Seminoles can't find offensive groove in loss to Lemon Bay

BRADENTON -- Instead of taking the next step toward a postseason return, the Southeast football team saw its season reduced to a one-game proposition Friday night with a 14-7 Senior Night loss to visiting Class 5A-District 11 foe Englewood Lemon Bay at Paul Maechtle Field at John Kiker Memorial Stadium.

The Seminoles' inability to capitalize on earlier opportunities proved to be fatal in a fourth quarter that saw all 21 of the game's points scored.

Stephen Yulee broke a scoreless deadlock when he took a jet sweep 65 yards up the right sideline for a Lemon Bay touchdown with 8:48 remaining, while a 64-yard kickoff return by Brendan Shuman set up quarterback Victor Mellor's 19-yard touchdown pass to Jaryd Clary on a fourth-and-3 a little more than four minutes later.

Mellor, who finished with 89 yards on 22 carries with the majority of the carries being designed direct-snap runs, sealed Southeast's fortunes and snapped the Seminoles' three-game winning streak by converting a fourth-and-1 at his own 47 with just over a minute remaining.

"We came in here thinking we have to win," said Mellor, whose team improved to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in Class 5A-District 11 play. "That's a tough team and there's no way I'm going to put them down. The running back (Southeast's Kevin Johnson) is a great athlete. I think we did a great job of containing him and it's just awesome to come in here and win."

Southeast (3-4 overall, 2-1 in Class 5A-District 11) drove to the Lemon Bay 22 on the game's first possession, but it was forced to punt after quarterback Joey Giardina was sacked for a 12-yard loss on a third-down play.

Johnson fumbled an option pitch from Giardina at the Lemon Bay 20 with 1:48 left before halftime and Ricardo Rodriguez missed a 45-yard field goal attempt on the Seminoles' first drive of the second half, which saw Southeast incur four consecutive 5-yard penalties after reaching the Manta Rays' 30.

Southeast will travel to district leader Wauchula Hardee, which improved to 3-0 in district play with Friday night's win over Bayshore, next Friday.

A Hardee victory would give the Wildcats' the district championship and could prevent the Seminoles from making the playoffs for a third consecutive year if Lemon Bay defeats Sarasota Booker at home.

"It can go one or two ways," said second-year Southeast head coach John Warren. "We can either pack it in and give up on the season or keep fighting and still have a chance for the playoffs. I didn't like the behavior on the sideline after a loss. We win as a team, we lose as a team and we work as a team. Whenever we see signs of doubt, we have to stop that immediately. We have to respond because our season is not over by any means."

Johnson took over for Giardina and played quarterback out of a Wildcat formation after Lemon Bay's first touchdown. He scored Southeast's only touchdown with 6:43 left on a 10-yard run that capped a four-play, 75-yard drive, which was by Qion Burch's two carries for 43 yards.

Johnson led all rushers with 116 yards on 20 carries.

This story was originally published October 17, 2015 at 12:06 AM with the headline "Seminoles can't find offensive groove in loss to Lemon Bay ."