High School Varsity Football Touchdown Preview: Lennard High School, 2025

Lennard High School had a winning season last year and was just short of making the playoffs. The team went 6-4, winning their first six games.

The Longhorns have a three-year veteran quarterback in Jacob Mobley. A lot will be put on the captain in terms of making the right decisions, putting points up on the board and not turning the ball over. The senior thrives in the classroom as well, as a dual-enrollment student and is getting looked at by several Ivy League schools. Head Coach K.B. Belton acquiesced that the team will go as far as their senior signal caller will take them. It’ll be up to the young and inexperienced offensive line that has just one senior to keep him upright and healthy. Last year, he missed games due to injury.

“Jacob is very intelligent, he commands the offense, he knows where everybody is supposed to be, he knows where the ball is supposed go and he understands coverages,” said Belton. “He dissects things very well, and his teammates always feel confident when he’s out there. We go as far as he goes.”

Belton really likes his receiving corps, led by senior Western Carolina commit London Green, who had 711 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns in just nine games last season. Senior Keishawn Pestano added five receiving touchdowns last season and will play opposite of London. That duo, mixed with several talented up-and-coming sophomore and junior receivers, will make this group a special bunch. Senior Sumner transfer running back Ronnie Wilson will be a key factor and most likely lead the team in carries.

The defensive backs are a strong and talented group as well, headed by junior Florida State commit Mekhi Williams. Senior DB/safety Calvin Mobley is committed to Bryant College and junior defensive back Bryce Herald has several offers as well. Belton said that edge rusher Devin Barnette has several Division I offers and is one of the most “freakish athletes” in Hillsborough County at 6’4”, while running a 4.5.

The coach wants his team to cut down on penalties and play up to their competition, not down. He doesn’t want his guys to look at the other team’s logo and get discouraged or overconfident. He wants his team to have the mindset that the game is just practice against another defense, and to just focus on what they do best and try to execute.

Belton and the Longhorns had goals of winning a district title and hosting the team’s first home playoff game in school history. They were close but came up a little bit short. They will have a chance to redeem themselves this season with a core group of returning upperclassmen and four returning starters on offense and seven on defense. They will have to win at least one more game than they did last season to accomplish that. Belton believes that this year his program will break through as a team and put the county on notice that Lennard plays good football.

“Our motto is ‘Always all in’; at the end of the day you have to buy in,” said Belton. “Either you’re all in or you aren’t with us at all, because you have to be on time, you have to practice hard and you have to do all of the little things that will help you win games. It’s not just about showing up on Fridays and performing. Our mindset is that if you can’t do it in practice, then you won’t do it on Fridays.”

Schedule:

8/22 vs. Pasco

10/31 @ Chamberlain