By Coach Bradley Lord, South Lake High School
Photos by Andrea Rush Photography
October 17, 2025 | South Lake High School, Groveland
South Lake rallies from halftime deficit for a thrilling 49–35 Senior Night victory
The South Lake Eagles overcame a strong first half by East Ridge to secure a decisive 49–35 victory on Senior Night, clinching the District Championship and improving their season record to 7–1 (3–0 in district play).
The game began as a back-and-forth battle, but late in the second quarter, several costly defensive breakdowns allowed East Ridge to capitalize on big passing plays, giving the Knights a 35–21 lead at halftime.
The second half, however, belonged entirely to South Lake. The Eagle defense shut down East Ridge’s high-powered passing attack, limiting them to just 20 total yards after the break. Meanwhile, the offense came alive behind dominant blocking from the offensive line.
Senior Malik Holman rushed for 198 yards and two touchdowns, senior Tyrese Thompson added a touchdown and a two-point conversion, and junior quarterback Tre Kelly contributed three rushing touchdowns to bring the Eagles even midway through the fourth quarter.
The momentum swung permanently when junior defensive lineman Anthony Johnson recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, putting South Lake ahead. Although a missed two-point conversion left the Eagles up by six with six minutes remaining, the defense took control from there.
Defensive standouts Jesse Barker Jr., Ramond Carter, and Murphy Connelly lived in the East Ridge backfield, pressuring the quarterback and creating turnovers. Rome “Bam Bam” McKinnond locked down East Ridge’s top receiver, holding him to just one catch in the second half.
With the Knights turning the ball over on downs, Holman powered in from the 10-yard line, and Thompson added another two-point conversion to extend the lead to 14 points. The Eagle defense then closed out the game with multiple sacks to seal the 49–35 victory.
“East Ridge is a very talented offense. They punched us in the face in the first half, throwing for over 300 yards,” said Coach Lord. “Our players showed trust in each other and resiliency. They kept fighting, and the tide changed in the second half. Our defense shut down their offense, and our coaching staff made some outstanding adjustments on both sides of the ball to bring this victory home to our South Lake community. I am very proud of these seniors—they’re the ones who did the heavy lifting to help this program get to where it is today.”
Next Game:
October 24, 2025
at Lake Minneola (District Game)
