08.27.15 West Orange Times & Observer 2015 Football Preview

2015 PREP FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 SYS-2698B-A-FL EXP 31 AUG 2016 © 2014 EDWARD JONES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

OUR TOP-10 ‘MUST SEE’ GAMES OF 2015 AUG. 28 ST. STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL AT WINDERMERE PREP The new-look Windermere Prep Lakers will get a staunch early season test when they welcome St. Stephen’s to town.

LEGACY CHARTER AT CFCA It will be Eagles versus Eagles in Ocoee on the first Friday of the regular season.

The budding rivalry has seen the two area programs split their first two meetings.

SEPT. 11 2015 GAME OF THE YEAR DR. PHILLIPS AT WEST ORANGE Rivalry renewed. Two of Central Florida’s most high-profile programs will once again battle for the Ol’ Orange Crate — for the first time since 2010.

Brutal schedules could prepare DP and WO for new heights Combined, West Orange and Dr. Phillips went 20-0 last season.

Those regular-season wins were not close, either.

But the team that claimed the Class 8A State Championship at the Citrus Bowl was neither the Warriors nor the Panthers. It was the Apopka Blue Darters — a team that finished the regular season with a 6-4 mark.

It’s not to say teams should aspire to lose games — the Blue Darters’ run actually was pretty irregular STEVEN when considering the RYZEWSKI number of regular-season losses they suffered before putting it all together for the playoffs.

But, both the Warriors and Panthers came away from playoff losses in the second and third rounds of last year’s state playoffs, respectively, feeling they wanted more of a test and preparation out of the regular season and scheduled their 2015 slates as such.

That includes playing one another for the first time since 2010, renewing the Ol’ Orange Crate rivalry.

“We did that on purpose,” West Orange head coach Bob Head said of the scheduling. “We felt

like that second-round playoff loss (to Apopka, 42-0) was a testament to not playing a tough enough schedule. So we definitely changed that.”

The Warriors have a slate that includes Winter Park, Dr. Phillips, Apopka, Wekiva and Trinity Christian Academy. Combined, those teams won 47 games last season, and three of them made the state playoffs.

For their part, the Panthers have an even tougher slate than West Orange. The first six weeks of the season have Dr. Phillips taking on, respectively, Wekiva, Lake Mary, West Orange, Apopka, Mainland and Oak Ridge before the bye week. All six of those teams were playoff teams a season ago and figure to be powerhouses again this fall.

“Everybody thinks we always want to go 10-0; that’s never been a goal of ours,” Panthers coach Rodney Wells said. “Our goal is to win the district, get in the playoffs and win five playoff games.

That’s always been the goal, and that’s not going to change.”

Given their district slates, neither program appears to be overly in danger of missing the playoffs. Dr. Phillips still feels like a good bet to take Class 8A, District 5, and Class 8A, District 4 likely will be decided when West

Orange meets Apopka Oct. 2.

But both of these programs have bigger aspirations than regular-season success. The Panthers have been a team to beat in the region for years, and in the past five years, West Orange has emerged as an annual contender.

What these teams want now is to be playing in the last game of the season in Class 8A — and to win it.

What that means for us — fans of high-school football and supporters of these programs — is that we will be treated to games like never before. Both teams figure to be in several games labeled as “must-see” with eyes around the state watching.

And, for our purposes at least, there is the Sept. 11 meeting between the two powerhouses in Winter Garden — our game of the year and just one reason we’re excited that football season is back.

It’s back, and if these two programs have their way, it won’t be over before December rolls around.

“It’s a challenge,” Wells said, honestly reflecting on what lies ahead for his program. “You can’t have a tougher six-game (stretch) than that — so that’s going to prepare us for the playoffs.”

SEPT. 18 APOPKA AT DR. PHILLIPS Two of the state’s elite programs meet for the first time since 2012, when the Blue Darters defeated the Panthers in the state semifinals.

OCT. 2 WEST ORANGE AT APOPKA Although the Warriors ended their drought against the Blue Darters in the regular season in 2014, it was Apopka that got the last laugh in the state playoffs. West Orange will look to return the favor this season.

HAGERTY AT OCOEE The Huskies figure to be among the Knights’ toughest competition in district play, and this contest comes at a crucial juncture in the schedule.

OCT. 16 VICTORY CHRISTIAN AT FOUNDATION ACADEMY The district championship could be decided in this contest at Winter Garden’s Walker Field as the Lions look to avenge a disappointing defeat from a season ago.

OCT. 22 OLYMPIA AT DR. PHILLIPS Always a good time when these two programs, separated by just four miles, meet on the gridiron.

OCT. 30 OAK RIDGE AT OLYMPIA A playoff spot could be on the line when these newfound district rivals meet late in the season. Can Olympia’s defense contain Oak Ridge’s blue chip standouts?

NOV. 6 OCOEE AT WEST ORANGE Throw recent history out the window: The Warriors have dominated this rivalry of late, but Ocoee will be an improved football team this fall, and rivalries have a way of being unpredictable.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

Standing 6-foot-8 and weighing 325 pounds, Stone Forsythe will be a big factor in the success of West Orange’s offensive line.

BIG MEN on Campus

The renewal of the Ol’ Orange Crate Rivalry will be more than just a great football game — it will be a showcase of two of the country’s most sought-after offensive linemen in West Orange’s Stone Forsythe and Dr. Phillips’ Calvin Ashley.

He might not be the star, but he’s hard to miss.

Listed at 6-foot-8, 325 pounds, he’s certainly not sneaking up on anybody.

And although it will be West Orange’s skill players such as quarterback Woody Barrett, receiver Eddie McDoom and others who will be scoring the

touchdowns this fall, it will be senior offensive lineman Stone Forsythe and his colleagues on the Warriors’ offensive line that will be helping to clear the path for them.

For a team with expectations as great as West Orange’s are this fall, the performances of this Florida Gator commit and, in turn, the rest of the Warriors’ O-line will be crucial to whether those dreams of the team playing into December come to fruition.

So, although he won’t be carrying the ball, this West Orange standout and the potential he has this fall, in college and beyond, demands its own kind of attention — even during the school day, where he is a literal big man on campus.

“Everyday, I get asked how tall I am,” Forsythe said with a laugh.

Despite his remarkable size and strength, becoming a Divi-

Photo by David Haynes

sion I prospect was not something that just happened on its own for Forsythe.

There was hard work to be put in.

“Something clicked in the middle of my junior year,” Forsythe said. “That’s when everything, offers, started coming.”

The biggest change was that Forsythe — who is a friendly kid off the field — figured out how to master the mean streak that has since made him so effective.

“I think that his dad instilled a lot in him,” West Orange coach Bob Head said. “His dad is a tough guy and just told him to be more and more and more aggressive. And our offensive line coach did a good job of pushing him.”

The result has been recruiting attention from schools around the nation and the opportunity to play for his favorite college football program — the Florida Gators. That means, follow-

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

ASHLEY AT HOME BACK AT DR. PHILLIPS When the West Orange Warriors renew their rivalry with the Dr. Phillips Panthers on Sept. 11, West Orange’s Stone Forsythe will be joined by one of the area’s other top O-line prospects — Calvin Ashley.

Like Forsythe, Ashley stands 6-foot-8 and already is committed to play for an SEC program — the Auburn Tigers.

It is an exciting showcase for football fans but is one that almost wasn’t to be. It was announced back in January that Ashley had transferred to IMG Academy over on Florida’s Gulf Coast. What was initially expected to be a significant blow to the Panthers was reversed before the team even stepped on the field for spring practice; Ashley announced a return in April.

“It wasn’t for me,” Ashley said.

“I felt like I needed to be back home.”

That need to be home was something head coach Rodney Wells could understand well, and he welcomed the talented junior back with open arms.

“Everybody knows there’s no place like home,” Wells said.

“We create a family atmosphere, that’s why in the summertime and spring time, all of our college guys, they’re back. They’re here.”

Like Forsythe, Ashley grinds each day in practice. After all, beyond his size, it takes hard work and dedication to develop the speed, explosiveness and foot-

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“People look at (Ashley) and they see (his size), and they don’t understand he’s a 16-year-old kid, and he’s going to have bumps and bruises and some mental errors,” Wells said. “It’s our job to mold and mentor him. Character has never been an issue. … He’s always worked.”

Ashley and his teammates on Dr. Phillips offensive line will be working hard to clear the way for players like quarterback Marvin Washington and running back Jaquarius Bargnare so that the Panthers might advance past the regional championship this fall — the point at which they fell a season ago.

Ashley is happy to be back at work where he started — at Dr. Phillips where he’s more than just kid with incredible gifts so far as size is concerned; he’s a teammate and friend.

“To other people it’s like ‘wow, this man is big,’” Ashley explained. “To my family and my teammates, I’m just Calvin.”

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ing his senior season with the Warriors, Forsythe will begin to mentally prepare himself for the leap from playing in from of 5,000 to 10,000 folks on Fridays to playing in front of nearly 90,000 on a Saturday in the Swamp.

He’ll probably do so while fishing — a favorite hobby of his that he shares with his younger brother Hawke Forsythe, a sophomore for the Warriors.

“It’s just quiet, you get out in nature and everything,” Forsythe said. “It’s relaxing.”

Forsythe gets excited when talking about playing for the Gators, but for now he is focused as ever on helping West Orange reach new heights. It’s a focus his coaches can surely appreciate.

“The sky is the limit with him — I think that he has a super bright future,” Head said. “I’m just honored to coach him.”

— Steven Ryzewski

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2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

DR. PHILLIPS

2015 ROSTER No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 50 51 52 53 54 55 58 59 60 62 72 72 73 74 77 80 81 82 83

Name Grade Tanner Ingle 10 Jaquarius Bargnare 12 DJ Charles 11 Jonathan Pollock 12 Emare Hogan 11 Demaria Washington 12 Tashaun Lindquist 12 Kenneth Palmer 11 Nick Smith 11 Marvin Washington 11 Alvin Bryant 12 Davarius Bargnare 10 D’Shawn Powers 12 Bobby Irvin 12 Zha’Niko McMillan 12 Arvis Evans 11 Richard McKenzie 12 Alex Eleyssami 10 Keanu Kong 10 Marcus Tillman 9 Braxton Clark 10 Raekwon Thomas 12 Robert Porcher 11 Chance Bush 10 Yuan Pagan 12 James Green 11 Vincent Love 12 Devodney Alford 10 Nigel Alexander 12 Zachary Smith 9 Stephon Frye 12 Alejandro Carrillo 12 Sydney Capers 11 Bobby Johnson 10 Albert Gilreath 11 Darrien Hibbert 11 Joshua Green 10 Sterling Stockwell 10 Brice Ingram 11 Daishawn Reyes 12 Amos Louis 12 Myles Pruitt 12 Dylan Meeks 11 Henry Caldwell 11 Max Esperance 12 Willmane Toussaint 11 Derrian Ginlack 12 Michael MacNeil 10 James Richardson 10 Alesandro Martinez 10 Christian Huber 12 Christian Bryant 10 Ronald Carter 12 Devyn Warren 12 Ricardo Montanez 11 Abdullah Ishmail 12 Ishnander Jean-Pierre 12 Calvin Ashley 11 John Campbell 10 Christian Williams 12 Christopher Sipp 12 Caleb Walls 11 Justin Tucker 12 Michael Fox 10

HEAD COACH: Rodney Wells (fifth year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jason Jackson DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Steven Breitbeil ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Russell Wambles

PANTHERS 6500 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando, Class 8A, District 5

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Jaquarius Bargnare, WR/RB (Sr.)

As college scouts came and went during the Panthers’ spring season, there was one name that was on everyone’s lips — “Q.” Jaquarius “Q” Bargnare has emerged as a versatile, explosive, do-it-all kind of player for Dr. Phillips who can take carries directly via a handoff and is also a dynamic receiver and returner.

The senior speedster is also a standout for the Panthers’ basketball program.

“He’s a return guy, slot guy, outside guy — he’s just so explosive and dangerous that you can’t really replace him,” Wells said.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Dylan Meeks, LB (Jr.)

HOW ABOUT THOSE JUNIORS? COACH’S CORNER: “That’s all (the team) talks about, is finishing. … It’s all about crunch time — it’s all about November and December. … Our goal is to win five playoff games.”

— Rodney Wells on his team’s motivation after a heartbreaking playoff loss in 2014

The Panthers always have talent. That isn’t unusual.

What is a little unusual for this 2015 roster is the abundance of talent Dr. Phillips has contained within one particular class — its junior class. Although the Panthers have standout freshman, sophomores and seniors, as well, there is an unprecedented amount of high-level players and Division I recruits in the Class of 2017.

“It’s fairly unusual … some just played their way into really good and great players (over their careers at Dr. Phillips),” head coach Rodney Wells said.

“It’s unusual to have so many players in one class and in so many different positions.”

The class includes players such as Calvin Ashley (OL), Robert Porcher (DE), Marvin Washington (QB), Nick Smith (TE/LB) and Dylan Meeks (LB) (pictured above, from

Rodney Wells doesn’t hesitate to call Dylan Meeks one of the smartest player with whom he and his coaching staff have ever worked.

A linebacker, Meeks also has natural abilities in size and speed and is an undefeated wrestling state champion for the Panthers, too.

“He’s our quarterback ... on defense,” Wells says. “He’s a coach on the field. You’re always looking for a kid (who) can be an extension of the coaching staff on the field.”

2014 RECORD 12-1 (4-0 district) — advanced to Class 8A Region 1 Championship

2015 SCHEDULE

left) — but wait, there’s more.

Players such as Kenneth Palmer (RB) and Emare Hogan (ATH), among others, also deserve mentioning.

Collectively, the Class of 2017 feels motivated to achieve great things for the program.

“It feels special — we feel like we’re united,” Washington said.

“We feel like we’ve got a lot of good things to do.”

All games at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Aug. 28: at Wekiva Sept. 4: at Lake Mary, 7 p.m.

Sept. 11: at West Orange Sept. 18: vs. Apopka Sept. 25: vs. Mainland Oct. 2: at Oak Ridge* Oct. 9: BYE Oct. 16: at Freedom* Oct. 22: vs. Olympia* Oct. 30: vs. Cypress Creek* Nov. 6: vs. Evans * denotes district game

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

OCOEE

2015 ROSTER No. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 20 21 23 24 25 27 28 30 31 33 34 39 40 42 44 45 50 51 52 54 56 58 60 65 66 67 73 81 84 85 88 89 90 95

Name Year Kendrick Shaw 12 Jamel Hyatt 12 Dorian Jones 11 Jemerh Cosby 12 Asante Jones 12 Sindy Veritus 12 Cyndonta Bridges 12 John Mondesir 12 Zachary Fox 12 Lyston Barber 11 Jalen Davis 10 Xavier Wong 9 Steve Hogan 12 Andrew Jolicouer 12 Jeremy Middleton 12 James Smith 11 Delmy Geffrard 11 David Span 10 Antonio Vargas 12 Jamel Holder 11 Jarell Hyatt 10 George Schank 11 Sidney Conyers 11 Jermaine Ingram 12 Lens Laborde 12 Tabari Neal 10 Chris Benton 9 Ernst Attilus 10 Damien Felix 10 Jules Joseph 12 Isaiah Pineda 12 Kobe Dumes 12 Marc James 12 Nathan Roberts 11 Harold (David) Wortman 12 Matt Hogan 9 Jeremy Vargas 12 Brennen Castillo 11 Marlo Tillman 10 Xavier Adame 10 Sandro Geffrard 11 Jarquavious Graham 12 Nali Wallace 12 Darryl Gay 11 Fernando Santiago 12 Cameron Long 12 Walton Dakari 11

HEAD COACH: Ben Bullock (first year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jason Boltus DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Terrance Larmond ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Steven McHale

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH:

KNIGHTS 1925 Ocoee Crown Point Parkway, Ocoee; Class 7A, District 4

Steven Hogan, QB (Sr.)

Hogan distinguished himself during the spring and summer as the undisputed starter for the Knights, improving in a variety of areas including footwork, arm strength and accuracy.

Hogan has benefited from working with a current Arena Football League quarterback, the Tampa Bay Storm’s Jason Boltus, who doubles as the Knights’ offensive coordinator.

“We have coach Boltus with him for every minute of practice,” Bullock said. “His understanding of the game of football … has really gotten a lot better and is really where he’s gotten strong.”

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Dorian Jones, DB (Jr.)

Jones made some noise over the offseason. An offer from Tulane put him on the radar of several Division I FBS programs. Jones brings an intense work ethic to his natural talent and has been working diligently with defensive backs coach Terrance Larmond.

“Dorian’s very important from not only a skill standpoint but also a leadership standpoint,” Bullock said.

“We’re expecting a lot out of him.

CHANGE IN CULTURE The Knights got more than a new coach when Ben Bullock arrived from Mount Dora in the offseason to replace former coach Dale Salapa.

They also got a new culture.

Since the spring, Bullock has implemented a process-driven, detail-oriented approach at Ocoee he believes will take the program to the next level.

Although there was some resistance at first, he said the players in the program seem to see the bigger picture he and his staff are moving toward.

“They’re kids: They’re teenagers, and there’s always a little pushback, but for the most part, I think they understand why,” Bullock said. “I said, ‘Guys, we’re

not changing things just to say we changed them — we’re changing things because there is a performance outcome that is associated with it.’”

Players such as seniors Steven Hogan and Zachary Fox, as well as junior Dorian Jones, have emerged as leaders in the transition, seeing the success Bullock had in his one season at Mount Dora, where he led the Hurricanes to an 8-3 record and the playoffs.

“He’s bringing a totally different coach — everything is straightforward,” Hogan said. “I believe that we’ll have success; all of us are buying in and working everyday. He’s leading us in the right direction.”

COACH’S CORNER “If you want to develop a program that is going to be one of the better ones in Central Florida, you’ve got to go out and play programs that are those kind of programs that have been winning. … It gives you an idea of where you need to go. All of the programs on our schedule are excellent teams with excellent coaches.”

— Ben Bullock on the out-of-conference schedule

2014 RECORD 2-8 (2-4 district)

2015 SCHEDULE All games at 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28: vs. Apopka Sept. 4: at Lake Nona Sept. 11: BYE Sept. 18: at Edgewater* Sept. 25: vs. East Ridge* Oct. 2: vs. Hagerty* Oct. 9: vs. West Port* Oct. 16: at Lake Howell* Oct. 22: at Wekiva Oct. 30: at Lake Minneola* Nov. 6: at West Orange * denotes district game

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2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

OLYMPIA

2015 ROSTER No. 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 23 24 24 25 26 28 30 32 33 34 35 40 42 44 47 50 52 53 54 55 56 57 66 72 74 75 76 77 78 84 88 94

Name Khalyn Strickland Bradley Dos Santos Derrick Bell Taymel Christian Jeff James Joe Milton Ronald Teague Douglas Howard Tyrese Brown DeMarcus Singleton Jonathan Messina Jackson Heath Jake Clarkson Micah Hurst Leandro Dias Andrey Hawkins Vaughn Starling Andrew Wilkins Antonio Honor Brandon Young Phillip Shure Bradley Kehler Brandon Lymon Keinen Thomas Isaiah Moore Malachi Moore Elijah Byrdsell Jackson Heinecke Octavious Burr Dondre James Troy Golden Gage Velin Dylan Johnson George Adams Cheval Charlton Daniel Maszy Hagan Hagmaier Osayande Aliu Rohan Wallace Luke Allmond Khalif Hollis Brandon Donald Kendall Batt Jared Thomas Jacob Stueve Sagar Trivedi Chris Cordero Nick Scaglione Nick Smith

HEAD COACH: Kyle Hayes (First year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Dale Williams DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Kyle Hayes ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Lauren Bradley

Year 12 11 11 12 12 10 10 12 11 12 12 12 11 9 12 11 12 11 11 10 12 11 11 11 11 10 12 11 12 12 10 12 11 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 12 11 11 10

TITANS

4301 South Apopka Vineland Road, Orlando; Class 8A, District 5

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH Joe Milton, WR/QB (So.)

Standing 6-foot-5 and just a sophomore, Joe Milton has a lot to offer to Olympia.

Milton is slated to be the Titans’ top receiver this fall but also can play quarterback and took a few snaps in the spring when Olympia played at Wekiva.

“It’s always good to see a young kid with a lot of potential … but I always tell him, ‘Potential means you haven’t done it yet,’” Hayes said. “As he’s gotten in and learned the system and what we require, I see him grabbing other players along with him.”

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Tyrese Brown, LB (Jr.)

STEADFAST SENIORS COACH’S CORNER “(The transition) has been very successful. From the administration, to the athletic director to the teachers in the school … the kids definitely are buying in. We’re trying to do some new things and set some new traditions.”

— Kyle Hayes on the community’s embracing the new direction for the program

When the current seniors on the Olympia roster arrived on campus four years ago, Bob Head was still the coach, and the Titans were still a powerhouse. Two coaches later, the Class of 2016 has suffered through two down seasons and is preparing to compete for its third coach — Kyle Hayes.

“They’ve kind of been on a roller coaster in coaching styles,” Hayes said. “Those guys have had a lot of transition going on … but I think they’re adapting well to my style. I take my hat off to those guys simply because they know it’s bigger than a person — it’s the school.”

Although the experience has been trying, and some players departed the program, those who have remained feel things are back on track, and they want to leave the program trending upward.

New coach Kyle Hayes appreciates both sides of the ball but, in particular, loves working with his defense.

Within the system Hayes has installed, his middle linebacker will be essential to its success and he has entrusted that position to junior Tyrese Brown — an explosive athlete with plenty of upside.

“He players our middle linebacker and, in my defense, it’s very important that he is the quarterback and he takes charge of those things,” Hayes said.

2014 RECORD 1-8 (1-2 district)

2015 SCHEDULE

“It’s very difficult — we’ve (run) three different offenses,” senior quarterback Khalyn Strickland said. “Coach Hayes makes everything simple and smooth. He’s made us disciplined so we can believe that we can win.”

All games at 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28: vs. Seminole Sept. 4: at East River Sept. 11: at Colonial* Sept. 18: at Cypress Creek* Sept. 25: vs. Evans Oct. 2: vs. Freedom* Oct. 9: vs. Apopka Oct. 16: BYE Oct. 22: at Dr. Phillips* Oct. 30: vs. Oak Ridge* Nov. 6: vs. Winter Park * denotes district game

WOTimes.com

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015 • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW

WEST ORANGE

2015 ROSTER No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 29 30 32 33 34 37 42 44 45 46 49 50 51 52 53 55 56 60 61 63 64 66 72 73 76 79 80 81 82 84 90 98

Name Grade Woody Barrett 12 Jacquez Federick 12 Jeremy Samuels 12 Darlens Mathieu 12 Dajour Nesbeth 12 Decary Croaker 12 Naquan Renalds 11 Chris Bell 12 Tre Rogers 12 Ben Bollinger 12 Eddie McDoom 12 Jake Novello 10 DaShaun Collins 10 Kylan Williamson 11 Jacob Titus 11 Ki-Jana Zow 12 Nick Green 11 Jerrick Richardson 11 Kyveon Jones 11 Hunter Malquist 11 Antonio Huey 11 Davon Earle 10 Miterson Charles 12 DaMarcus Brunson 11 Quincy Dames 11 Brandon Dlabik 12 Darian Williams 11 Jonathan Allen 12 Colby Adamson 11 Dametri Hill 10 Parker Torok 11 Marland Howard 11 Julian Pittman 11 Antonio Owens 12 Demond Harp 10 Keshone Tompkins 12 Blake Cuoco 12 Jeffrey Kennedy 12 Ian Deneen 11 Braden Garman 11 Miles Richardson 11 Pedro Lloret 11 Justin Tibbetts 12 Maverick Feijoo 12 Ronald DiMatteo 10 Colyn Dagon 10 Aric Horne 10 John McKelvain 11 Bryce Commer 12 Stone Forsythe 12 Terell Tolbert 12 Hawke Forsythe 10 Jurrod Cook 11 Benjamin LaCoss 11 Devin Martin 11 JaMarcus Brunson 11 Nolan DeFranco 12 Franklin Jackson 10

HEAD COACH: Bob Head (Third year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Collin Drafts DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Ty Parker ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Adam Miller

WARRIORS 1625 Beulah Road, Winter Garden; Class 8A District 4

11

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH:

Naquan Renalds, WR (Jr.)

The name Eddie McDoom is going to cause its fair share of sleepless nights for Central Florida defensive coordinators.

The senior receiver is the definition of elite. So, while teams are putting much of their effort in practice toward containing McDoom, junior receiver Naquan Renalds hopes to demonstrate that there won’t be much of a “lesser of two evils.”

“A lot of teams are going to try and take away Eddie (McDoom), so we need compliment receiver to him,” coach Bob Head said. “We’re looking for Naquan to be consistent — to be that guy … turn small catches into touchdowns.”

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Nolan DeFranco, DE (Sr.)

On a team known for its offense, it will be important for the Warriors’ defense to get stops during the team’s difficult schedule.

Leading the charge up front will be Nolan DeFranco, a defensive end with tons of upside who has committed to play his college football in Chapel Hill for North Carolina.

“Nolan’s a coach’s dream — he brings 100% effort to the team every day,” coach Bob Head said. “He’s a quiet leader just because he plays hard on every down.”

DYNAMIC DUO There will be a lot of factors that determine whether the West Orange Warriors — whose aspirations for 2015 are skyhigh — reach their potential this fall. Chief among those is the presence of one of the most feared quaterback/wide receiver combinations in the state in senior quarterback Woody Barrett and senior wide receiver Eddie McDoom.

After a breakout season in 2014 for both players, the two have worked through the spring and summer on taking their big-play potential to new heights.

“It’s totally improved,” head coach Bob Head said of the timing between the two. “Their rhythm and timing is critical for our success. We’re counting on those guys to be hitting on all cylinders all season long.”

Barrett, who committed to Auburn in the offseason (McDoom remains uncommitted as of press time while still fielding several high-profile Power-5 offers), said he has improved through his work with offensive coordinator Collin Drafts — and that it doesn’t hurt to have such elite targets on the receiving

2014 RECORD 11-1 (3-0 district) — won first playoff game in program history

end of his passes.

“During the spring, I got better at protecting the ball and taking pressure, being calm in the pocket,” Barrett said. “They’re great receivers — they’re monsters. … Eddie is a smooth-route type of guy — very nice on his feet.”

COACH’S CORNER “We have one of the toughest schedules in the state, and we’re excited about that. It’s what we wanted, and now, it’s time for us to get those true tests before district play.”

— Bob Head on the Warriors’ out-of-district slate

2015 SCHEDULE All games at 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 28: vs. Foundation Academy Sept. 4: vs. Winter Park Sept. 11: vs. Dr. Phillips Sept. 18: at Trinity Christian Sept. 25: at Jones Oct. 2: at Apopka* Oct. 9: at Lake Nona Oct. 16: vs. Evans* Oct. 22: BYE Oct. 30: at Wekiva* Nov. 6: vs. Ocoee * denotes district game

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EAGLES CENTRAL FLORIDA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

2015 ROSTER No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 20 21 22 35 50 51 52 55 56 71 72 73 75 76 77 88

Name Judah Stone Drake Dickens Luke Noah Raekwon Maxime Visual Russell Josh Petty Kai Patterson Brysyn Moore Qumari Campbell Chandler Theobald Trey Jordan Austin Mathis Jerred Treacy Justin Milroy Frederick Robinson Caleb Brenyo Macena Gay Matthew Peine James Lynch Jr. Griffin Horn Daniel Moore Tyler Laylor Vincent Gadson Jonathan Howell Elisha Sanchez Jared Blount Josh Virgil Jacob Santana Marquis Williams Elijah Williams Jared Milroy

Year 12 11 12 11 8 11 9 10 11 10 12 10 12 10 12 10 9 10 9 8 12 12 11 12 9 9 8 10 10 9 10

HEAD COACH: John Davis (First year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Kalvin Rymer DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jamar Williams ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Kyle Wills

2014 RECORD 8-3 (5-1 division)

2015 SCHEDULE All games at 7 p.m.

Aug. 28: vs. Legacy Charter* Sept. 4: vs. St. John Lutheran* Sept. 11: at Orangewood Christian* Sept. 18: vs. Mount Dora Christian Academy* Sept. 25: BYE Oct. 2: at Ocala Christian* Oct. 9: at TFA-Leesburg* Oct. 16: at Seven Rivers* Oct. 22: vs. Agape Christian Oct. 30: SSAC Playoffs/Bowl Game Nov. 6: SSAC Playoffs/Bowl Game * denotes division game

700 Good Homes Road, Ocoee; Sunshine State — Coastal Beach Division

YOUTH MOVEMENT The Eagles lost about 2,400 yards of last season’s offense in a pair of 2015 transfers, but increased numbers and size have first-year head coach John Davis feeling optimistic.

“An embarrassment of riches came out of nowhere,” he said. “We had some big guys sign in. Our program is one of the few private schools that still allows home-schooled kids to come play. It’s helped us add some depth that we’ve not had here before. We had a revival about a week ago where all of our seniors went, and historically, if we lost 10 or 11 players from a practice, we just shut down practice, but we were still able to go 11-on-11.”

Among the riches are three ninth-grade linemen who each weigh more than 300 pounds already, and Davis is looking to his experienced

leaders to foster them with the rest of the flock of roughly 30, as well as a middle-school team the program has not been able to field in years.

“Now that we have a good nucleus of guys that have won and understand what it takes to win games, they have to learn how to lead, to bring the younger guys along with them, as opposed to fighting for your life every Friday night,” Davis said. “It’s not just survival anymore. It’s about building that developmental program, some-

OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jonathan Howell, C (Sr.); Judah Stone, RB (Sr.)

Howell is starting for the fourth time and adds versatility to buying into Davis’s system and being a physical line presence.

“He played center during the spring, was dominant — played probably the best game of his career when we played Windermere (Prep) during the spring,” Davis said. “We got some bigger bodies, so we moved him out to tackle. He’s learned all five jobs up front, and he’s also our signal caller on defense.”

In somewhat limited action last season, Stone averaged about 10 yards per carry and was the team’s leading tackler at corner, Davis said.

“We’ve had many schools come in to see him, and they have some high interest in him,” Davis said. “He could end up being an FCS type of player. Just the speed, agility, strength — he’s all of that.”

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Luke Noah, LB (Sr.)

thing that hasn’t really been established here in the past.

That’s my goal here. You want to have seniors that are head and shoulders above your freshmen.”

Noah, a team captain, will play middle linebacker, receiver and quarterback while being Davis’s model for younger players.

“He’s who I want all our kids to pattern themselves after as far as being academically sound — he’s Ivy-qualified as a football player and as a student — but then at the same time, he’s a leader here in the church community,” Davis said.

COACH’S CORNER “Having your first winning season and losing your head coach, it doesn’t establish the footing that you want to. As opposed to going into the spring as a more established power, you come together and take two steps back because they didn’t know any of our offensive or defensive terminology. Everything was brand new.”

— John Davis on starting from square one as a new coach

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FOUNDATION ACADEMY

LIONS

2015 ROSTER No. 1 3 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 15 20 22 25 28 29 30 32 33 42 44 48 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 60 62 66 72 73 74 77 80 82 84 84 86

Name Lui Rivera Lester Axson Jordan Richards Evan Fitzgibbon Jacob Murphy Luke Birk Konrie Brown Chaz Cannon Sergio Gonzalez Evan Thompson Elijah Stimmell David Orlando Micaiah Phillips Lance Axson Jaquan Patterson Cory Rahman Kyle Krueger Gabe Walker Anthony Recchia Joey Zagame Matt Vaughn Brandon Barnes Andrew Johns Eddie Loos Dillon Hall Trevon Barton Jordan Boast Jacob Heichel Jacob Bolin Cameron Gebers Bryce Jones Casey Lemke Sydal Barton Hao Zheng Treyland Barton Conner Carson Kenny Ames Gabe Kaatz Alec Baginski Grayson Wagner Tanner Murphy

HEAD COACH: Brad Lord (Eighth year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Mike Burns DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Andre Walker ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: David Baginski

Year 10 11 12 11 12 10 10 11 11 11 9 12 11 10 11 11 11 12 11 9 11 11 9 10 11 9 11 10 11 9 10 12 11 11 10 10 10 12 10 9 9

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Gabriel Walker, RB (Sr.)

15304 Tilden Road, Winter Garden Class 2A, District 4

With Patterson as an added option in the backfield, Walker could have the ability to be more explosive this season.

Walker was an all-state running back last year.

He amassed 1,150 yards and 14 touchdowns.

As the offensive line develops, Lord expects Walker to be a leader in his offense, both statistically and as an example for other players.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Jacob Murphy, LB (Sr.)

Murphy, who has received interest from FCS programs such as Liberty University, has become an integral part of the team’s leadership core, something he called new to the Lions.

“It’s a whole new atmosphere,” he said. “I’ve grown up with this team and I’ve never seen great leaders. I’ve seen a few good, but not like the band of brothers we’ve got now, so it’s a whole new aspect of the game that we’re really enjoying.”

Murphy will play mike linebacker for Foundation.

GOT SKILL? Lions head coach Brad Lord believes his team has strength all over the roster, calling buying in to the weight room the key to success in 2A and noting if his offensive line progresses as he expects, Foundation could contend for the state title. Lord has been able to have his team focus on strength because of a stockpile of skill that shows on offense and defense.

“Our guys learn both sides of the ball,” Lord said. “We don’t try to play them the whole time, but they do.”

On offense, he will have running backs Gabriel Walker and Jaquan Patterson accompany starting quarterback Jacob

Murphy, with Elijah Stimmell and Sergio Gonzalez available to free Murphy to run or catch.

“We got good quarterbacks who know our offense, plus I got such good skill guys I can go to a wildcat if I wanted to,” Lord said. “And both running backs can throw, which is a plus.”

Transfers such as Cory Rahmen, Jordan Richards and Gabe Kaatz will contribute on offense primarily as receivers, but Rahman and Evan Thompson will contribute primarily as safeties, with Richards as Lord’s “hit machine” at linebacker.

Lester and Lance Axson will lead the Lions at cornerback, and Eddie Loos was Lord’s

2014 RECORD 5-6 (1-1 district) biggest surprise as an emerging defensive end atop a move to guard, in line with senior Casey Lemke.

Rounding out the defense will be three-year starter Dave Orlando at safety and a pair of sophomores who were all-district as freshmen: defensive ends Lui Rivera and Konrie Brown.

COACH’S CORNER “We totally anticipate contending for the district championship, making the state playoffs and making a run to the state championship. Yeah, we play West Orange and TFA, which are two of the stronger teams in the area, and all we want to do is get better in those games. … I know they’re loaded. We think that we’re going to be one of the better teams they play, besides Apopka.”

— Brad Lord on expectations for the Lions

2015 SCHEDULE All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted Aug. 28: at West Orange Sept. 4: at The First Academy Sept. 11: vs. Carrollwood Day Sept. 18: vs. Northside Christian Sept. 25: at St. Petersburg Catholic Oct. 2: at Cornerstone Charter, 6 p.m.* Oct. 9: vs. Jordan Christian Prep Oct. 16: vs. Victory Christian* Oct. 22: vs. Harvest Community Oct. 30: at Agape Christian* Nov. 6: BYE * denotes district game

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LEGACY CHARTER

2015 ROSTER No. 1 2 5 7 12 17 19 22 25 30 34 38 41 49 50 55 58 61 62 70 75 79

Name Zachary Kelley Kyle Burdue Brian Carmean Walker Phillips Hilton Lamprecht Gabe Chambless Gehrig Chambless Miles Moyer David Dominguez Dallas Powell Dylan Clinger Jonathan Briones Brennar Segalini Zach Stanley Chris Lamprecht Brett Strayer Jason Dennison James Updike Jackson Toth Tomas Perez Garrett Oxtal Gary Kelley

Year 11 11 12 11 11 9 10 11 12 9 10 12 10 9 10 11 10 12 10 10 10 9

EAGLES

1550 E. Crown Point Road, Ocoee; Sunshine State Athletic Conference — Coastal Orange Division

HEAD COACH: Jarrett Wiggers (fourth year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jarrett Wiggers DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Trent Hopper LINEMEN COACH: Mike Yoakum ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Jarrett Wiggers

2014 RECORD 5-5 (4-3 division)

2015 SCHEDULE All games at 7 p.m.

Aug. 28: at CFCA* Sept. 4: vs. First Academy Leesburg* Sept. 11: at Ocala Christian* Sept. 18: at Orangewood Christian* Sept. 25: vs. Seven Rivers Christian* Oct. 2: vs. Mount Dora Bible* Oct. 9: BYE Oct. 16: at St. John Lutheran* Oct. 23: vs.

International Community Oct. 30: SSAC Playoffs/ Bowl Game Nov. 6: SSAC Playoffs/ Bowl Game * denotes district game

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OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hilton Lamprecht, QB/ATH (Jr.); Gehrig Chambless, QB/ATH (So.)

With a solid receiving corps across the board, whoever emerges as quarterback will have myriad passing options to get upfield, Wiggers said.

“Right now, Hilton Lamprecht and Gehrig Chambless are the two guys to focus on,” he said.

“They’re such good athletes, and at any given moment, they can make a play that is something that you might want to rewind and watch again. I think that they’ll be really fun to watch and exciting on offense.”

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Brian Carmean, S (Sr.)

GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE Before his team faced another school this season, head coach Jarrett Wiggers had not made a decision regarding his pair of capable quarterbacks — junior Hilton Lamprecht and sophomore Gehrig Chambless — who transferred from division rival Central Florida Christian Academy.

“At the quarterback position, both our guys we’re looking at now bring very good things to the table,” Wiggers said. “They’re both very versatile, so we’re just going to look and see what happens.”

Both want to play elsewhere when not at quarterback, and whoever is not playing quarterback will play as a back or receiver, Wiggers said.

“They’re skill players and they’re leaders,” he said.

“They will earn their way onto the field one way or another.”

They will lessen the blow of losing last year’s starting quarterback, Colton Liddell, to graduation, and the ups and downs from last season served as lessons for this team, Wiggers said.

“We’ve had some young guys really step up and take over those leadership roles,” Wiggers said. “I think last year set us up for this year, and I have very high expectations based on that.”

Wiggers said his senior defensive leader, Brian Carmean, has returned from an injury last year, and he has been back and better than ever.

“He’s looking to be an integral part of our defense from the safety position,” Wiggers said. “He runs all over, calls the defense, makes sure everybody’s aligned right and comes up and makes big plays.”

COACH’S CORNER “We’ve got new opportunities on defense to be able to run a 4-3 base defense.

We’ve got good size, so we really plan to use that to our advantage, and that’s why we’re transitioning from the 3-5 look to the 4-3. Bulking up and stopping the run is going to be huge for us this year.”

— Jarrett Wiggers on the Eagles’ improvements and shift on defense

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WINDERMERE PREP

2015 ROSTER No. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 12 15 17 18 19 22 25 32 33 34 40 51 55 56 60 61 64 72 74 78 81 83 88 98 N/A

Name Year Davis Crayner 12 Jayce Ford 12 Alex Wood 12 Zach Heaney 12 Yassen Aratius 12 Parker Davis 12 Mitchell Darrow 11 Matthews Peres 9 William Mackenzie 11 Brett DioGuardi 12 Robert Brand 11 Bouldin Heistand 12 Eric Leech 12 Ray Bhatta N/A Maddux MacClellan 9 Alexander Eckert 10 Arun Karamchandani 12 Leon Searcy 11 Casey Daiss 9 Mason Russell 9 Hunter Smallback 9 Hank Allen 11 Skyler Rideout 11 Will Sealy 10 Will Wright 11 Carlos Gonzalez 11 Ryan Swoboda 11 Evan Anderson 12 Zach Rich 12 Will Seelman 11 Ryan King 9 Nico Rivera 12 Warren Sapp 9 Rodrigo Cunha 10

HEAD COACH: Jacob Doss (Sixth year) OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Jacob Doss RUN GAME COORDINATOR: Jason Kelly DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR: Brian Treweek ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: John Lykins

LAKERS

6189 Winter Garden-Vineland Road, Windermere; Sunshine State Athletic Conference — Coral Bay Division

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Evan Anderson, OL (Sr.)

Apart from Davis, Doss is looking at center Evan Anderson as one of his biggest contributors on offense this season.

“I think a standout offensive player to watch (among) our linemen — we got some really good linemen — is our center, Evan Anderson,” Doss said.

At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Anderson will be crucial in the middle of Doss’s experienced offensive line.

“I think our offensive line is where we’re going to hang our hat this year,” Doss said.

“They’re big; they’re strong.

They’ve all played together before; they’ve all started games together.”

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH: Mitchell Darrow, LB (Jr.)

GREAT EXPECTATIONS As a senior quarterback who has started since he was a freshman and helped lead Windermere Prep to an undefeated championship season in 2014, Parker Davis bears a lot of responsibility and expectations entering his final season as a Laker.’

“He’s phenomenal,” head coach Jacob Doss said of the Laker he has coached more than any other. “He’s really taking over the game. I can see it right now: It’s slowing

down for him. He can fly; he can point-guard out there; the kids love him. He was voted captain — obviously he’s got all that stuff going for him.”

With all of that have come scouts and coaches and offers to play defensive back or quarterback in college, including interested FCS programs, such as Richmond.

Davis’s biggest challenge this season could be adjusting to a different offensive pace to show he can be a game

manager in addition to a dual threat.

“We’re not going to be as explosive this year as we were, scoring every other play,” Doss said. “We’re going to be a bit more methodical this year. I’ll call plays knowing that drives are probably going to take a bit longer. We’ll still do some no-huddle uptempo stuff as needed, but I think our overall offense and our offensive line will dictate the tempo and how far we go.”

Darrow was the team-voted defensive MVP last year, and Doss plans to use him in all situations this season, including some snaps at quarterback and every defensive down.

“He is an all-around kid (who) can play any position,” Doss said.

“He is a true football player.

That’s what we like about Darrow — he’s smart.”

On Darrow’s recent trip to Oxford, England, for training, he woke at 6 a.m. each day to train, Doss said.

“He got a trainer — one of his instructors there — who took him to the gym, and he was running every day,” Doss said. “It means a lot to Mitchell, and his leadership is going to go a long way this year.”

COACH’S CORNER “You’ve got some seniors (who) started last year as juniors and even played the year before. So they’ve played on a somewhat good football team two years ago and a great football team last year. One of the things I’ve noticed in those guys — those leaders now — they know the difference between a good football team and a great team, because they’ve seen them both.”

— Jacob Doss on the Lakers’ experience and leadership

2014 RECORD 10-0 (5-0 division)

2015 SCHEDULE Aug. 28: vs. St. Stephen’s Episcopal*, 4 p.m.

Sept. 4: vs. All Saints Academy*, 4 p.m.

Sept. 11: at Canterbury*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 18: at Santa Fe Catholic*, 7 p.m.

Sept. 25: BYE Oct. 2: vs. Zephyrhills Christian*, 4 p.m.

Oct. 9: at Bishop McLaughlin*, 7 p.m.

Oct. 15: vs. Jordan Christian School, 4 p.m.

Oct. 23: vs. Keswick Christian*, 7 p.m. (at Disney) Oct. 30: SSAC Playoffs/Bowl Game Nov. 6: SSAC Playoffs/Bowl Game * denotes division game

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AROUND ORANGE COUNTY: Metro Conference team-by-team preview BOONE BRAVES 2014 RECAP: The Braves made the playoffs, finishing the season on a four-game winning streak.

OUTLOOK: Unburdened of competing in a district with Dr. Phillips, the Braves are a team to watch in the new-look 8A-3.

COLONIAL GRENADIERS 2014 RECAP: Colonial finished 3-7 and went 1-3 in district play.

OUTLOOK: The Grenadiers have improved each of the past three seasons by one win under coach Mike Short. That trend could continue in 2015, but the Grenadiers have a slim chance of being a factor in the district race.

TIMBER CREEK WOLVES 2014 RECAP: Riding current FSU freshman running back Jacques Patrick, the Wolves made the playoffs but were defeated by West Orange.

OUTLOOK: This year begins life after Patrick for the Wolves. Expect coach Jim Buckridge’s offense to pass a lot more than it had in the past four years.

UNIVERSITY COUGARS 2014 RECAP: After making the playoffs in 2013, University took a step back and finished 5-5 in 2014.

OUTLOOK: Receivers Andrew Williams and David Troutman will create matchup problems for opposing defenses, but the Cougars will have their work cut out for them in the parity that is 8A-3.

WINTER PARK WILDCATS 2014 RECAP: After a strong 2013 campaign that set up high expectations for 2014, the Wildcats took a step back thanks in part to competing in a tough, unpredictable district and finished 5-5, missing the playoffs.

OUTLOOK: Even after this offseason’s realignment, 8A-3 looks to be as tough and unpredictable as ever. The Wildcats will rely on an experienced offensive unit to offset a young defense.

CLASS 8A, DISTRICT 4 APOPKA BLUE DARTERS 2014 RECAP: Apopka was 5-4 at one point in 2014, but starting with a win on Halloween over Olympia the Blue Darters won six-consecutive games and won the game that mattered most — the Class 8A State Championship.

OUTLOOK: The Blue Darters lost several important pieces of last year’s championship team, but anyone familiar with coach Rick Darlington’s program and his knack for getting the most from his players knows that simply doesn’t matter. Apopka will be formidable as ever in 2015.

EVANS TROJANS 2014 RECAP: The Trojans finished 1-9.

OUTLOOK: A coaching resignation days before the start of fall camp has left the Trojans reeling, and the staff dysfunction will not bode well in one of the toughest districts in the state.

WEKIVA MUSTANGS 2014 RECAP: Competing in Class 7A, Wekiva made the playoffs for the first time in school history and finished 8-3.

OUTLOOK: The Mustangs have a dynamic QB in Trey McGee and a defense led by Auburncommit Tashawn Manning, but a move up to 8A-4 with Apopka and West Orange will make returning to the playoffs a tall task.

CLASS 8A, DISTRICT 5 CYPRESS CREEK BEARS 2014 RECAP: The Bears went 0-10 in 2014.

OUTLOOK: Cypress Creek’s schedule is a bit more favorable in 2015 than it was in 2014, but its district outlook — competing with the likes of Oak Ridge and Dr. Phillips — still looks pretty grim.

FREEDOM PATRIOTS 2014 RECAP: Patriots finished 4-6 and 2-2 in 8A-5, right in the middle of the pack.

OUTLOOK: Oak Ridge jumping into 8A-5 certainly doesn’t make a playoff run any more likely for Freedom. Patriots could finish at or over .500, though, with some winnable games on their schedule this fall.

OAK RIDGE PIONEERS 2014 RECAP: Finishing 9-2, the Pioneers made the playoffs but fell to Class 7A powerhouse Fletcher.

OUTLOOK: Making the jump to Class 8A, the Pioneers now pose the best threat in years to knocking off Dr. Phillips as district champs. A roster filled with blue chip recruits will be under a new coach, though, with Tyrone Sapp taking the lead this fall.

CLASS 7A, DISTRICT 4 EDGEWATER EAGLES 2014 RECAP: The Eagles were one of the biggest surprises in the state, making the playoffs and nearly knocking off powerhouse Mainland after upsetting Apopka in the regular season.

OUTLOOK: Now competing in Class 7A, Edgewater finds itself as a contender in a district that is full of parity and unpredictability thanks to an experienced core.

CLASS 7A, DISTRICT 5 EAST RIVER FALCONS 2014 RECAP: The Falcons finished 4-6 but competed well in district play, going 3-3 and just missing the playoffs.

OUTLOOK: Moving over a district to 7A-5, which no longer has powerhouse Osceola, the Falcons find themselves in what figures to be a wide-open race for two playoff spots.

LAKE NONA LIONS 2014 RECAP: Lions made playoffs and finished 8-3, averaging 45.8 points per game.

OUTLOOK: Departure of 2014’s record-setting quarterback Tucker Israel and other blue chip prospects to graduation will leave Lake Nona looking to establish a new identity on offense after making the jump to Class 7A this fall.

CLASS 4A, DISTRICT 5 JONES TIGERS 2014 RECAP: Tigers finished 5-6 but went 3-1 in district play to make state playoffs.

OUTLOOK: As always, Cocoa will be the team to beat in district play, but an improved Lake Highland Prep squad could pose a threat to the Tigers’ playoff chances.

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CLASS 8A, DISTRICT 3

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2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW • WEST ORANGE TIMES & OBSERVER • THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2015

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Apopka (2014 runner-up) Evans Wekiva (new addition) West Orange (2014 champion) QUICK HIT: Warriors and Blue Darters meet on Oct. 2 as district play opens, likely deciding the championship. Loser of that game will likely have to fend off Wekiva for runner-up.

PREDICTION: Champion: West Orange; Runner-up: Apopka

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CLASS 8A, DISTRICT 5 Cypress Creek Dr. Phillips (2014 champion) Freedom Oak Ridge (new addition) Olympia (new addition) QUICK HIT: Oak Ridge presents biggest threat to Dr. Phillips’ district dominance in years.

PREDICTION: Champion: Dr. Phillips; Runner-up: Oak Ridge

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CLASS 7A, DISTRICT 4

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East Ridge Edgewater (new addition) Hagerty (new addition) Lake Howell Lake Minneola (new addition) Ocoee West Port (new addition) QUICK HIT: With last year’s runner-up and champion departed and four new additions, this district feels as unpredictable as any this fall.

PREDICTION: Champion: Edgewater; Runner-up: Hagerty CLASS 2A, DISTRICT 4 Agape Christian Cornerstone Charter (new addition) Foundation Academy (2014 runner-up) Victory Christian (2014 champion) QUICK HIT: Unless Agape or Cornerstone has greatly improved from a season ago, the meeting between Foundation and Victory will decide the district.

PREDICTION: Champion: Victory Christian; Runner-up: Foundation Academy

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