Despite Pack's big day, Sarasota football falls to Lehigh in regional play-in

The Sailors managed to navigate choppy waters in the first half of their Class 7A regional play-in game against Lehigh.

But a rough second half means Sarasota’s season has sailed. The Sailors lost to the Lightning 42-20 Friday night at Sarasota High School, wrapping up a 5-6 season.

“Our kids fought hard tonight,” Sarasota head coach Brody Wiseman said. “Obviously, we didn’t make the plays when it mattered.”

Lehigh senior Tar’varish Dawson scored three touchdowns on the night — two rushes and one reception. For Sarasota, senior wide receiver Terrell Pack shined in the losing effort, catching two touchdowns from junior Lance Trippel.

“[I’ll remember] the pride we have,” Pack said when asked what he’ll remember most about his time as a Sailor. “We keep fighting and fighting and fighting while everybody doubts us.”

“I’m happy about the culture and identity we’re establishing as a program,” Wiseman added. “I think it’s really something that we can carry forward. … The want-to and the fight, I think there’s a lot more pride in what we are as a program. This is something that started before I took over as head coach. When I came on as an assistant for Spencer Hodges, he kind of laid the foundation.”

Sarasota nearly got out to an early lead, reaching the Lightning 8-yard line with about four minutes to play in the first. However, the drive stalled after an errant snap on first-and-goal led to an 11-yard loss. The Sailors eventually missed a 37-yard field goal attempt.

Lehigh responded with a touchdown drive to take a 7-0 lead. The score came on a 15-yard touchdown run by Dawson.

The second quarter was a defensive battle — until the last two minutes, that is. First, the Lightning extended their lead to 14-0 on a 27-yard catch-and-run by junior Alex Gonzalez. The Sailors scored immediately afterward on a kickoff return by senior Dom Bennett.

Lehigh then put together a quick-strike drive capped off by a 30-yard touchdown pass from senior Durand Bundy to Dawson to make the score 21-7 with 28.5 seconds left in the half. Not to be outdone, Sarasota constructed a three-play drive that ended with a 40-yard touchdown pass from Trippel to Pack with no time remaining. Lehigh led at halftime 21-14.

The Sailors had a chance to tie the game midway through the third quarter. They decided to go for it on fourth-and-1 from the Lightning 2-yard line but committed a false start. Sarasota sent out its field goal unit but then drew Lehigh offside to get another chance to go for it on fourth-and-1. But a snap over Trippel’s head doomed the play, and sophomore Richard Young took the very next play 82 yards for a Lightning touchdown run that signaled the beginning of the end of the Sailors’ season.

Lehigh would tack on two more rushing touchdowns, including one more from Dawson to make it 42-14 early in the fourth quarter. Pack caught another touchdown pass, this one a 15-yarder from Trippel with 1.5 seconds left, that made the final score 42-20 in favor of the Lightning.