Southeast closes season with resounding victory

A promising season, the second under head coach Rashad West, turned dismal earlier in the week at Southeast High as the football program forfeited six games – including five wins – and was assessed a fine for separate incidents.

A return to the glory years of Southeast football – which West contributed to as a player – and a likely trip to the playoffs disappeared as quickly as Latrell Peavy running down field.

Nonetheless, the Seminoles closed the season with a flourish Friday night against Harmony of Osceola County.

On senior night, seniors Tyler Stevenson, Alex Taylor, Korey Waters, Eric Fenk and Peavy led the way as the Noles defeated the Longhorns 67-42 in a non-district game at John Kiker Memorial Stadium at Paul Maechtle Field.

“I think our kids showed what we are about as a program,” West said. “They did not lay down. People wonder how they can come out and play after the week we’ve had. They came out and gave this effort. That’s what we talked about.”

West added that the off-field situations were “the talk of the town all week.” But Peavy, who rushed 11 times for 201 yards in the first half and scored six of Southeast’s 10 touchdowns, did his best to silence Southeast’s critics.

“We can’t escape it,” West said. “We had to compartmentalize and play for those guys in that locker room, and play for those seniors.”

West said the seniors were upset that the game forfeitures cost Southeast a playoff appearance.

“They were disappointed, man,” he said. “They wanted in their last hurrah to go out on top. They wanted to put on a show in their final game.”

West said Peavy did “an awesome job.”

“That’s one of the better nights I’ve ever seen a back have, man,” the coach said of his 5-foot-8, 180-pound workhorse.

Southeast started sluggish but kept pace with Harmony in a first half that saw eight touchdowns scored.

After spotting Harmony a 13-0 lead, the Noles showed they were not rolling over on this night, outscoring the Longhorns 54-15 into the fourth quarter in the last game of Southeast’s season.

The Noles got on the scoreboard when Waters caught a pass from Taylor and fumbled the ball into the end zone, where Fenk fell on it with 4:55 remaining in the first quarter. Lorenzo Rojas’ kick made it 13-7.

Nate Herstich then threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Bass with 1:59 remaining for Harmony. A two-point conversion made it 21-7.

Undaunted, Taylor connected with Waters on a 57-yard touchdown pass with 1:04 left in the quarter. Rojas missed the ensuing kick as Harmony led 21-13.

One minute into the second quarter the elusive Peavy scored on a 57-yard run. Rojas’ PAT made it 21-20. After Reece Allison missed a 22-yard field goal for the Longhorns, Taylor connected with Peavy on a 30-yard touchdown pass with 4:05 remaining in the half.

Peavy was wide open on the right side, fooling all 11 Longhorns defenders and many people in the bleachers. Rojas’ kick gave Southeast a 27-21 lead.

The Noles’ lead was brief as Harmony scored about 20 seconds later on a 68-yard pass from Herstich to Lane Hickey. Allison’s PAT made it 28-27 with 3:46 remaining.

Southeast scored two touchdowns in less than 3 minutes at the beginning of the second half. The Noles took their second lead of the game on their first play from scrimmage of the third quarter as Taylor and Waters connected on a 75-yard pass. Rojas missed the kick as Southeast led 33-28 with 11:41 remaining in the third. Peavy then scored on a 42-yard run and Rojas converted the kick as Southeast led 40-28 with 9:34 left in the quarter.

Peavy scored again on a 68-yard run with 5:59 left in the third quarter and Rojas converted the kick, giving the Noles a 47-28 lead. His next score came on a 9-yard run, giving Southeast a 54-28 lead with 10:53 left in the fourth quarter.

After a Harmony touchdown, Taylor connected with Stevenson on a 65-yard pass, giving Southeast a 60-36 lead with 7:20 remaining. Peavy capped his night with an 80-yard scoring run with 5:48 left.

Southeast was fined $1,650, the team was placed on probation for its role in a fight at the end of their recent district game against Hardee County. Six Southeast players were suspended four games by the Manatee County School District for their roles in the melee.

The school also was forced to forfeit six games after self-reporting the use of an ineligible player.

“I look around, and even out here (at the stadium) people question our effort. They may question what we are doing as a program,” West said. “(But) this stuff over the last couple of weeks is not who we are. That’s not who our kids are. That’s not who we are as coaches. I’m just excited that they came out tonight and they put their best foot forward, man, and went out on a high note.”

This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 11:00 PM with the headline "Southeast closes season with resounding victory."