West Orange girls sports recognized as tops in state in Class 9A | Observer Preps

They’re making room for another statewide trophy at West Orange High.

The Floyd E. Lay Sunshine Cup All-Sports trophy has found a home on Beulah Road, signifying that West Orange High’s girls athletics were — collectively — the best in the state of Florida in Class 9A in 2017-18. 

“To me, by saying, ‘You’re the best program for females in the state of Florida’ — it’s a huge accomplishment,” West Orange Athletic Director Jerry Shafer said. “It’s up there with state championships and national recognition. It just goes to show how well our coaches, our teachers and the community rally behind our programs here.”

To determine winners, points are awarded to a school based on its finish in the FHSAA State Series in each sport. Among other accomplishments, West Orange girls teams won a state championship in volleyball, were state runners-up in softball, third in the state in competitive cheerleading, regional champions in track-and-field and won district championships in a handful of sports, including lacrosse and basketball.

When the points were tallied, West Orange High’s 90 points topped state runner-up Winter Park by five points (85).

“The consistency — from fall-to-spring with all the programs — when you talk across the board, it’s just unheard of,” Shafer said.

The Warriors will look to continue their winning ways this fall not just in girls sports, but in boys sports, too.

“Our boys programs, there’s some programs that are going to catch a lot of teams off guard this year,” Shafer said. 

And should a little friendly ribbing occur between the girls and boys on campus, that might not be so bad, anyway.

“I’m sure the boys will get heckled a little bit — but that’s sports, too,” Shafer said. “It never hurts to have a little competition within the school itself.”