- August 12, 2026
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Starting this week, the sounds of pads clashing on the field will ring across West Orange and Southwest Orange as the 2026 high school football season kicks off.
After far too long, Friday night lights are back.
Last week, we introduced the West Orange and Southwest Orange public high school football teams gearing up for their next season. This week, we’re taking a look at the area’s private high schools.
Three of the schools will become foes in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s new Independent League Division B South Region: Central Florida Christian Academy, Foundation Academy and Windermere Preparatory School. CFCA and Foundation previously were under the Sunshine State Athletic Association’s 11-Man umbrella, while Windermere Prep played in SSAA 1A. Now, all three schools will play their respective schedules, and MaxPreps rankings will be used at the end of the regular season to determine the playoff seeding.
The top eight teams from the region qualify, and those who do not still will be eligible for a postseason bowl game.
Outside of the trio of independents, Legacy Charter School is back in the 11-man football scene and will play in the SSAA 11-man. The First Academy also was adjusted following the FHSAA’s December decision to remove Class 7A, bringing the classes down to six. Rather than playing in Class 1A District 6, the Royals now are in Class 2A District 5.
Preseason kickoff classics begin Friday, Aug. 14, presenting fans with early-access viewing of what their beloved schools might produce in the 2026 regular season. But before the games, the roar of fans and cheerleaders lining tracks return for the true season kickoff Friday, Aug. 21, let’s take a look at the fields of the five private schools.
Independent Division B South Region
Head coach: Kevin Blackman, fourth year
SCHEDULE
Games begin at 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 28, at Trinity Prep
Friday, Sept. 4, vs. Seffner Christian
Friday, Sept. 11, at Foundation Academy*
Friday, Sept. 25, at Legacy Charter
Friday, Oct. 2, at Bronson
Friday, Oct. 9, at Cornerstone Charter Academy*
Friday, Oct. 16, at Boca Raton Christian, 4 p.m.
* District game
The Eagles are coming off an undefeated 9-0 regular season and a district championship last year. But the injury bug began to bite up toward the end of the turnaround year. Last year’s quarterback Gavin Pritzkau, an eighth-grader, was injured in the final game, and the Eagles’ backup QB also was experiencing pains. The Eagles lost in the first round of the playoffs, but the players took the past eight months to rest and recuperate.
Now, they’re back to full strength.
After only graduating five seniors, CFCA’s 2026 players are coming in with a deep understanding of one another, and better yet, an understanding of how to dominate together. Head coach Kevin Blackman said it’s been a breeze this year to have his group of players come together.
The Eagles lost a few core members of the team, such as running back Jahmari Hammonds, who produced 1,555 yards with 24 rushing touchdowns. But others, such as leading tackler, DaVion Monroe, receiver Deshaun Jones and QB Pritzkau, are back in green.
Pritzkau, who transferred to CFCA last season, is gearing up for his ninth-grade year and is ready to come back even stronger. He threw for more than 2,000 yards but is targeting more than 3,500 yards this time around, along with some rushing touchdowns if possible.
“I want to make sure I keep building my team up because without them none of this is possible,” he said. “(Without) my O-linemen blocking, my receivers making downs, my yards, my touchdowns and all (of my stats) would have a drop without (my teammates). … This past season was an amazing growing year.”
To kick off the growing year and continue the production, the team participated in its newest tradition — a midnight practice — to kick off their season. Before the late-night practice began, they first worshipped together before taking to the gridiron. Pritzkau said the practice was a step in changing the environment within CFCA’s locker room.
“Once you get that winning mentality, that mentality that you go out to win, it’s never going back,” he said.
Independent Division B South Region
Head coach: D.J. White, second year
SCHEDULE
All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Friday, Aug. 21, at Cornerstone Charter Academy, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Lake Highland Prep
Friday, Sept. 4, at Cocoa Beach
Friday, Sept. 11, vs. Central Florida Christian Academy*
Friday, Sept. 18, vs. Cambridge Christian
Friday, Oct. 2, vs. Windermere Preparatory School*
Friday. Oct. 9, at Providence School
Friday, Oct. 23, vs. West Oaks Academy
Friday, Oct. 30, vs. The Master’s Academy
* District game
Under first-year head coach D.J. White, Foundation Academy’s 2025 team made school history with its first 10-win season, which led the Lions to reach the semifinals of the SSAA 11-man postseason tournament.
“We always talk about never being complacent,” White said. “Whether it’s from game-to-game, whether it’s from practice-to-practice or season-to-season. It’s a new season, new opportunity, so we have to make it count starting Day One.”
The new opportunity will unfold at the hands of a younger squad ready to buy into the team’s opportunity to play in the FHSAA. White, a graduate from Apopka High who attended many district playoff games, is excited for his team’s opportunity to be back within the FHSAA and to be one of the first teams in the league’s inaugural season.
As always, high school athletics brings a revolving door of players and opportunity as each new year begins, and the Lions will embark on the journey without the 12 who graduated in 2026. But others are back in their previous slots, and secondary players now prepare to step into the starting role.
Cole Huntley, senior safety/wide receiver, will return after leading the team with 60.1 receiving yards per game and recording 12 total touchdowns in his junior campaign. On D, he added 4.8 tackles per game, forced four fumbles and hauled in three picks. The Lions will have a new starting quarterback, Dustin Cormier, who recorded four passing touchdowns last season. Senior Mika Johnson who plays defensive end, kicker and punter and recorded four sacks, is returning ready to capitalize on his opportunities.
“I want to reach the double-digits on sacks,” Johnson said. “Definitely I had some missed opportunities, but I just have to capitalize on those, because I’m getting in the back field. I just have to make those tackles.”
The No. 1 pillar of the team as it always will be is toughness.
“We’re very young, very inexperienced, but guys have been showing up every day over the summer ,and they’re hungry,” White said.
SSAA 11-man
Head coach:
Brandon Bristow, second year
SCHEDULE
All games are at 7 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 21, vs. Seffner Christian
Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Satellite
Friday, Sept. 4, vs. Santa Fe Catholic
Friday, Sept. 11, at Cornerstone Charter Academy
Friday, Sept. 18, at Halifax Academy
Friday, Sept. 25, at Central Florida Christian Academy
Friday, Oct. 9, vs. Master’s Academy
Friday, Oct. 16, at Cocoa Beach
Friday, Oct. 23, at Faith Christian
As Legacy embarks on its second season under head coach Brandon Bristow, all practices will have a different feeling — comfort. Gone are the days where the Eagles will play eight-man football; now the team has found itself back on the 11-man landscape.
“(We’re) more prepared,” Bristow said. “They know what they’re doing.”
The team’s preparation was on full display in the spring game, which they won, 8-0, over Halifax Academy in a tight fourth-quarter battle. That success helped the Eagles find players to buy into the program and reinforce their confidence. Legacy’s putting its past winless season behind them.
The identity of the Eagles will remain the same — a small-but-mighty team. Legacy’s roster includes about 25 players, with two coming from Hope Charter School, the middle school tied to Legacy High. With a smaller charter school, 25 boys make up a good chunk of the school’s enrollment, with around 150 boys total across the four grades. Bristow said adding middle-schoolers as a player option has been pushed for years. He is excited to add the younger players to the mix.
All the coaches feel more confident, as well, which should carry over into the practices and game plans. The Eagles will continue to lean on defensive coordinator Jed Ebersole, whose knowledge of the game proved to be pivotal. All but one coach has returned to the Eagles’ sideline.
A similar carry over is seen in the players — only one senior graduated last season, and four were lost in the webbing of the high school transfer portal. But important players such as Landen Mathihs, Kael Rushing and Wyatt Canaan remain. Their leadership and efforts through the new brand of football last season were game changing. Now they have a full year under their belt, and with more experience comes more production. Most important — they’re used to getting hit.
“Everyone knows the terminology,” Bristow said. “They’re a lot more comfortable.”
Class 2A District 5
Head coach: Jeff Conaway, fourth year
SCHEDULE
All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Friday, Aug. 21, vs. Dr. Phillips
Friday, Aug. 28, at Edgewater
Friday, Sept. 4, at Port Charlotte, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 11, at South Lake
Friday, Sept. 18, vs. IMG Academy
Friday, Oct. 2, vs. Cocoa*
Friday, Oct. 9, vs. Archbishop McCarthy
Friday, Oct. 16, vs. West Boca Raton
Friday, Oct. 23, at Altamonte Christian School
Friday, Oct. 30, at Lakeland
* District game
The First Academy has undergone a whirlwind of adjustments in the last two years. Of course, the excitement heading into this season revolves around the possibility of reaching the coveted state championship. However, head coach Jeff Conaway said building unity through the adversity of the last two years is the true victory.
The Royals are staying on-brand by scheduling a murderer’s row of opponents. Their 5-5 record in 2025, which was played against top national teams, set them up for long-term preparation. According to MaxPrep’s preseason rankings, TFA is No. 11 in Florida and this year will face No. 2, IMG Academy and No. 7 West Boca Raton.
Although the Royals lost 19 players from the 2025 team and brought only a few new players, the talent within the small squad of 31 is real. The coaching staff is focused on the quality over the quantity. Conaway said a great group of senior leaders will anchor the Royals. But standing alongside them is a core of freshman leaders. It won’t be a senior-heavy led team, which is unique.
“You don’t always have that,” Conaway said. “Those are some things that we’re excited to see mesh. We’re excited to see our oldest guys mesh with our youngest guys, come together and put a great product on the field.”
The talent and leadership is present on both sides of the ball, with defensive line senior Jean-Pierre Furtado, offensive line senior Reed Ramsier and four-year starting middle linebacker Kyler Priester. On the younger side of the ball, quarterback and captain Deuce Woods, who started in one game last season as an eighth-grader, will step into the limelight as a ninth-grader.
“We’ve got great anchors all over the offense and the defense, and I really think that those guys are going to have a whole lot of fun leading this young team this year,” Conaway said.
Independent Division B South Region
Head coach: James Hamilton, third year
SCHEDULE
All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted
Friday, Aug. 28, vs. Taylor
Friday, Sept. 4, at Cornerstone Charter Academy*
Friday, Sept. 11, vs. Faith Christian*, 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18, at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School
Friday, Sept. 25, vs. Trinity Prep*, 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2, at Foundation Academy*
Friday, Oct. 16, vs. All Saints’ Academy
Friday, Oct. 22, at Geneva
Friday, Oct. 30, at Lake Highland Prep*
* District game
Windermere Prep celebrated reaching the milestone all teams crave but most aren’t lucky enough to attain — a state championship. One year after going 2-7, the Lakers finished 2025 as the SSAA1A Champions. The team now is ready to leave the SSAA on a high note and transition into the world of FHSAA football.
“It was a good turnaround for us,” head coach James Hamilton said. “The kids bought in that summer going into that season, just understanding what we were trying to build, the culture we were trying to build and the identity we were trying to build.”
The success in last year’s postseason helped to skyrocket the participation throughout summer training. His first summer, there only were about five to 10 players, then it grew to 15 to 29 players. Over the summer leading up to the 2026 season, the middle-school team has continued to grow, and varsity had around 25 players show up every day.
Windermere Prep’s name now is known in the football community.
The players are young but have been on the Lakers’ training fields for two years, so Hamilton has high expectations for them. Hamilton regarded quarterback Ty Tracy as one of the best young QBs in the area.
“Last season was a really good season for the whole team,” Tracy said. “Our motto is, ‘Leave no doubt,’ so that’s what we’re going to aim for this year.”
They intend to continue working together to showcase their strength not only to themselves but also to their opponents and continue to inspire the future generations of Lakers.
