Tampa Bay Tech Makes Early Statement in Preseason Win Over Carrollwood Day

By the end of the night, the Titans had made some noise of their own.

Tech came away with a 38-14 win in a matchup loaded with Division I talent on both sidelines. It was only a preseason game, so there is no reason to make too much of one August result, but Tampa Bay Tech looked sharp in a lot of areas.

Sophomore quarterback Martavious Conway Jr. looked comfortable from the start and showed an early connection with senior wide receiver Carlos Lemons. Bryant pushed the ball downfield and gave Tech’s offense a vertical element that was tough to deal with.

Lemons is part of a receiving group that should be a problem all season. With Jordyn Murray and Edson Santo also in the mix, the Titans have three legitimate options on the outside and enough speed to stress a defense in different ways.

That was especially notable against a Carrollwood Day secondary with plenty of Division I talent.

Tech still found ways to create explosive plays through the air, and that eventually became one of the biggest differences in the game.

The Titans’ defense also looked ready.

Rome Freeman, Connor Wills and Daunta Peterson Jr. were among the names that stood out for a unit that played fast and gave Carrollwood Day problems throughout the night. Tampa Bay Tech has enough talent on that side of the ball to make a case for being one of the better defensive groups in the state this season.

Carrollwood Day had some bright spots of its own.

Zylen Little was active up front and consistently found his way into the backfield. He disrupted plays, created pressure and was one of the more noticeable defenders on the field for the Patriots.

Offensively, one of the biggest takeaways for Carrollwood Day was the debut of Derrell Hines Jr.

The four-star transfer from Hillsborough wasted little time showing what he can bring to the offense. Hines and quarterback Myles McDonald connected early, and Hines came down with multiple tough catches that showed off his ability in contested situations and as a downfield threat.

That connection should only get better as the season goes on.

Hines also saw time on defense and made an impact there as well, giving Carrollwood Day another player who can help on both sides of the ball.

Kameron Battle also flashed the playmaking ability that has made him such an important part of the Patriots’ offense.

The final score will get attention, but Carrollwood Day is still working through a lot of new pieces. There were moments where the talent showed, and once the timing and chemistry catch up, this is still a team with enough ability to bounce back quickly.

For Tampa Bay Tech, the opener was a strong first look at what this group can be.

Bryant looked settled in, the receiving corps showed its explosiveness and the defense came ready to play.

It was preseason, but Tech looked like a team that is already starting to find its identity.

Carrollwood Day has some rust to knock off, but there is still too much talent on that roster to expect the Patriots to stay down for long.