Friday night lights back in Southwest Florida as Lehigh Senior High faces Lake Gibson

Reporter: Zach Oliveri Writer: Paul Dolan
Published:
Friday night lights were in Lehigh Acres. (CREDIT: WINK News)

Friday night lights are shining brightly once again at Lehigh Senior High in Southwest Florida.

The lightning fans waited and waited for an hour and a half weather delay after, coincidentally, lightning was detected. But, unperturbed the fans eventually got to see their team face-off against Lake Gibson from Lakeland.

ESPN was also in Lee County for the first time in 16 years to see the show. And since ESPN has cameras watching every down, tackle, and throw means the margin of error is slimmer and the pressure is higher than ever.

“My goal when I first got to Lehigh is to bring us from a place where nobody knew about. To now a bunch of people know about,” said James Chaney the Lehigh Senior High head coach.

Lehigh running back, Richard Young, is on a mission to make his coach’s goal become reality. Young, committed to Alabama for the time being, is a highly touted young athlete with a bright future.

Lehigh Acres resident Bill and Betsy Lohrfink moved from New Jersey in May. Bill had no plans of missing this game and seeing how talented Young is.

“We heard about this running back we had to come and see him,” said Bill.

Young isn’t the only young star on this team, and plenty of others are trying to get their name out there and chase their dreams.

Ernesto Adamo is the Lehigh Senior High School athletic director and shared some thoughts with WINK News.

“They look at this as their starting point on where they see themselves. You know playing in the next level whether it’s in college or if they go on to the professional,” said Adamo. “They’re getting a taste of that experience.”

“We want them to get that opportunity to play college football. No matter where they play in high school,” said Chaney.

Lehigh has a long season ahead of them but Friday night, they’re trying to get win number one of the season.

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