Friday’s varsity game at Veterans Stadium had Lemon Bay squaring off against Wellen Park High, with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Lemon Bay High School’s Manta Rays dominated the Wellen Park Eagles with a heavy ground attack in a homecoming victory resulting in a big win, Lemon Bay 40, Wellen Park 7. 

The 2026 Homecoming King and Queen: Moriah Baker & Peyton Horn were crowned during halftime. 

That night, the Touchdown Club rolled out something new: the Jubilee Jamboree Toy Drive, working with St. David’s Jubilee Center and inviting everyone to bring a new toy or gift card to help families during the holidays.

On Saturday, October 3, everyone traded in jerseys for glitter and gowns at the Homecoming Dance. The memories made there probably don’t fit in a scrapbook; they’ll linger long after the night ends. And grads? They came back, just like every year, turning Homecoming into a true Manta Ray family reunion.

The Athletic Hall of Fame Induction

But October at Lemon BayHigh School holds even more unforgettable events. The Athletic Hall of Fame Induction lands on Friday, October 9, 2026, from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. on campus, a celebration that honors the school’s finest. 

After the induction, the crowd rolls straight to Senior Night/Pink Out football as Lemon Bay faces LaBelle at 7:30 p.m., and the next morning sees teams hitting the links for the Athletic Department Golf Tournament.

Lemon Bay Athletics couldn’t be prouder of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026. This year’s inductees:

Christian Otvos: Weightlifting & Football
Sam Tilly: Track & Field & Football
Robert Burris: Track & Field, Soccer & Football
Charlie Russo: Trainer, Mentor, Legend
Cherie Ingordo-DeVaux: Horse Trainer

Congratulations to every inductee, a group whose stories and dedication will keep inspiring Lemon Bay for years to come.

Click here for more information.

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The weather feels like late summer, but it’s football season, and the Lemon Bay High School Manta Rays are all in. These students haul themselves out of bed at 5:45 a.m. practices, pouring their hearts into building a team our whole Englewood community can cheer for. Go Manta Rays! 

This issue packs in captivating stories, as always. With Pioneer Days 2026 behind us, let’s shine a light on Kim Parks. She’s the Membership Coordinator for the Englewood Chamber, and she’s everywhere. Ribbon-cuttings, grand openings, community events, you name it, Kim’s right in the middle of things, always sporting that big, unforgettable smile. You have to think of the Mary Tyler Moore theme: “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” That’s Kim to a tee. And since the Chamber never stops, neither does she. 

Rita Bertler’s story stands out, too. She founded Dollars for Mammograms because the fight for early detection hit close to home. This group offers free breast cancer screenings for uninsured and underinsured folks in Charlotte County and South Sarasota County, including Nokomis. We caught up with Rita, plus Kathleen Callahan from Xpertech, to talk about their plans. The first Trailblazer 5K, on October 24, is right around the corner, uniting Dollars for Mammograms and the Englewood YMCA in their mission to keep our town healthy. Circle October 7th for The Pink Luncheon; you don’t want to miss it.

We also want to take a moment to honor and celebrate the life of Thomas “Tom” Dignam, whom we lost on September 18, 2026, at 84 years old. A true Englewood original: lifelong resident, business owner, community leader, devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and loyal friend. Tom poured his soul into this place for nearly eighty years, and you felt his presence in everything that shaped Englewood. We honor Tom and Annette, his beloved wife. Read more about his remarkable life in our latest edition. 

With fall settling in, despite our tropical Florida seasons, we are a community that honors the cycles and beauty of nature. This season always reminds me of Bhuwan Thapaliya’s words: “Autumn is a quiet lesson in surrender: the trees let go of their leaves, embracing change with grace, and in their fall, they teach us how to meet the coming cold without resistance.”

The post Englewood REVIEW’s Latest Issue: Trading Florida’s Endless Summer for Autumn Skies: Celebrating a Life Lived in Full Color appeared first on Englewood Review.