This year’s Butter bowl was one to remember. A very emotional and eventful game that everyone came to watch. It took place at Land o lakes High School, giving the gators a home-field advantage. This year for the Sunlake Seahawks has been very rough. Before the Butter Bowl loss, their record was (1-6). With only one win, it will be tough to win against the (7-1) Land o lakes Gators. In the end, the Seahawks fought their hardest and tried their best, but unfortunately came out as the loser of the 2022 Butter Bowl.

Many thoughts and emotions have gone through the players of the Sunlake football team. Featured in this image is Charlie Newport (Junior), gearing up pregame before the 2nd Butter bowl of his football career at Sunlake. When asked about his overall experience of his 2nd Butter Bowl, he says “It was an emotional roller coaster really, but the result of the game is very frustrating and kinda disappointing”. I then asked why he felt that way. “Lando is our rival and no matter what people think is gonna happen, we always are going to come into the game thinking we are gonna stomp them so when you lose, it really hurts.” He believes the loss and rough season is due to “a lack of accountability, unity, and leadership as teammates. Another is a struggle with good coaching and play calling, but with all the drama and issues that happened during this season, it is no surprise that these problems exist.” With any problem, there must be a solution. Charlie says, “I believe that we can turn everything around with time for preparation and some mild changes to the program. I say this because if we did not have these very dramatic changes two weeks into our ten-week season, I believe that the energy, intensity, unity, and execution of our team would be ten times better than it is now and we would have a winning season right now and may even be a top contender in the playoffs.”

All hope is still in the Seahawks as they finish their season. After the tough Butter Bowl loss, they have been knocked far back in their season and the overall moral level of the team. They will fight through adversity and along with their school support and team support, they will hope to finish off the season strong.