- May 6, 2024
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What now?
It's a question the Lakewood Ranch High football team (0-2) will have to answer following a 41-6 road loss Sept. 1 to Cardinal Mooney High (2-0).
For a team that was energetic and in control in its 40-14 preseason win over Dunedin High, the Mustangs have found themselves equally frustrated in their two regular-season losses, the first a 20-13 defeat against Lemon Bay High (1-0) on Aug. 25.
The Mustangs' offense hasn't found itself, a fact that was evident against a defensively stout Cougars squad, which is known for its pass defense. Cardinal Mooney has two NCAA Division I-level players at cornerback in senior Teddy Foster and junior Chris McCorkle, plus rising star sophomore Macaiden Brown at safety.
Even when Mustangs senior quarterback Sebastian Mejia had time to throw — which was a rarity — the Mooney trio's lockdown coverage forced him to pass into tight windows or to dump the ball to a running back for a short gain. Mejia completed six of 18 passes for 76 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Defensively, things started better, as the Mustangs were able to slow the Cougars' rushing attack. Eventually, Mooney's superior size across the board won in the trenches, and the Cougars started to control the ball and the flow of the game. Mooney finished with more than 200 rushing yards and 360 total yards. In the open field, Lakewood Ranch didn't have the athleticism to hang with Mooney's elite speedsters for a full game.
A stuttering offense and a leaky defense have given Mustangs Head Coach Scott Paravicini plenty to worry about. The next week of practice will be about finding the answers to those concerns.
"There's a lot to work on," Paravicini said. "One thing about our kids is we play hard. They continued to fight, so that's a good thing for us.
"We're trying to find our identity. We're trying to do some new things. I'm proud of the work the guys have put in. These first two games just haven't gone our way."
Part of the team's struggles might come down to natural size. Mooney has 13 players on its MaxPreps roster listed at 6-foot-2 or taller while the Mustangs have six. Conversely, the Mustangs have nine players listed as 5-foot-9 or shorter and the Cougars have four. Asked about the Mustangs' overall size disadvantage compared to teams like Mooney, Paravicini shrugged off the notion that size played a significant factor in the team's two losses.
"I like my guys," Paravicini said.
One of those guys is junior receiver Jaron Fields, the 5-foot-8 receiver who continues to produce even when the rest of the offense is in a rut. Down 13-0 in the second quarter, Mejia hit Fields on a screen pass, and he took it through the heart of the Mooney defense for a 25-yard touchdown that momentarily quieted the Cougars' crowd.
After spending 2022 on the school's junior varsity team, he's shown he can play at the varsity level in 2023. He's caught a touchdown pass from Mejia in both contests, and had a third in the team's 40-14 preseason win against Dunedin High. Fields has been working as a slot receiver, where he's showcased an ability to get separation as well as displaying shifty moves in the open field once he catches the ball.
"He's an athletic kid and he has a good football IQ," Paravicini said of Fields. "When he touches it, there's always a chance something special happens."
Getting Fields the ball more could be one solution to the team's offensive issues, but the team will likely need more than one way to move the ball in week three. Lakewood Ranch will travel to rival Braden River High (1-0) for a 7 p.m. game Sept. 8. The Pirates have won seven-straight games in the rivalry series, including last year's 33-14 victory. Braden River will be well-rested as the Pirates' week two game against Palmetto High was postponed because of damage done by Hurricane Idalia to the school's new turf field. A makeup date has not been announced as of Sept. 2.
Lakewood Ranch could use any bit of momentum it could muster heading into Braden River week, which is why Paravicini called for a fake punt on fourth and 16 when down 35 points to Cardinal Mooney in the fourth quarter. The fake, conducted by senior punter Aaron Clark, worked as he scampered 40 yards and put the offense near the red zone. The Mustangs could not turn the fake into any points, but the play did cause some excitement on the sideline.
"We were just trying to do something to get positive energy and finish the football game (strong)," Paravicini said. "We want to build on it come Monday. We know we've got Braden River, so we were trying to get our guys some life."
