St. Thomas Aquinas Dominates Lakeland to Win Florida High School Football Class 5A State Championship

St. Thomas Aquinas secured their sixth consecutive Florida high school football state championship after dominating Lakeland 34-0. In addition to the victory, the Raiders also handed the Dreadnaughts’ first loss of the season.

The Raiders, ranked fifth in the Florida On3 Composite Team Rankings, scored their first touchdown when running back Cedric Wyche caught a touchdown pass from Andrew Indorf. The rout was on as Chance Washington scored two rushing touchdowns while Indorf added another rushing score.

St. Thomas Aquinas established a 17-0 halftime lead and never looked back. Meanwhile, the Raiders defense shut down the Dreadnaughts while limiting them to 209 total yards on 54 plays.

While Lakeland, Florida’s top-ranked team, had 183 rushing yards, their passing game offered nearly nothing. Starting quarterback Zander Smith finished with two completions for two yards and two interceptions. This performance amplifies Shanard Clower’s importance to their offense. Unfortunately, the senior playmaker was unavailable after sustaining a shoulder injury in the regional finals.

Despite the defeat, Lakeland still had a remarkable run to the state title game. They dominated Spoto (51-6) in the regional quarterfinals and Gaither (41-13) in the regional semifinals. Conversely, they pulled off close wins against Tampa Bay Tech (24-21) in the regional finals and versus Niceville (34-33) in the state semifinals.

Meanwhile, St. Thomas Aquinas made their way to the state championship even if they lost three regular season games. Despite those setbacks, they dominated North Miami (58-0) and Blanche Ely (53-32) in the first two rounds. Then, they pulled off a seven-point win (49-42) over Atlantic before completing a low-scoring victory (16-13) against Manatee.

Last season, the Raiders earned the Florida high school football state championship over Homestead 31-28. It was a rematch of their 2022 showdown that St. Thomas Aquinas also won 38-21. Before those two games, the Raiders won state titles against Edgewater (2019 and 2020) and Tampa Bay Tech (2021).

Raiders, Dreadnaughts Bid Farewell to Top Florida High School Football Talents

However, as they make way for space in their trophy case, the Raiders will bid farewell to some top talent. Wyche will play for Illinois, while tight end Cameron Roberts will suit up for Tulane. Wide receiver Branden Hoch will proceed to Florida Atlantic, while Elijah D’oleo will honor his commitment to the Army.

On defense, St. Thomas Aquinas won’t have Travares Daniels (Maryland), Trevor Sommers (Pittsburgh), Tavius Horne (East Carolina), Logan Husband (Florida Atlantic), and Max Mustell (Air Force) anymore.

Meanwhile, Lakeland safety Keon Young is off to Ole Miss. Safety Jermichael Gillis will play for South Florida, while offensive tackle Ben Beymer will compete for Maryland.