Lake Highland keeps faith despite slide
In the classroom, Lake Highland Prep football coach Cameron Duke teaches world history.
On the football field, his students have their heads in helmets instead of books and learn about the team’s past triumphs instead of the Renaissance.
He makes sure they know the Highlanders went to the playoffs 16 times in 19 seasons from 1993-2011. He makes sure Bill Buchalter’s Connections column: Former First Academy volleyball player shines at Liberty, C2 they know about the 10 district championships.
And he makes sure they know it can happen again.
“Our theme this year is ‘brick by brick,’ ” Duke said. “We talked about Lake Highland in the past having a wall of success, and we want to rebuild that wall: ‘Are you going to put a brick on the wall or not?’
“We can build something special, but it’s going to take time.”
The Highlanders (0-7, 0-3 in Class 5A, District 11) have not had a winning season since 2010 (10-3) and haven’t won a game since the beginning of 2012. They have a 23-game losing streak entering their matchup against visiting Bishop Moore (7-0, 2-0) at 7 tonight.
Despite another forlorn season, the Highlanders remain hopeful and excited.
“We have to keep saying, ‘The next game is going to be different,’ and keep practicing, and tell everyone they have to stick with us and we’ll eventually get the program back,” senior defensive tackle Tyler Veen said. “They have to keep believing in us. We can’t do it alone.”
Determining a reason for the football program’s fall
from grace is as difficult as losing every week. Duke is in his first year at the school and said there is a lot of inexperience on the team. The Highlanders start 17 underclassmen and three seniors who haven’t played football since ninth grade.
No players from this team have committed to colleges, compared with six in 2012.
Athletic director Frank Prendergast said that at the same time the school moved from 4A to 5A in 2013 because of a boost in enrollment, fewer boys who had a strong football background in the sport played.
“We are currently discussing reorganizing our program,’’ Prendergast said. “In the late ’90s, we moved to middle school, jayvee and varsity [teams] when our number were strong. We are considering returning to two teams.’’
The backs of the Highlanders’ practice jerseys say, “Coat of Arms,” a reminder that they are a family and need to battle together. That philosophy was strengthened over the summer, when Duke and 18 players went on a mission trip to the Bahamas. It was there they heard the Old Testament story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem despite enemy attacks.
“There’s still a sense of joy in the midst of such a tough season,” Duke said. “They know that we love them. We’re going to push them and love them no matter what happens on Friday night.”
Sophomore center Alex Caron said the Highlanders believe they can notch their first victory when they host Daytona Beach Halifax Academy (2-6) next week.
“It ’s something we’ve been working toward,” Caron said. “A ton of people still come out to games, still hoping we’re going to win our first game. People are excited to see that.”
Still, losing can be frustrat- ing, and not everyone is supportive. Being a football player at Lake Highland doesn’t come with a lot of praise from peers these days, especially with the success of other sports. The Highlanders’ girls volleyball team won five consecutive state titles (2004-08), while their boys lacrosse team won at state in 2011 and ’13.
“It can be hard with people making fun of the football team for not winning in two or three years,” Veen said. “People are always asking how we do, and we have to tell people we didn’t win.
“The only way we’re going to get through is if we stick together.”