Vero Beach High School's unbeaten season ended in heartbreak Dec. 13 as the Indians fell 28-27 to Lake Mary in the Florida Class 7A state championship game, decided on a last-second play, according to information from MaxPreps.
Trailing 27-21 with eight seconds remaining and more than 40 yards from the end zone, Lake Mary completed a deep pass that was initially deflected and appeared to come up short. The ball wound up in the hands of Lake Mary receiver Barrett Schulz, who was stopped just shy of the goal line.
Lake Mary sophomore Tavarius Brundidge Jr. then ripped the ball from his teammate near the 4-yard line and spun into the end zone to tie the game, MaxPreps reported. Junior Lucas Parker converted the extra point to give Lake Mary the win.
Vero Beach, which entered the game undefeated, led 7-3 after the first quarter and extended the advantage to 21-3 by halftime. The Indians added six points in the third quarter but were held scoreless in the fourth as Lake Mary rallied with 17 points.
The loss dropped Vero Beach to 14-1, its first defeat of the season. Lake Mary improved to 12-3 and won its first state championship.
In a statement to families following the game, Vero Beach High School Principal Rachel Serra-Finnegan acknowledged the pain of the ending while emphasizing the broader meaning of the season.
“The end of the game is a kind of heartbreak that stays with you,” Serra-Finnegan said. “Our players, our coaches, our boosters, our band, our cheerleaders, our school team, our families, and our fans poured everything they had into that moment.”
She said the season “was never defined by a scoreboard,” but by effort, sacrifice and resilience, adding that the team’s one-point loss “cannot erase your work, growth, and memories you created together.”
The School District of Indian River County also issued a statement urging perspective and support for the players and coaches.
“A final score will fade, but the memories made, the lessons learned, and the character shown will endure,” the district said. “Our students and coaches deserve encouragement, respect, and support, even when outcomes are not what we hoped for.”
Neither team has additional games scheduled.