Lennard survives scare on Homecoming

Face 0-7 Haines City Hornets Friday night

By STEVE JACKSON

Coach Matt Kitchie had a fairly simple game plan for his Longhorns last Friday night.

Run Tino Hunt right. Run Tino Hunt left. Run Tino Hunt up the middle.

STEVE JACKSON PHOTO
Sophomore cheerleader Lacy Colmer revs up the crowd.

It worked!

STEVE JACKSON PHOTO
Tino Hunt, #21, broke the 1,000-yard barrier for rushing in a season and registered his sixth 100-yards-plus game against Ridge community last Friday.

In typical Hunt workhorse fashion, and with the help of a bunch of heavy roadscrapers on the offensive line, senior Hunt piled up the yardage in small chunks and big chunks as Lennard struggled but handled Ridge Community to win 26-19 on a festive Longhorn Homecoming evening. Hunt went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season and registered his sixth game of 100-yards-plus rushing, scoring twice and totaling 239 yards on 31 carries.

Lennard got out of the gate in a hurry last Friday after Hunt reeled off a first quarter 36-yard dash into the red zone. Hunt’s first TD and Jocelyn Diaz, also Ms. Homecoming, booted the point after to make it 7-0. However, the Bolts from Community Ridge made a game of it, as they did all night in front of a large Homecoming crowd and only a handful in the visitors’ bleachers from Davenport.

STEVE JACKSON PHOTOS
Armani Simpson, #10, scored a first half TD for the Longhorns.

The Longhorn running attack amassed 349 yards on 48 rushes behind consistent blocking. Lennard’s passing game was virtually non-existent as the only pass attempted by QB Gavin Henley was incomplete. Henley did add a game-icing 15-yard TD run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. Ricky Jackson Jr. ran 6 times for 42 yards. Armani Simpson scored a first half TD while Davian Papius added 31 yards on 4 rushes.

The Lennard defense bent, but did not break, against the Bolts who closed to 20-19 in the third quarter. The orange and white defense woke up in the fourth quarter, thanks in large part to Kourtland Mitchell, Amarie Jones, Josh Culpepper, Marcus Carn, Joel Figuera, Jhalin Hobbs, Jordan Guerad, Davian Papius and supporting defending crew.

Next up for Lennard is a trip to Haines City for another 8A District 8 contest with another Polk County team. The Haines City Hornets, if they ever had one, have lost their sting. Coach Hoku Pratt’s hapless Hornets are 0-7. Haines City has managed only 33 points this season while demonstrating why they are referred to as a defensive sieve, giving up 292 points in their 7 losses.

Omar Richardson PHOTO
Lennard Principal Denise Savino, center, presented the 2019 Homecoming Queen Jocelyn Diaz and King Yukwon Tony at last Friday night’s game against Ridge Community. Lennard won the game 26-19. Diaz is also the extra point kicker and field goal kicker. She also sometimes kicks off for the Longhorns.

Omar Richardson PHOTO
Lennard Principal Denise Savino crowns #15 Jocelyn Diaz as the Homecoming Queen at last Friday night’s game. Diaz, the team’s extra point kicker and field goal kicker, sometimes kicks off for the Longhorns.

Omar Richardson PHOTO
Yukwon Tony appears quite surprised when Lennard Principal Denise Savino names him Homecoming King.