The Venice Indians saw their bid for back-to-back state titles come to a heartbreaking end Friday night, falling 31–26 to the Lake Mary Rams in the FHSAA Class 7A State Semifinal.
A packed crowd filled Don T. Reynolds Stadium in Seminole County, where Venice’s season came to a close despite a standout performance from senior running back Dorien Jones, who scored all three of the Indians’ rushing touchdowns.
Lake Mary — still carrying painful memories of last year’s championship loss — found redemption in the final minute. With Venice down to a single timeout and desperately needing a stop, Notre Dame signee Noah Grubbs kept the Rams alive with a critical scramble on third down. Seconds later, facing fourth-and-10, Grubbs hit running back O’Shea Faison on a swing pass that sealed the game with just 39 seconds remaining.
The play capped a night where every inch mattered — and where just one stop could have changed everything.
That feeling lingered even more because of a pair of controversial onside-kick rulings that Venice believed could have shifted the momentum. Head coach John Peacock voiced his frustration afterward, saying: “It didn’t go 10 yards because their guy came up and touched it. That could have been a huge play in the game.”
The sequence drew attention from fans and replay analysts alike, leaving many to wonder how differently the night might have unfolded.
The loss drops Venice to a 9–4 final record, but the team showed throughout the season why it remains one of Florida’s premier high school programs.
Their identity — physical, disciplined, resilient — never wavered. Players like Jones, the offensive line, and a defense that repeatedly battled against one of the state’s top quarterbacks kept the Indians within reach until the final minute.
For seniors, the ending was painful. For underclassmen, it becomes fuel. And for the Venice community — the families, alumni, and supporters who follow the team statewide — the pride remains firmly intact.
This season showed that we are fortunate to again field a team that is still a standard-bearer in Florida football, and the legacy of the 2025 Venice Football team is one of toughness, heart, and refusing to back down.
At the end of the season there might be only one Champion, but there is more than one winner, and this season's team demonstrated that it certainly earned & deserves that name.
Congratulations, Venice HS Football, 2025!