Sam’s 2025 spring football stops: West Orange Warriors

The 2025 spring high school football season is officially underway in West Orange and Southwest Orange County, and Orange Observer Sports Editor Sam Albuquerque has begun his 11-stop journey to each of the area’s programs to bring you behind the scenes with all the best notes, tidbits and observations he picks up from each visit.

In the first of Sam’s 11 spring football stops, Albuquerque gives us the latest on one of last season’s top and most controversial teams: Windermere Wolverines.

More from Sam's spring football stops: The First Academy | Foundation Academy | Horizon High | Ocoee High | Olympia High | West Orange High | Windermere High | Windermere Prep

West Orange Warriors

2024 record: 10-3

Spring game: Friday, May 16 vs. Oakleaf High

Coach: Geno Thompson, fourth season.

Key returners, additions: ATH Devonte Anderson, WR Edison Delgado, DL Matheus Kaminski Cordeiro, ATH Brian Dillard and QB A.J. Chung.

Following a difficult 2023 season, West Orange coach Geno Thompson and a special senior class led the Warriors back to the playoffs in 2024, reaching the regional championship game — losing to eventual Class 7A state champions, Venice High.

Despite losing culture setters and top-level playmakers like defensive backs Ivan Taylor and Donovan Lanier, two-way linemen Nico Marti and Josiah Butler and linebackers Bryson Furrey and Logan Hartman; to name a few, West Orange returns key players throughout its roster who, thanks to last season’s senior leadership, are ready to keep the train to Valhalla rolling.

No. 1: This could be the most interesting offense in the area 

The Warriors' offense can be described in a variety of ways, but versatile truly captures the essence of what this group of players is all about. 

Starting with rising junior Brian Dillard, who started at quarterback last season but also spent time showing off his athleticism as a receiver, returner, and defensive back. Two-way athletes Devonte Anderson — West Orange’s top-rated college football prospect — and Edison Delgado — the Warriors' leading receiver last season — bring a dynamic element to this passing game, which is even more so expanded when rising sophomore QB A.J. Chung steps in under center and Dillard provides a third high-level pass-catching option.

Chung, who rotated in at quarterback last season with Dillard as the starter, not only showed as a freshman that he could sling it with the area’s best but he also comes into the spring session with a much more developed physical frame; appearing to have grown three-four inches and added at least 15-20 pounds of muscle.

This combination of talent, along with Thompson’s love for a balanced offensive attack and the return of lead back Jayden Ammons, this group appears to be the most interesting and explosive offense in 2025.

No. 2: Iron Man football

One of the most obvious observations I made watching this West Orange squad was the constant rotation of players going from one side of the ball to the other. This was evident last season, but in 2025, it seems that Iron Man football will be even more the norm for the Warriors.

No. 3: Matheus Kaminski Cordeiro could make himself a household name in 2025

After breaking onto the scene as a freshman with 22 tackles for loss and five sacks, Kaminski Cordeiro appears to have continued to develop physically without losing the quickness and bend off the edge that made him so much fun to watch last season. 

At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds — with a frame that can sustain even more growth — I can see the rising sophomore making some serious noise on the field this season and on the recruiting trail.