Vero Beach football arrives at Pitbull Stadium for Class 7A state final
The Fighting Indians will play Lake Mary in the Class 7A state final on Saturday, Dec. 13.Video via Kaila Jones, Crystal Vanderweit, Patrick Bernadeau.
- Vero Beach will play Lake Mary in the Class 7A state football championship game in Miami.
- The undefeated Vero Beach team is making its first state championship appearance since 1981.
- Lake Mary is returning to the state championship game after finishing as the runner-up last season.
- The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff at Florida International University’s Pitbull Stadium.
One of the greatest seasons in Vero Beach football history will write its closing chapter tonight in Miami.
The Fighting Indians (14-0) will play Lake Mary (11-3) in the Class 7A state championship game at Florida International University’s Pitbull Stadium in Miami on Saturday, Dec. 13. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Vero Beach, the No. 8 overall team in Florida, enters as the No. 1 seed in Class 7A while Lake Mary, the No. 15 overall team in Florida, is the No. 2 seed.
The Fighting Indians are making their first appearance in the FHSAA football state championship since 1981, the only time Vero Beach has won an FHSAA football state title.
Lake Mary is making its second consecutive Class 7A state championship game after finishing as state runner-up last season.
Watch Vero Beach vs. Lake Mary in state championship game
Treasure Coast Newspapers is bringing you live updates, scores and highlights from the game. Follow along.
The Fighting Indians can’t do anything with the takeaway as Monds throw three straight incompletions.
Lake Mary’s offense will start at the Vero Beach 46-yard line after the punt.
Vero Beach has the game’s first takeaway!
Noah Grubbs threw into traffic and the ball sailed into the arms of a diving Jordan Crutchfield.
Vero Beach takes over at its 16-yard line.
Vero Beach football appeared to get a stop on Lake Mary’s second offensive possession but the Rams converted a fake punt to extend the drive.
Lake Mary has the ball at the Vero 45-yard line.
An unbelievable start for Vero Beach.
Efrem White and Champ Monds both took the field for the Fighting Indians’ opening offensive play.
Monds took the snap and hit a wide open E.J. White for an 80-yard touchdown strike.
The Vero Beach defense stiffened in the red zone and forced a Noah Grubbs incompletion on third-and-13.
Vero Beach jumped offside, the Fighting Indians’ third penalty of the opening drive, to shorten the Rams’ field goal attempt.
Lake Mary’s Lucas Parker converted from 32 yards out for the game’s first score.
Noah Grubbs rolled out and hit an open receiver to convert a third down and move the Rams into the Vero Beach red zone.
Key plays: Lake Mary also converted a third down at midfield and saw 15 extra yards tacked on thanks to a facemask penalty against Vero Beach. Encroachment before the ensuing play moved Lake Mary inside the Vero 30-yard line.
Lake Mary will start the game on offense after the Fighting Indians won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
Noah Grubbs and the Rams’ offense will begin at the 18-yard line.
It appears to be a decidedly pro-Vero crowd at Pitbull Stadium for the Class 7A state championship game.
TCPalm reporter Patrick Bernadeau described the fan ratio as “5-to-1” in Vero’s favor during pre-game.
A large storm system is hovering over the Florida Keys this evening and bringing rain into the forecast for the Class 7A state championship.
According to AccuWeather, the rain potential is highest early in the evening around 8 p.m.
The Fighting Indians’ faithful fans are starting to take their places in the stands at Pitbull Stadium.
Kickoff is less than 45 minutes away!
Mike Henderson has never missed a Vero Beach High School football since he was 5 years old.
“I’m not going to miss (today),” said Henderson, 76, as he sat waiting for the Magic Carpet Ride fan bus to head out for Miami.
Fans started arriving for the 3 p.m. bus at 1:30 p.m. Dressed in Vero Beach High School red and black, the Vero Beach contingent was ready to cheer for a win. Bus riders brought pom poms, signs supporting Vero Beach and seat cushions. Two 56-seat Magic Carpet Ride buses set out from the former Kmart off U.S. 1. Tickets for the round-trip bus cost $75.
What time does Vero Beach vs. Lake Mary start?
- Date: Saturday
- Time: 7:30 p.m.
- Where: Pitbull Stadium, Florida International University, Miami
How to watch Vero Beach vs. Lake Mary today?
Vero Beach injury updates
Senior athlete Efrem White was gassed physically and drained emotionally following Vero Beach’s exhilatiing double-overtime win over Miami Palmetto to earn a berth into the Class 7A state title game. Moments after the rush of running out of the field to celebrate Jamarion Hillsman’s pass breakup on the game-deciding two-point conversion, the senior athlete was seated on the turf at the end of the handshake, in need of medical attention to get back to his feet.
“I was just out of breath and dehydrated,” White remembered.
Don’t worry Vero Beach fans. White, the best player in the classification this season, will be on the field and cleared to play when Vero Beach faces Lake Mary in the 7A state championship game. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 from South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium.
After missing the team’s regional final against Dr. Phillips, Champ Monds was the emergency backup quarterback against Palmetto as he dressed out and threw pregame, but did not play last week. He’s been a full participant in practice this week.
“He’ll be in an increased role as opposed to the emergency backup,” Jankowski said. “Each day, it’s a little better and ready to go. We’ll see how we’ll ulitize him, we’ll figure that out later in the week.”
Vero Beach vs. Lake Mary weather update
AccuWeather predicts 79 degrees with mostly cloudy skies at kickoff in Miami. Winds are expected to blow east northeast at 9 mph. There is a near 13% chance of rain.
Vero Beach schedule 2025
Here is Vero Beach’s schedule and results.
- Aug. 22: vs. Eau Gallie | W 41-31
- Aug. 29: at Buchholz | W 28-24
- Sept. 5: vs. Cocoa | W 38-3
- Sept. 12: vs. Centennial | W 37-0
- Sept. 26: at Fort Pierce Central | W 21-13
- Oct. 3: vs. Booker T. Washington | W 42-13
- Oct. 10: vs. Rockledge | W 42-7
- Oct. 17: at Pahokee | W 53-14
- Oct. 24: at Treasure Coast | W 49-0
- Oct. 30: vs. Somerset Academy | W 43-0
- Nov. 14: vs. East Ridge | W 57-10*
- Nov. 21: vs. Lake Nona | W 56-14*
- Nov. 28: vs. Dr. Phillips | W 49-23*
- Dec. 5: vs. Miami Palmetto | W 45-44 (2OT)*
- Dec. 13: vs. Lake Mary, 7:30 p.m.*
- Record: 14-0
*Indicates FHSAA playoff game
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.
