Land O’ Lakes’ playoff hopes and Sunlake’s bid for a .500 season will both be on the line Friday, Oct. 23, when the neighboring schools meet for the 20th time in the Butter Bowl.
The Gators (5-3) likely need to win their final two games, the Butter Bowl and an Oct. 30 trip to St. Johns Bartram Trail, to earn an FHSAA playoff berth. The Seahawks (4-4) are aiming to finish at .500 or better, which could put them in line for the Florida Invitational Tournament, the 16-team event for bubble teams statewide. The Gators played in the inaugural FIT last season, losing 28-7 at Tallahassee Chiles.
Land O’ Lakes, coached by Super Bowl-winning former offensive lineman Dan Goodspeed, is 3-1 in Class 5A-District 7. Its only loss was a 16-13 heartbreaker to Wiregrass Ranch, which is 4-0 in district play. The Gators are coming off a 44-6 rout of Wesley Chapel (4-4).
Sunlake leads the all-time series 10-9, but Land O’ Lakes has won the past five meetings.
Junior running back Eli Melendez leads the Gators’ offense with 920 total yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. The defense has allowed just 99 points all season, including seven to Zephyrhills, six to Wesley Chapel and none in back-to-back shutouts of Cypress Creek and Mitchell. Junior linebacker Gabe Garcia leads the unit with 51 tackles, five for a loss, while seniors Tyrae Jackons and Danilo Faria have anchored the secondary with an interception apiece and a combined 11 pass breakups.
Sunlake’s offense runs through senior halfback Nathan Merriman, who has 753 rushing yards and three touchdowns despite playing in only five games. Senior linebacker Blake Daniels leads the defense with 76 tackles.
Volleyball rivals could meet again in region final
Sunlake and Land O’ Lakes both open the FHSAA Class 5A, Region 3 volleyball playoffs Oct. 21, and they could meet for a third time this season, though not before the region final.
Sunlake (20-6), the region’s top seed, will host Palmetto Ridge at 7 p.m. as it chases a third straight trip to the state tournament in Winter Haven in November. Land O’ Lakes (15-10), the No. 7 seed, will travel to No. 2 Punta Gorda Charlotte at the same time.
The Seahawks swept the Gators 3-0 in both regular-season meetings. Sunlake has won seven straight matches in three sets since Sept. 29 and hasn’t dropped a set since Sept. 26 against St. Petersburg Northside Christian.
Senior power hitter Amelia Snider, a Syracuse commit, leads the Seahawks with 204 kills and has added 20 aces. Fellow senior Erinn Larson has 143 kills and 44 aces, and senior Olivia Grob has 285 digs.
Land O’ Lakes is led by sophomore Livia Maita, who has 51 kills, and senior Kaylee Prcic, who has 42 kills and 15 aces.
Angeline Academy of Innovation put together its best season at 15-11 but fell short of the playoffs. Lone senior Alyssa Booth led the Archers with 202 kills, followed by sophomores Meredith Winn (146) and Sadie Magee (130).
Wiregrass Ranch runs away with conference golf title
Wiregrass Ranch won the Sunshine Athletic Conference boys golf tournament Oct. 13 at Saddlebrook Resort, shooting a 321 on the recently renovated par-71 course to finish 24 strokes ahead of runner-up River Ridge. Pasco placed third.
Sunlake shot a 357 to finish fifth, Angeline was seventh at 361 and Land O’ Lakes was ninth at 388.
Angeline freshman Brennan Hyde was the top local finisher, shooting an 83 to place 10th. Sunlake’s Owen McCormick shot an 88 for 16th, Angeline’s Jackson Felix was 19th with a 90 and Sunlake’s Brendan Pratt was 20th with a 92. Land O’ Lakes’ Kyran Patel led the Gators with a 93, good for 23rd.
In the girls tournament, a nine-hole event played Oct. 14 at Saddlebrook, Mitchell edged Wiregrass Ranch 196-199. Land O’ Lakes was third at 200, Sunlake sixth at 251 and Angeline eighth at 274.
Junior Maddyn French led the Gators with a 45 to finish fourth, and teammate Ameila Martinez was fifth with a 46. Montrey Halliday shot a 51 for 12th, and Grace Tapia was 15th with a 57. Sunlake’s Alyssa Mitchell shot a 58 to place 18th, and Angeline’s Ruthia Hutton led the Archers with a 62, good for 26th.
The 20th Annual Butter Bowl
When: Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m.
Where: John Benedetto Stadium at Land O’ Lakes High, 20325 Gator Lane, Land O’ Lakes
Tickets: $8
Butter Bowl results
2025: Land O’ Lakes 27, Sunlake 7
2024: Land O’ Lakes 56, Sunlake 21
2023: Land O’ Lakes 20, Sunlake 6
2022: Land O’ Lakes 23, Sunlake 8
2021: Land O’ Lakes 28, Sunlake 26
2020: Sunlake 20, Land O’ Lakes 17
2019: Sunlake 34, Land O’ Lakes 23
2018: Land O’ Lakes 35, Sunlake 24
2017: Sunlake 37, Land O’ Lakes 20
2016: Sunlake 21, Land O’ Lakes 3
2015: Sunlake 34, Land O’ Lakes 0
2014: Sunlake 42, Land O’ Lakes 14
2013: Sunlake 38, Land O’ Lakes 21
2012: Sunlake 18, Land O’ Lakes 6
2011: Sunlake 21, Land O’ Lakes 10*
2010: Sunlake 29, Land O’ Lakes 21
2009: Land O’ Lakes 42, Sunlake, 14
2008: Land O’ Lakes 28, Sunlake 0
2007: Land O’ Lakes 26, Sunlake 0
*forfeit due to recruiting violations