SPRING HILL—Following the loss of its Oct. 5 game with Tampa Bay Christian, which cancelled its football season this week, Bishop McLaughlin has received an offer from fellow Pasco County private school Academy at the Lakes to play a game on that date.

Bishop McLaughlin athletic director Mike Zelenka said he was “caught off guard” by the proposal from AATL AD Mark Arbet, but is considering it seriously and may make his decision as early as Friday.

“We’re just trying to determine if having a week off right in the middle of the season is a blessing because of our small numbers,” said Zelenka of the decision. Bishop McLaughlin has 24 players on its roster heading into Friday’s kickoff classic at Sunlake, still more than AATL’s 18 players.

“We’re at a similar level as them, so I see it as good competition,” Zelenka added. “And from a potential rivalry standpoint, it’s definitely something we could end up cultivating.”

Bishop McLaughlin likely would push for the game to be played at their stadium in Spring Hill because they lost a home game when TBC cancelled its season. Academy at the Lakes, however, is likely in the market for home games as well, with just four of their 10 scheduled games being played on their temporary home field at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Center.

Earlier today, Cambridge Christian coach Rick Shears told Tribune writer Adam Adkins that the school has verbally agreed to play AATL in Land O’ Lakes on Nov. 2. In order to play that game, the Academy would have to cancel a road game at Lakeland Christian already scheduled for that day.

Though AATL currently has no game scheduled for Oct. 5, it would have to cancel another game in order to play Bishop McLaughlin so it could stay at the FHSAA maximum of 10 games. The most likely candidate would be their Sept. 21 scheduled meeting with the junior varsity squad from The Villages.