CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOME TEAM(S)!

The Lakeland High School Dreadnaughts kept their now-34 game winning streak alive Saturday afternoon in Cincinnati by defeating that city's St. Xavier in an overtime thriller 25-22.

The LHS team, ranked third in the nation according to the USA Today prep football poll, was in Ohio to participate in the McDonald's Kirk Herbstreit Ohio -vs- USA Challenge. The Bombers are currently ranked eighth in the poll.

Senior Matt Roddenberry put up the winning points for the 'Naughts with a wobbly 41 yard field goal in the OT at the University of Cincinnati's Nippert Stadium before a crowd of approximately 18,000...probably the biggest crowd any of the Lakeland players had every played in front of, and for at least a few of them, a small taste of the crowds they will experience as future college players.

The high school game, one of eight contests played Friday and Saturday in Cincinnati and Massillon, was likely more entertaining for those UC Bearcat fans who could have stayed home and watched their team fall hard, 37-7, to in-state rival Ohio State in Columbus.

And while I'm posting about football, my beloved Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles upped it's record to 2-1 Saturday with a handy 37-17 win over North Carolina State. They return to Florida next Tuesday (09/26) to put a whuppin' on the UCF Golden Knights at the Citrus Bowl before a national television audience (ESPN2). Gametime will be 6:30.

GO 'NAUGHTS! GO EAGLES!