive unit off without a bit of criticism, as he said there were things to be done better. 

"There were opportunities to get off the field (earlier)," Paravicini said. "We were sloppy in the first half in terms of penalties and mistakes. We need to be a little more disciplined." 

The Mustangs will have a chance to continue their hot start in the coming weeks. Lakewood Ranch will play Seminole High (0-1), a 42-20 loser against Tarpon Springs High in week one, on Aug. 30 before playing Braden River High (0-1) on Sept. 6.