HEATHROW, Fla. – Players and coaches are itching for the 2026 high school football season to start.
Teams report for practice Monday, and preseason games begin mid-August.
“(I’m) really excited,” said First Academy defensive tackle Jeau-Pierre Furtado. “We put in all this work during the offseason, and we’re ready to go showcase it out there for (my) senior year.”
Several Central Florida teams stopped by Seminole State College in Heathrow for a media day previewing the upcoming season.
Lake Mary High School won the Class 7A state championship in stunning fashion and showed off the bling. But the Rams are focusing on the new season and opponents this season, including many former state champions.
“We’re playing state championship caliber football all season long,” said head coach Scott Perry. “We’re ready for it; we just got to make sure we practice for it.”
Tavarius Brundidge, the Lake Mary running back a part of completing the stunning comeback in the state championship, said the Rams want to repeat and carry that mantle this year.
“We still got to keep our head high,” Brundidge said. “We are the defending champs; we definitely got to keep our drive. We can’t go off last year because last year is not the same as this year.”
Some teams are looking to get back into the playoffs and build off last season’s success.
“We made the playoffs last year for the third time ever,” said Deltona head coach Matt Martin. “For us to get there again, it’s going to be how we respond to adversity. We’re going to have it; it’s about how you respond to it.”
Many teams in Central Florida made the playoffs last season. Class 7A had an entire region with eight Central Florida teams, meaning one team from the area was guaranteed a spot in the state semifinals.
“Going into your senior year and seeing how those seniors ended off last year is just motivational,” said Spruce Creek receiver Keenan Nephew. “You don’t want to go through that.”
Teams want to put an emphasis on games in the regular season to not only win the district but ensure a better chance to play at home through the playoffs.
“We have the urgency of the regular season,” said Oviedo head coach Greg Odierno. “We got to win more games in the regular season to get us a better position in the playoffs. If we do those things, we’ll be alright.”