The scoreboard read 47–35 when the final horn sounded Friday night, but that number didn’t tell the whole story.
Not about the fight.
Not about the pride.
And certainly not about the season.
Under the lights at a packed Bulldog Stadium, with the stands packed and the fence line full, Zephyrhills High School’s incredible run finally came to an end in a hard-fought Class 4A regional semifinal loss to Lake Wales. The defeat snaps the Bulldogs’ 11-game winning streak and closes the book on an 11–1 season, tying the best record in school history.
The season ended. But what didn’t end, though, was what this team has meant to this town.
“I’m do proud of what all these kids accomplished,” said an emotionally drained Zephyrhills Coach Nick Carroll. I really couldn’t be more proud. That is a great group of kids righ there.”
From the opening kickoff, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a quiet night.
The Bulldogs traded blows with Lake Wales in a high-scoring, back-and-forth battle that had fans on their feet from the first quarter to the last. Every time the Highlanders landed a punch, Zephyrhills answered with one of its own.
Senior quarterback Patrick Harding led the offense firing three touchdown passes and refusing to let his team fade, even as the game turned into a track meet.
Those touchdown throws found the sure hands of his playmakers:
Roe Miller – a force all night – caught one touchdown through the air and bulldozed his way into the end zone twice on the ground, finishing with three total touchdowns and giving the Bulldogs life every time they needed a spark.
Sanyiin Black hauled in a touchdown grab, making big catches in key moments and fighting for every yard.
Deori Pope added another receiving touchdown, slipping past defenders and putting the exclamation point on a drive that had the home crowd roaring.
The Bulldogs never stopped swinging. They pushed, clawed, and battled all four quarters against a Lake Wales team that had to earn every yard.
When the pads come off and the field goes quiet, it’s easy to focus on the last game. But this Zephyrhills team deserves to be remembered for the journey, not just the final chapter.
This success doesn’t happen by accident.
It happens because kids lift and play 7-on-7 in the offseason. Because coaches spend long nights drawing up game plans. Because parents race from work to practices and games. Because teammates push each other through conditioning in August heat and sprints in the rain.
This team carried the pride of Zephyrhills on its shoulders from Week 1 to the regional semifinals—and they did it with class, toughness, and heart.