Live Updates: Lakeland defeats Buchholz in Class 4S Florida high school state semifinal

FINAL: Lakeland holds off Buchholz 21-20 and will head back to the Class 4S state championship game to defend its title. The Dreadnaughts will face Venice. 

UPDATE: Buchholz has a fourth down with 24 seconds left. It needs a miracle.

UPDATE: Lakeland fails to convert on fourth down. Buchholz takes over on their own 17 with one minute remaining in the game. 

Buchholz calls its final timeout with 1:06 left and its fourth down for Lakeland.

UPDATE: Lakeland forces Buchholz to punt and then the Dreadnaughts pick up a first down. 

UPDATE: Lakeland misses a 27-yard field goal with 3:41 remaining in the game. Dreadnaughts still leading 21-20 but Buchholz will take over on its own 20.

UPDATE: Venice has beaten DeLand on the other side of the 4S bracket. Venice will play the winner of this game.

UPDATE: Lakeland quarterback Zander Smith hits Pat Dennis with a 67-yard pass to put the Dreadnaughts in Buchholz territory.

TOUCHDOWN:  Trace Johnson connects with Jordan Richardson on a 2-yard touchdown pass but the point-after kick missed. Lakeland still leads 21-20 with 7:53 left in the fourth. 

UPDATE; Buchholz picked up 31 yards on a pass from Trace Johnson to DJ Hicks which took them down to the 11-yard line. 

UPDATE: End of the third quarter, Lakeland leading Buchholz 21-14. The Dreadnaughts can return to the Class 4S state championship game to defend their title if they can hold Buchholz down on the fourth.

TOUCHDOWN: Lakeland takes its first lead of the game, 21-14, on a 2-yard touchdown run by Malik Morris. He scores with 41 seconds left in the third quarter. 

UPDATE: After both teams traded possessions, Lakeland starts a drive at its own 20;

UPDATE: Third quarter underway with both defenses delivering some punishing hits.

HALFTIME: Lakeland 14, Buchholz 14

TOUCDOWN: Lakeland knots up the score 14-14 after a 1-yard touchdown run by Malik Morris with 3:57 left in the second quarter.

UPDATE: Lakeland picks off Buchholz quarterback Trace Johnson and gets a 1st-and-goal situation at the Bobcats' 7.

UPDATE: Buchholz will take over with its fourth possession at its own 11-yard line leading 14-7 in the second quarter.

TOUCHDOWN: Lakeland quarterback Zander Smith connects on a 28-yard touchdown pass to Rick Penick with 11:52 remaining in the second quarter. Buchholz still leads 14-7.

TOUCHDOWN: Justin Williams hauls in a 25-yard touchdown pass from Trace Johnson and Buchholz takes a 14-0 lead over defending 4S state champion Lakeland with 3:50 left in the first quarter.

UPDATE: Buchholz will start its second drive from its own 14 after a Lakeland punt.

TOUCHDOWN; Buchholz takes a quick 7-0 lead after running back Quinton Cutler scores on a 9-yard run. Kick is good at the 9:12 mark.

UPDATE 7:36 -- Buchholz is off and running and picks up a first down in Lakeland territory at their 40-yard line.

Defending Class 4S state champion Lakeland invades Buchholz tonight in Gainesville in a 4S state semifinal. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. Watch all the game updates right here.

The winner of this clash will advance to the 4S state championship game at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee on Dec. 9. It will face the winner of Deland at  Venice. 

Buchholz is 13-0 and led by sophomore quarterback Trace Johnson, who has 2,261 yards with 29 touchdowns this season. He has thrown eight interceptions.

Additionally, Buchholz senior running back Quinton Cutler has rushed for 970 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Lakeland scored 77 points this past week in a remarkable 77-48 win against Lake Minneola. Dreadnaughts junior quarterback Zander Smith has thrown for 1,559 yards with 21 touchdowns.