Lakeland will host Lake Gibson on Friday night. The 7th meeting between the two team in preseason action. Both teams boast a number of college prospects and a respectable 2012 record. Last season, the Braves of Lake Gibson ended the season an impressive 10-1. While the Dreadnaughts of Lakeland completed the season 9-2.

The FHSAA started allowing schools to play full preseason games in 1993. Since then, Lake Gibson and Lakeland have played (preseason games) each other 6 times. Lakeland winning 4 of those preseason contests. The Drednaughts have outscored the Braves 122-55 in those 6 games and 100-7 in the most recent games played in 2009-2012. Lakeland has won the last four preseason games versus Lake Gibson with the last three games ending with Lake Gibson not scoring a point.

Overall, Lakeland is 14-2 in preseason action and Lake Gibson is 8-10. The Dreadnaughts have had 5 games either not played or canceled during play because of weather; three for Lake Gibson.

When it counts, in the regular season or in the playoffs, Lakeland has dominated the series 22-4. The Dreadnaughts have won the last 9 games between the two teams. Most recent game was in 2008 where Lakeland defeated Lake Gibson by one point (15-14). The Braves last win came in 1995, defeating the Dreadnaughts 30-14. The two teams played every year from 1979-1998. Did not play 1999-2004 and resumed play 2005-2008. Lakeland won each game in the most recent series (2005-2008) by a score of 180-59. The two teams played twice in 2005 (regular season and playoffs) and twice in 2006 (regular season and playoffs).

Lakeland’s worst preseason loss came to Lake Gibson in 2004 by a score of 28-6. Lake Gibson’s worst preseason loss was in 1997 when Lake Wales won 41-7.