SOUTH SUMTER

2016: 10-2, Class 4A Regional Champs

Head Coach: Ty Lawrence, 2nd season with South Sumter

Key Returners: S Deontae Grant, LB Matthew Palmer

The Scoop: The South Sumter Raiders came as close as it gets to states, falling just shy of a berth to the state championship game. Fighting back from a 21-0 deficit to Bolles in the semi-finals, the Raiders lost the game 31-26.

The Raiders are entering rebuilding mode in 2017 with over 20 seniors gone from last season, including notable defensive captain Carson Wells, who is now at Colorado.

Quotable: “I don’t like saying put it behind me. I like to think about it whenever we are going through tough times at practice, anything. Just to think about those few inches, just try to keep that in the back of your head to give you extra work. Think about how close we were.” – senior linebacker Matthew Palmer

 

2017 Schedule:

8/18 @River Ridge

8/25 vs Leesburg

9/1 @Nature Coast Tech

9/8 @Trenton

9/15 @North Marion

9/22 @Bishop Moore

9/29 vs Trinity Catholic

10/6 vs Dunnellon

10/13 vs Avon Park

10/20 @Crystal River

10/27 vs St. Petersburg

 

It’s all about the extra inch this summer. The extra effort, the extra push.

After all, it was that one-inch that cut South Sumter’s 2016 season short. In the state semi-finals vs Jacksonville Bolles, the South Sumter Raiders were inches short of the goal line on the potential game winner, but a controversial ruling had the play just shy of a touchdown.

“Not a day goes by where I haven’t thought about it really. So close,” said Head Coach Ty Lawrence.

The Bolles Bulldogs went on to play at Camping World Stadium, the Raiders having to move on.

“I don’t like saying put it behind me. I like to think about it whenever we are going through tough times at practice, anything. Just to think about those few inches, just try to keep that in the back of your head to give you extra work. Think about how close we were,” said senior linebacker Matthew Palmer.

Tradition never graduates. That’s the motto painted on the weight room walls at South Sumter.  And while over 20 seniors from last season have graduated, the Raiders are still fighting for redemption with South Sumter’s typically tough workout circuits, anted up a notch this summer.

“I’m trying to get me and my other teammates to give that little bit more so when that chance comes up, we can actually succeed in it next time,” explained senior free safety Deontae Grant.

South Sumter will have a tough road ahead if they want to make it back to that moment and beyond. Their 2017 schedule, difficult to say the least.

“Nine of the ten teams we play have made the playoffs the last couple of years,” said Coach Lawrence.

But the Raiders are hoping that extra inch this summer will payoff this fall.

“I feel like as long as we think we can do it, we can fight against a lot of teams,” said Grant. “If we go into the games thinking we are going to lose then the results will come, but if we come in with confidence I think we can do anything.”

 

CLICK ON THE VIDEO LINK FOR THE FULL STORY