Strawberry Crest High School Chargers

4M District 7 Head Coach: Phillip Prior (5 years)

Strawberry Crest finished the 2022 season 6-4 with a 14-6 win against rival Plant City. 5-year Crest Head Coach Phillip Prior says his team has put in a lot of hard work this offseason and this summer.

Prior said: “From November through April, the main focus of our off-season program is to gain size and strength, which we did a great job of. We shift that focus during the summer as we get ready to play football season. We install offensive and defensive schemes, do a lot in the weight room to prevent injury during the fall and get our guys into shape to be ready to play a football season. We are always stressing the habits we create from November through July are what our team will look like in the fall. We are excited to see how all those daily deposits we made over the last nine months produce during the season.”

Rising junior Zy Floyd will lead the offense at the quarterback position. A Spring transfer from Riverview High School, Floyd brings a dedication to preparedness, focused mental acuity and is continuously working on the development of his physical skills.

Prior says he is excited to see what the QB can do on the field for Floyd’s first fall season at Crest: “Zy has been a great addition to our team. He brings a great work ethic, determination, and energy to our team, which is exactly what you want from your quarterback. We are excited to see what he can do in the air and on the ground with his legs. Our biggest point of emphasis with him has been to manage our offense, create explosive plays, and protect the football. We believe our offense has the potential to really maximize his strengths.”

Seniors running back Devin Blunt, defensive tackles Quintin Walker and Didi Godonou Dossou, and linebacker Abe Craig will lead the defense. The four had a combined 14 tackles against Plant City in the 2022 season. The remainder of Crest’s defense is young and hungry for varsity reps. Fans should keep an eye on Crest’s defense this season as it develops from week one to week 11.

The Chargers’ first home game this season will be against King High School Lions on August 25. Prior said the season opener is one of his favorite games of any season.

“You have limited film on your opponent, so the first week really boils down to how well your kids can execute your system, make the adjustments needed, and play with great effort,” said Prior. “No matter who we play, the number one thing we stress is let’s be who we are and not beat ourselves.”

This season, the key to success for the Chargers is “control the things we can control.”

“If we drop a game this year, we need to circle the wagons and keep striving to improve,” said Prior. “When we win a game this year, we cannot be satisfied and must keep striving to improve. We get to control how we respond to success and failure.”