The Highlanders host the Barracudas in a Class 4A playoff game Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m.
By Kip
LAKE WALES, Fla. — Lake Wales has held eight of its nine opponents to 14 points or fewer. On Friday night, that defense will face New Smyrna Beach running back Todd Cutler Jr, who has rushed for 1,828 yards and 23 touchdowns this season.
The Highlanders (8–1) host the Barracudas (6–4) in an FHSAA Class 4A playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Lake Wales has won eight straight since a 35–34 loss to DeLand in the season opener and closed the regular season with a 52–14 win over Bartow. New Smyrna Beach is coming off a 20–15 loss to Hagerty. Three of the Barracudas’ four losses came by five points or fewer.
Lake Wales has the edge through the air
The teams averaged nearly identical rushing yardage during the regular season, with Lake Wales at 253.2 yards per game and New Smyrna Beach at 249.6. The gap was in the passing game. The Highlanders averaged 187.9 passing yards to the Barracudas’ 95.7 and scored 45.2 points per game to New Smyrna Beach’s 32.6, according to MaxPreps.
Quarterback Kingston Loydd threw for 1,599 yards and 23 touchdowns and added 366 yards on the ground. Kaneilius Purdy led Lake Wales with 819 receiving yards and 13 touchdown catches, while Kamari Smith rushed for 1,319 yards and 11 scores. New Smyrna Beach has a player to watch on both sides of the ball in Tres Walton, who led the Barracudas with 418 receiving yards and five interceptions. Lake Wales season stats · New Smyrna Beach team stats
Cutler tests the Highlanders’ defense
Cutler accounted for 73% of New Smyrna Beach’s rushing yards. He averaged 182.8 yards on the ground per game, including a season-high 288 in a 42–3 win over University. Lake Wales allowed 8.9 points per game and posted three shutouts. Jayden Williams led the Highlanders with 80 tackles, and Loobensky Lafortune recorded eight sacks.
Watch what happens on first down. If Cutler consistently leaves New Smyrna Beach with short second and third downs, the Barracudas can keep their running game central and limit possessions for Loydd and the Lake Wales offense. If the Highlanders hold him to short gains early, New Smyrna Beach will have to lean more on a passing game that averaged fewer than 100 yards per outing.
