Lakeland vs Dunedin State Title Game Video & Story

[OldSchoolLion]

This was the Class 5A state title game, held in Dunedin.  Lakeland and Dunedin both had great defenses and each held their 4 playoff opponents that year to only 37 points.  It was a rare showing by a Pinellas County team in a state final.  Dunedin held the Naughts scoreless in the second half and a goal line stand by Lakeland in the third quarter may have been the difference maker in this one.   5A consisted of over 100 teams at the time.  Interestingly, at the same time 10 miles up the coast, Tarpon Springs was hosting Dillard in the 4A final.

Great coaching interviews at the start and end of the game.  Dunedin coach Ken Weir showed a lot of class.  Despite some close officiating calls during the game, he didn't blame the refs for his team's loss.  This was Lakeland's first state title since 1935.  Gotta love the shots and nicknames of the players from that team at the start of the video.  

Under coach Bill Castle, the Naughts were really on the rise in the early 1980's.  They made the 5A state semis in 1982 and 1984.  In both years,  ultimate champion Pensacola Woodham traveled to Lakeland and beat the Naughts.  In their 1986 playoff run, they defeated Tampa Jefferson, Vero Beach, and Jacksonville Sandalwood.  It would be 10 years before Lakeland made it back to a state title game.

Dunedin had some very good teams in the 1980's.  This was the first of back-to-back Class 5A title game appearances.  1986 was a magical year for the Falcons.  In the first round of the playoffs, they traveled to Manatee and shocked the defending state champions 14-10.  They beat visiting Taravella 20-7 in the second round and then then traveled to Miami and beat a very good Carol City team 17-6 in the state semis.  Believe it or not, Dunedin returned the following year and beat the Chiefs in Miami 7-0 in 5A  state semifinal. 

 

[gwdrum75]

That was an exciting time in Lakeland. In '87, Manatee and Lakeland would be grouped in the same district and Lakeland didn't see the playoffs again until 1993.

On a side note, without some legal action by a group of Lakeland supporters, Lakeland would not have seen the playoffs in '86. The FHSAA made them forfeit their early season victory over Winter Haven, a vital district game, due to an alleged ineligible player. Lakeland got a court injunction and were allowed to participate in the playoffs as district champs. The FHSAA's case was dropped in early 1987, allowing Lakeland to keep the state title. Many Lakeland supporters believe the FHSAA held a grudge against Lakeland for many years after that for taking them to court, and not just accepting the forfeit.

Wish I could find a better version of the title game, but I got this off of an old VHS tape that I had to fix to get it to even play.

Here are the Vero & Sandalwood games leading up to this game.

 

[peezy28]

51 minutes ago, OldSchoolLion said:

This was the Class 5A state title game, held in Dunedin.  Lakeland and Dunedin both had great defenses and each held their their 4 playoff opponents that year to only 37 points.  It was a rare showing by a Pinellas County team in a state final.  Dunedin held the Naughts scoreless in the second half and a goal line stand by Lakeland in the third quarter may have been the difference maker in this one.   5A consisted of over 100 teams at the time.  Interestingly, at the same time 10 miles up the coast, Tarpon Springs was hosting Dillard in the 4A final.

Great coaching interviews at the start and end of the game.  Dunedin coach Ken Weir showed a lot of class.  Despite some close officiating calls during the game, he didn't blame the refs for his team's loss.  This was Lakeland's first state title since 1935.  Gotta love the shots and nicknames of the players from that team at the start of the video.  

Under coach Bill Castle, the Naughts were really on the rise in the early 1980's.  They made the 5A state semis in 1982 and 1984.  In both years,  ultimate champion Pensacola Woodham traveled to Lakeland and beat the Naughts.  In their 1986 playoff run, they defeated Tampa Jefferson, Vero Beach, and Jacksonville Sandalwood.  It would be 10 years before Lakeland made it back to a state title game.

Dunedin had some very good teams in the 1980's.  This was the first of back-to-back Class 5A title game appearances.  1986 was a magical year for the Falcons.  In the first round of the playoffs, they traveled to Manatee and shocked the defending state champions 14-10.  They beat visiting Taravella 20-7 in the second round and then then traveled to Miami and beat a very good Carol City team 17-6 in the state semis.  Believe it or not, Dunedin returned the following year and beat the Chiefs in Miami 7-0 in 5A  state semifinal. 

 

I was at this game... i was just a little 4 year old jitterbug sitting on my dads shoulders but I was there.  Dunedin is me and my whole families alma mater and I had several family members on this team.  Terrance (Turk) Shaw is my cousin as is Karl McGill.  Terrance's brother Anthony was on the team but a Freshman and did not play much that year.  My brother just missed out on these years as he started in 88.  Todd Donahoe is a LB on this team and was 1 of my high school head coaches while at Dun Dun.  

So anyone want to talk about the QB situation at Lakeland that year?  It could be a big fish tall tale but there was always the rumor he should not have been playing in that game due to um..... some criminalistic issues LMAO.  I was too young to know just heard the barbershop  tales growing up.  Also heard lots about the officiating.

[gwdrum75]

3 minutes ago, peezy28 said:

So anyone want to talk about the QB situation at Lakeland that year?  It could be a big fish tall tale but there was always the rumor he should not have been playing in that game due to um..... some criminalistic issues LMAO.  I was too young to know just heard the barbershop  tales growing up.  Also heard lots about the officiating.

Nothing I ever heard. I was 11 at that time. I've had the chance to meet and talk to Shane over the last few years. His son and my daughter graduated together.

[FL_HS_football]

I went to that Championship game as well, as a side note the 1st round win over Manatee was a huge upset. Manatee was forced to move a WR to QB but probably still should have won the game. As I recall Dunedin recovered a Manatee fumble deep in Dunedin territory, with about 4 minutes left in the game. Manatee looked to get the ball back and score to win, but Dunedin was able reel off 2-3 1st downs by running the ball right into the heart of the Manatee Defense to close out the win. In the Championship game against Lakeland the undersized Dunedin defense was able to keep the score close, unfortunately the Dunedin offense wasn't really able to establish much in the way of a consistent offense against the Lakeland defense. Lakeland had a big FB.....I want to say his name was Motherstill, I always thought that was the perfect fullback name!

The following year when Dunedin played Pine Forest for the state title, Pine Forest was just an absolute beast of a team and Dunedin never really had a chance in the game, I'll never forget the head coach "Madison" for Pine Forest called a TO near the end of the game, with Pine Forest deep in Dunedin territory.  He comes out onto the field and into the Pine Forest offensive huddle and asked loud enough for me to hear where I was standing......"Okay, who hasn't scored yet?" and subsequently calls a play for that player to score. I just thought it doesn't get any more in your face than that......if I could hear Madison talking to his Pine Forest Offensive players, then surely the Dunedin defensive players did too.

[peezy28]

On 11/1/2018 at 2:49 PM, gwdrum75 said:

Nothing I ever heard. I was 11 at that time. I've had the chance to meet and talk to Shane over the last few years. His son and my daughter graduated together.

Like I said Barber shop tails.  Lots of stuff is said and grows larger over the years LOL.  I think one time it was say the Polk County Sheriff dropped him off and took the cuffs off... Even as a Teenager I was like "Ok that is straight BS" LMAO.