Flashback: Greatest Game in High School History

By FLAVarsit.com - April, 2010

2006 RB Chris Rainey fights for yards Picture provided by FLAVarsit.com

GAME VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS First & second quarter Fourth quarter Overtime

The St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders has had just about every possible way to lose in the state championship in their past four appearances. But on Friday night, the Raiders had their most heart breaking defeat as Lakeland held off a fierce rally to survive a double overtime marathon. The Dreadnaughts claimed their third consecutive 5A state championship in what is being named the greatest game in high school football history in Florida".

The Lakeland Dreadnaughts have broken the heart of St. Thomas Aquinas in just about every way, but none compares to the devastation the Raiders faced Friday night as DT John Brown stuffed junior RB Jeremiah Harden at the one inch line to secure a 45-42 thrilling victory. It helped the Dreadnaughts keep their 45 game winning streak alive, but most importantly gave Lakeland their third straight state championship.

"Words can't describe what we are feeling right now," said Chris Rainey. I'm just full of emotion I'm going to cry all night. This was one of the greatest games I have ever been apart of."

At the start of the game, this looked like another Lakeland demolition of the Raiders. The Dreadnaughts exploded to an early lead thanks to RB Chris Rainey. He didn't take long to heat up as he scored on a 9-yard touchdown scamper as the Dreadnaughts took early command with a 7-0 lead.

"It's been a tough week, but my focus was just to help the team anyway I could. I felt it was very important to get that early momentum," Rainey said.

Fast forward to the second quarter, the Raiders appeared poised to even the score after Jeremiah Harden exploded for a 33-yard run that moved the ball all the way down inside the Dreadnaught 22-yard line. On the very next play, the Raiders fell victim to a game changing turnover as a mishandle from center and a recovery by Steve Wilks ended the promising drive for the Raiders. Much like they have in their previous two meetings, Lakeland punished St. Thomas Aquinas for that mistake as on the second play from scrimmage Rainey broke around the right side, and then the rest was history as the speedy back sprinted 73-yards, to give Lakeland a 14-0.

The Dreadnaughts would then end the half with yet another score after yet another bad turnover by St. Aquinas as Colin Clyne steeped in front a Wesley Carroll pass, and raced 38-yards advancing the ball down inside the Raiders 12 yard line. A couple of plays later RB Jamar Taylor would score on a 1-yard plunge and this so-called big match-up was turning into yet another one sided blow out for Lakeland. They seemed well on their way to claiming their third straight championship and unfortunately the third consecutive rout of the Raiders.

After a big explosion in the first half, Lakeland turned more to it's ground attack as they continued to milk the clock in the third quarter giving their furious defense a break. St. Thomas Aquinas showed signs of life, but every time the Raiders had a threat, the Dreadnaughts seemed to be right there to slap them back down with a big miscue.

The Raiders finished off the third quarter with a 12-play drive before disaster struck again for the offense as Harden bobbled his second fumble of the game and Colin Clyne recovered another Raiders fumble inside the Dreadnaught 25-yard line.

With the fourth quarter preparing to start, St. Thomas Aquinas had to face the fact that nothing was going their way, well that is until Jeremiah Harden lifted the spirits of the Raiders with a 25 yard run moving the ball inside the Lakeland 21 yard line. This time Harden and the Raiders wouldn't miss their chance to ease back in the game as he later scored on a 1-yard touchdown run.

"Jeremiah was tough to slow down all night. He just had another gear at times out there and you just have to give him all the credit in the world for that because we tried everything," said Lakeland DT John Brown.

After the Harden touchdown, the Dreadnaughts answered right back as WR Paul Wilson scored on a 4-yard end around touchdown run that extended the lead back to 21 points for Lakeland as they led 28-7 with just 4:21 seconds left in the game.

2006 DL John Brown Fights of STA blockers Picture provided by FLAVarsit.com

Harden then did something no back has done all year to Lakeland - make them look vulnerable. Harden took the hand off, saw a seam down the side line and rumbled 72 yards for the score as the Raiders fans noise was deafening at Dolphin Stadium with the lead cut to 14 points.

Still, there's no way the two-time defending champs and the top team in the state was going to blow a 14-point lead with just three minutes in the game.

Rainey made sure no one gave that a second thought on the very next possession, as he broke the will once again and broke to the outside, raced 55-yards for the score giving the Dreadnaughts a 35-14 lead with just 2:25 seconds left in the game. Rainey would lead all rushers tonight with 287 yards, and three touchdowns.

In the next series, the Raiders just used sideline passes to keep the clock stopped, but the drive seemed harmless as the clock continued to be an enemy for St. Thomas Aquinas all evening long. Even when QB Wes Carroll scored on an eight yard touchdown run it looked to be more of a formality about how bad the Raiders losing, instead it was the turning point for St. Thomas.

After that touchdown, the Raiders were forced to hope for a little luck as kicker Wes Byrum went for the onside kick. Surprisingly, the gamble worked for St. Thomas, but come on their was still only 1:35 seconds left in the game. They couldn't possibly think, well you know. Shortly after recovering the onside kick, the Raiders pulled even closer when Harden scored his second touchdown of the night on a 4-yard scamper and the lead was now at one possession as the Raider crowd was going wild.

"We weren't about to give up. Our team has come too far to just pack everything in," said Carroll. "We just felt with a couple more breaks anything can happen."

Boy did it ever. With 44 seconds left on the clock, the Raiders went back to the onside kick and this time it appeared the Dreadnaughts had the ball recovered, but upon recovering the ball, Lakeland CB Ahmad Black was hit as he started to pull in the loose ball. The ball then popped free and the Raiders gobbled up the fumble as the fans that have left early were crawling, scratching, and begging to get back into Dolphin Stadium as history was in the making. Could Lakeland actually blow a 21-point lead in just two minutes of play?

That question was quickly answered by St. Thomas Aquinas WR Leonard Hankerson two plays later, when he hauled in a 14-yard touchdown pass from Carroll and the unthinkable had happened as the Lakeland players and crowd remained stunned with just 38 seconds left in the game, and all tied up at 35.

2006 DL John Brown Fights of STA blockers Picture provided by FLAVarsit.com

As the game entered overtime, it was clear this wasn't the same St. Thomas Aquinas team that was humiliated by Lakeland by an average of 28 points in the past two games. History was about to be made as the Dreadnaughts were heavily on the ropes. The Raiders put together their best knock out blow in the first overtime as RB Jeremiah Harden scored his third touchdown of the night outracing Lakeland CB Ahmad Black to the right corner of the end zone. It was the first lead of the game for St. Thomas Aquinas with the score 42-35.

With their season and championship still on the line, Lakeland responded right back as RB Jamar Taylor would later score on a 2-yard plunge. But the biggest news on this drive was when Chris Rainey dove towards the goal line, but came up short and in the process the Florida commitment injured his right shoulder and was held out the rest of the first overtime.

"Nothing was going to keep me out of this game," explained Rainey after the game.

We then headed to a second overtime and this time it was the Dreadnaughts that went to offense first as Chris Rainey returned but even the versatile Rainey couldn't get the Dreadnaughts in the end zone in the second overtime. Facing a 4th and 1 Lakeland had to make a decision in whether to take the three point lead with a field goal or put it all on the line and go for the end zone.

Lakeland head coach Bill Castle decided to keep it safe and go for the 20-yard field goal by Matt Roddenberry as the Dreadnaughts held a slim and unsafe 45-42 lead. St. Thomas Aquinas knew that a touchdown would end everything. On first down, the Raiders got stuffed as John Brown continued to be a nuisance on the defensive front throwing Harden for a one yard loss. On the next play, Carroll called his own number on a quarterback keeper that advanced the ball inside the Lakeland seven yard line.

With the Raiders facing a third and goal, Raiders head coach George Smith decided to go for the quick pass as Carroll hit Hankerson, and the talented senior wide out appeared to be heading to the end zone before the Dreadnaughts gang tackled Hankerson pulling him back at the 1-yard line. With the fans screaming on both sides and the stadium rocking like something resembled an SEC title game, the Raiders also faced a tough decision. Kick with one of the best kickers in the nation in Wes Byrum or take a chance and go for the knockout blow now on Lakeland.

Coach Smith decided to roll the dice and when Carroll handed the ball to Harden straight up the middle it appeared the Raiders were about to shock the world. That is until Lakeland DT John Brown made the initial hit as everyone waited to see if Harden had indeed crossed the goal line. After a brief pause, the referee motioned Lakeland ball - he didn't make it.

Dreadnaught players then exploded off the sidelines throwing helmets, pads, and whatever they had. Lakeland fans screamed at the top of their lungs, while St. Thomas Aquinas fans sat on the other side in disbelief that. It was all over in a blink of an eye in coming up 1-yard short.

"I'm going to be honest, I thought he was in and I was wondering why it took so long for a decision," said Carroll.

Lakeland DT John Brown disagrees. "No he was stopped at the one inch line. The only reason I know is because I was right there on top of him," said Brown.

You could tell the emotions of the week had really gotten to the Dreadnaughts.

2006 Video Board of Final Result in Game Picture provided by FLAVarsit.com

"It's just a combination of all the stuff we had to hear all week about Chris. Regardless what was going to happen Chris was family, and we are a family here at

Lakeland. We supported the decision and Chris no matter what the outcome was, but the feeling I'm going through right now is shock and just amazement for what we accomplished this year," said Brown.

For both sides this was a game that never wanted to end. If you ask any hardcore football in Dolphin Stadium this classic battle rates right at the top.

"I have seen a lot of games over my 17 years, but this is the greatest high school game I have ever witnessed, "said Beef 'O' Brady's Scoreboard host Steve Berrey. "Unfortunately in life and in sports, there winners and losers but if you were in Dolphin Stadium tonight you got a chance not only to see two teams battle it out, but one of the most memorable games in state finals history.