For the first time in 60 years of Panther Football the CLHS varsity football team advanced to a regional final. After a return to form as district champions for the first time since 2019, the Panthers advanced to the regional playoffs. In the first round Nov. 15 they faced off against Somerset Academy and won 27-7. This win moved them through to the semi-finals in which they traveled down to Key West. Nov. 22 the Panthers got off on the wrong foot but quickly made up ground winning 24-21 over Key West. After two playoff wins, and their fifth straight win, the Panthers geared up to face the 29th ranked team in the state, the Miami Northwestern Bulls. The Panthers knew this would be a hard fight but they went into it confident and with high hopes. They fought hard but were unable to overcome the Bulls’ stacked roster, resulting in a 55-0 loss for the Panthers, ending their historic season.
Quarterback 1 Joseph Dube-Garrett said, “It felt good because no one believed in us to get that far. I was really excited to face Northwestern even though I knew the game might not go our way.” Dube-Garret finished the season with 31 receiving touchdowns, breaking a Cypress Lake record. Chartrael Jenkins, a leader on the team and two way player that leads in both total touchdowns and defensive tackles per game, gave his word on the experience in the regional finals saying. “I had high emotions coming into every game and leading up to facing Northwestern, I felt good and knew that it was going to be another day at practice for me.”
It is bittersweet for the players to see the end of this season, they were all hoping to make an appearance in the state playoffs. However, they still made school history. This year’s Panthers will never be forgotten.
