PREVIEW: Are you ready for some (pee wee) football?

By Steven Ryzewski
| 1:21 p.m. September 3, 2015

Sports

Although the big boys of high school football playing on Friday nights steal the show, most of them started out playing on Saturday afternoon in any of the region’s several youth football leagues. To celebrate the start of youth football season, we are presenting the essential information on each of the West Orange area’s organizations.

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Mid-Florida Pop Warner

West Orange Wildcats

MFPW Division 2

WEBSITE: wowildcats.com/

BOUNDARIES/AREA: Players zoned for West Orange High

HOME TURF: Walker Field

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 at Winter Park; Sept. 5 vs. Sanford; Sept. 12 at South Orlando; Sept. 19 at South Lake; Sept. 26 vs. South Central; Oct. 3 at Hagerty; Oct. 10 vs. Azalea Park; Oct. 18 at Wekiva

2014 HIGHLIGHTS: The Wildcats had four teams advance to the MFPW Division 2 Playoffs in 2014.

TEAM TO WATCH: The Wildcats Unlimited Team, which consists of boys ages 11-14 and has no weight restrictions, is coached by Andre Dudley and loaded with future West Orange Warriors.

Ocoee Bulldogs

MFPW Division 1

WEBSITE: ocoeebulldogs.org

BOUNDARIES/AREA: Players zoned for Ocoee High

HOME TURF: Ocoee Bulldog Field

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 at Lyman; Sept. 5 at Olympia; Sept. 12 vs. Lake Mary; Sept. 19 vs. Winter Park; Sept. 26 vs. Dr. Phillips; Oct. 3 vs. Apopka; Oct. 10 at Sanford; Oct. 18 at Pine Hills

2014 HIGHLIGHTS: Four football teams made it to the MFPW Championships, and the Junior Pee Wee team made it to the regional playoffs in Jacksonville. Two cheerleading teams (Pee Wee and Junior Pee Wee) advanced to Nationals.

TEAM TO WATCH: Once again, Ocoee figures to have several playoff teams, but the Junior Pee Wees, coached by Jeff Dorsey, and the Junior Midgets, coached by Lo Wood, figure to be particularly formidable.

Olympia Titans

MFPW Division 1

WEBSITE: olympiatitanspw.com

BOUNDARIES/AREA: Players zoned for Olympia High.

HOME TURF: Olympia High

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 at South Orlando; Sept. 5 vs. Ocoee; Sept. 12 at Winter Park; Sept. 19 vs. Dr. Phillips; Sept. 26 at Apopka; Oct. 3 vs. Sanford; Oct. 10 vs. Pine Hills; Oct. 18 at Lake Mary

2014 HIGHLIGHTS: The Titans’ Pee Wee, Junior Midget and Unlimited teams made the playoffs.

Dr. Phillips Panthers

MFPW Division 1

WEBSITE: dppanthers.com

BOUNDARIES/AREA: Players zoned for Dr. Phillips High.

HOME TURF: Dr. Phillips High

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 vs. Avalon; Sept. 5 at Sanford; Sept. 12 vs. Pine Hills; Sept. 19 at Olympia; Sept. 26 at Ocoee; Oct. 3 vs. Lake Mary; Oct. 10 vs. Winter Park; Oct. 18 at Apopka

2014 HIGHLIGHTS: The Panthers Unlimited team advanced to the Pop Warner Super Bowl at Disney’s Wide World of Sports.

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Central Florida Youth Football League

Ocoee Cardinals

WEBSITE: cfyfl.com

BOUNDARIES/AREA: Players zoned for West Orange High and Ocoee High

HOME TURF: West Orange High School and the Ocoee Youth Football Field (aka Ocoee Bulldog Field)

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 vs. West Orlando (at Ocoee); Sept. 5 vs. South Lake (at Ocoee); Sept. 12 at Oviedo; Sept. 19 at East Orange; Sept. 26 at Lake Mary/Sanford; Oct. 3 at Altamonte; Oct. 10 at East Orlando; Oct. 17 at Apopka

2014 HIGHLIGHTS: All of the Cardinals teams made the playoffs in 2014 and four teams made the American Youth Football Southeast Regional Tournament. The Cardinals’ seventh-grade team advanced to the AYF National Championship.

TEAM TO WATCH: While all of the Ocoee teams are playoff-ready, the seventh-grade team (coached by William Floyd) and eighth-grade team (coached by Julian Pittman) are particularly dynamic.

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Florida Youth Football and Cheer (AAU)

West Orange Bobcats

WEBSITE: fyfcl.com/youth-football-clubs/west-orange-bobcats-youth-football/

BOUNDARIES/AREA: Players zoned for West Orange High, Olympia High and Dr. Phillips High

HOME TURF: West Orange High School

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 vs. Conway; Sept. 5 bye week; Sept. 12 at Lake Nona; Sept. 19 at Kissimmee; Sept. 26 at Celebration; Oct. 3 at Lakeland; Oct. 10 vs. East Orlando; Oct. 17 vs. East Orange; Oct. 24 vs. Seminole

2014 HIGHLIGHTS: The Bobcats’ 12U and 6U football teams won the 2014 FYFCL Championships. All tackle teams were invited to AAU Nationals.

TEAM TO WATCH: The 12U Bobcats, coached by Sam Miller, look to continue their success in 2015.

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OTHER

West Orange Junior Warriors

WEBSITE: westorangejrwarriors.com

HOME TURF: Walker Field

2015 SCHEDULE: Aug. 29 at Dundee; Sept. 5 at Sarasota; Sept. 12 vs. Central Florida; Sept. 19 vs. Lakeland; Sept. 26 at Haines City; Oct. 3 vs. Avon Park; Oct. 10 at Eustis; Oct. 17 vs. Osceola

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Looking back — 2014 Youth Football Team of the Year:

Dr. Phillips Pop Warner Unlimited

The Panthers made it to Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports for the 58th Pop Warner Super Bowl last fall and participated in two exciting, memorable contests.

DP opened play Dec. 7 with a 22-18 victory over Brick City (New Jersey) but fell to the Everett (Massachusetts) Crimson Tide in the Unlimited (ages 14-and-under, no weight restrictions) national semifinals, 24-22, Dec. 10.

The Panthers finished with a record of 15-1.