2022 CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: Daytona Beach Mainland vs. Lake Wales
PUBLISHED
Thu, Dec 15, 2022 3:29 PM
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Florida's Class 3S State Championship game kicks off Friday Afternoon December 16 at 1PM Eastern in a clash between the Central Florida perennial powerhouse Daytona Beach Mainland (11-3) facing the Undefeated Lake Wales Highlanders (13-0) at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
A LOOK AT THE CLASS 3S STATE FINAL'S TEAMS
DAYTONA BEACH MAINLAND BUCCANEERS
Mainland Team Hub
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona & St. John's Area
TEAM RECORD: 11-3
BIG WINS: Big wins over the newly resurgent Rick Darlington led DeLand Bulldogs 42-29, 39-26 win over Lake Minneola on the road, 41-17 win over Deltona, HUGE 16-14 win over #1 Regional seed Rockledge, a 45-10 thumping of Jensen Beach in the Regional Semifinals, defeated the Dunbar in a close 30-23 come-from-behind win in the State Semifinals.
LOSSES: Suffered three losses to three eventual playoff teams: Lost early 14-3 to Bartram Trail at home, lost to Kissimmee Osceola 33-6 on the road, and to Lake Mary 20-14 on the road in the Bucs regular-season finale. But since playoffs, it's been all business for the Bucs.
HEAD COACH: Travis Roland
Roland is MAINLAND BUCS... He breathes it. Travis Roland is responsible for leading a 2003 Mainland Bucs to a State Championship under HC John Maronto. Roland, who led the vaunted Bucs defense with over 200 tackles, and star RB Avery Atkins (RIP) were the catalysts and leaders of the Bucs 2003 State Championship Team. BUC PRIDE NEVER DIES
KEY PLAYERS:
#1 WR/ATH Ajai Harrell (SR) -- 72 Receptions for 1,147 yards, 14 TD receiving, 455 yds rushing, 13TD rushing, 28 total TD
#4 QB Demarcus "DC" Creecy (SR) -- 232/334, 3169 yards, 31 TD, 10 INT, 69.5%
#6 WR James Randle (JR) -- 57 receptions for 1,035 yards, 11TD
#7 LB Ty Richmond (SR)
#11 DE/TE Lawal LJ McCray (SR)
#12 ATH/DB Zay Mincey (JR)
#14 WR Clarence McCloud (JR)
DAYTONA BEACH MAINLAND CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY (1)
2ND STATE FINAL APPEARANCES
1X STATE CHAMPION
2003 5A State Champion
LAKE WALES HIGHLANDERS
Lake Wales Team Hub
Lake Wales, Florida
Heartland Area
TEAM RECORD: 14-0
BIG WINS:
LOSSES: None, UNDEFEATED
HEAD COACH: TaVaris Johnson
KEY PLAYERS
Jeremiah Anglin
#1 RB Xavier Marlow
#4 QB Trent Grotjan
#7 ATH Corey Harris, Jr.
#28 OLB Jeremiah Telot
#3 Diyantae Landrum
LAKE WALES HIGHLANDERS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY (0)
3RD STATE FINAL APPEARANCE
2x State Runner-Up
1994 4A State Runner-Up
1993 3A State Runner-Up
BY THE NUMBERS
SCORING DIFFERENTIALS
Official 2022 State Championship Game Page on Florida Gridiron
MORE RELATED LINKS
2022 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
2022 Class 3S Playoff Brackets
2022 FHSAA Class 3S Final RPI Rankings
VIDEOS OF THE 2022 CLASS 3S STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
Subscribe to the Florida Gridiron Preps YouTube Channel to get the latest on our video uploads!
SUBSCRIBE NOW