LAKELAND - No. 18 KATHLEEN RED DEVILS (0-0) at No. 14 LAKE GIBSON BRAVES (0-0)

When: Friday, August 26, 2016, 7:30 P.M.

Where: Virgil Ramage Stadium, 7007 N Socrum Loop Rd, Lakeland, FL 33809

TV: BHSN (Channel 47 and HD 1147)

Coaches: KATHLEEN –  Irving Strickland (59-39, 10th season) ; LAKE GIBSON – Doug DeMyer (1st season as a head coach)

How they match up:

Lake Gibson is coming off its first district title since 2012. If the Braves hope to repeat, they will have to rely on scoring with a 230-pound quarterback, junior Kevaris Thomas. Coach Doug Demyer said that Thomas has improved tremendously in the offseason. Thomas only made four starts in 2015, but has gotten people’s attention from his ability to throw the ball, or run on a broken play. This season should see a more balance offensive attack from the Braves, who only had 77 completions in 136 passing attempts last season. However, when you have a 1,000-yard rusher, you want to run the ball. Junior running back T.J. Jones rushed for 1,218 yards in 2015, including 14 rushing touchdowns. Jones will have a challenge, though, as the Braves are replacing four starters on the offensive line. Demyer believes his team will need to rely on its defense throughout the season. One big part of the defense is senior linebackers A.J. Deshazor ( 3-star recruit, 8 offers), and Noah Johnson (2nd in tackles in 2015), as well as junior Tyrice Knight (lead team in tackles in 2015).

Kathleen only has four returning starters on offense and had a quarterback battle going on throughout the spring and summer to replace Jules St. Ge. That competition was between sophomore Dominique Walker, and junior Antonio Whitehead. In the end, Whitehead won the job, but head coach Irving Strickland says that both players are far too talented to not have them both on the field, and the team will find a spot for the sophomore. The starting running back for the Red Devils will be last season’s starting strong safety, Malik Williams. Strickland joked “We had 14 players think they could be running back when we were going through the spring,” but he believes in Williams and wants him to attack defenses the way he used to attack offenses – straight-on and with a lot of heart. The Red Devils take pride in the team’s defense, which is anchored by best friends and senior linebackers Ventrell Miller (Florida commit) and Tobias Larry (21 offers).

Three and Out:

1. FROM FATHER TO SON – Doug DeMyer spent the past 15 seasons on the staff at Lake Gibson, including 13 seasons as offensive coordinator. His father, Keith DeMyer, resigned in late January. On February 8th, Doug accepted the job at Lake Gibson. There is an emotional dynamic to this father-son duo: Doug spoke of how his father taught him about how to treat people and treat each player in a unique way. The Xs and Os are important, but how you deal with people is paramount to a game on the field.

2. REMEMBERING A FATHER FIGURE - Back in June, the Kathleen family lost a member of its coaching staff – special teams coach Reid Pomeroy. He was 62 years old. Coach Strickland talked about how Pomeroy never wanted to be paid in his near 20 years with the Red Devils. The current players speak regularly about playing hard for Pomeroy. Strickland says they will partition off his coaches locker, leave a spot on the team bus, wear a sticker on their helmets, and keep a picture of Pomeroy on the sidelines. Pomeroy’s daughter, Lindsay, will speak before Friday’s game and there will also be a moment of silence for the late coach.

 

3. KEEP IT CLOSE – Over the last six meetings between these two teams, the most a team has won by was eight points (2015: Kathleen won 27-19). From 2011-2014, the winning margin has been either by one or two points.