By STEVE JACKSON
A sneak preview of football is available in Ruskin Thursday evening, starting at 6 p.m.
KB Belton, Lennard High’s head football coach, is inviting any and all interested fans to the intra-squad clash between Longhorn teammates. Coach Belton says the admission for anyone is to bring goods for the programs. The second-year coach suggests bringing peanut butter, jelly, a loaf or loaves of bread, Gatorade, protein bars and even laundry pods. Belton has been working with the Lennard athletes to improve last season’s 3-7 record and has a good quarterback and an excellent place kicker to provide experience and enthusiasm. Matt Kitchie, former Lennard head football coach, resigned after a 2-8 record in 2021 and a 1-9 mark in 2022 to assume the job of athletic director at Southeast High in Manatee County. Coach Kitchie’s best mark at Lennard was 7-4 in 2019.
Now, Coach Belton is looking to better that mark through hard work and dedication of his players at Lennard.
Returning for his junior season is last year’s starting quarterback, Jacob Mobley. Back for his senior year is the Horns top notch place kicker, Aiden Gibbons. Gibbons is deadly on booting PATs. He also drilled six field goals last year.
With Mobley again as the starter and senior Harry Myers as the backup, Lennard is expected to throw the ball quite a bit. Mobley completed 96 of 188 passes as a soph for 1263 yards with 10 interceptions. His longest pass play was for 68 yards.
Senior-to-be Richard Sykes was the leading recipient of most passes, snaring 32 for 393 yards and three TDs. Sykes’ longest reception was for 17 yards. He hopes to increase his stats in all those areas in the 2024 football campaign. Sykes was also a stalwart for Lennard’s basketball team.
Rising senior Gavin Fields is the top returning running back for the Horns. Fields rushed for 41 yards average per game, scoring three times. Fields toted 63 times for 371 yards, a 5.9 yards per carry average, and made three TDs.
As a team, Lennard was 3-2 at home and winless at 0-5 in road games last year. The Horns in 10 games scored a total of 193 points but gave up 282. Obviously, Coach Belton has identified defense as a category to improve.
Lennard opens the 2024 football season versus Freedom High at Ruskin, Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. The Longhorns then hit the road for games Aug. 23 at Pasco High and Aug. 30 at Spoto. Lennard returns home to play Blake High Sept. 6. On Sept. 13 the Gateway High Eagles come to play Lennard in Ruskin. Gateway of Ft. Myers scored 113 points last season and gave up 310, compiling a 1-9 record.
