LAND O' LAKES -- The name Weatherford is synonymous with Land O’ Lakes football.
“This is family, so it feels like we’re at home,” Drew Weatherford said.
A Weatherford lined up under center for the Gators 11-consecutive years. A Weatherford suited up at Land O’ Lakes 18 total years.
- Weatherford brothers were honorary captains for the Butter Bowl
- Land O' Lakes snapped an 8-year losing streak to defeat Sunlake
- Land O' Lakes made the playoffs from 1997-2010 with a Weatherford on the team
“I started in 1994 and we played here until 2011, so I’ve either been playing or coming to games here for a very long time,” former state representative Will Weatherford said.
The brothers were back at their old stomping grounds as honorary captains for the Butter Bowl matchup against Sunlake. Walking onto the football field where they starred at various stages of their lives, the memories flooded in.
“I’m excited for these guys,” John Weatherford said. “Playing football Friday night at Land O’ Lakes is just amazing. You look back later in life, you remember how special this moment really was.”
“I’ve been coming to games literally since I can remember,” Stephen Weatherford said. “I was the water boy for the older ones and I mean, literally every one. When I was in middle school, I was coming to watch practices. So this is a part of me and really who I am.”
Stephen, the youngest of nine Weatherfords, was the last to play at Land O’ Lakes. His senior year, Stephen led the Gators to the postseason where they lost to eventual state champs Jefferson. He played at the next level at the University of Cincinnati. In fact, seven of the siblings went on to play college football, including Drew at Florida State. Before his time with the Noles, Drew led the state in passing touchdowns during the 2002 season for the Gators. But given all their college accomplishments, nothing compared to their Land O’ Lakes playing days.
“It’s been 23 years since the first one of us played at Land O’ Lakes High School,” Drew Weatherford said. “So, this program is engrained in who we are.”
The Weatherford name carries a lot of weight at Land O’ Lakes, but instead of living in each other’s shadow, each brother was able to leave their own mark on the program. And for one special night, they got to relive their glory days.
“You hear it growing up that you’ll remember this for the rest of your life,” Stephen said. “You hear it growing up over and over. Until you come back and you’re out of it, it doesn’t really hit you.
“But being in the locker room and being on the field, there really is not a better feeling than high school football.”