December 16, 2018 Volume 75
FEATURING: Bishop Moore, Edgewater, OakRidge, Dr. Phillips & More...
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FEATURED ARTICLES
CONTENT
03 05 06 07
02
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TOUCHDOWN CLUB Subtext Here
FHSAA RECLASSIFICATION Subtext Here
OAK RIDGE BASKETBALL Subtext Here
Coach of the Year Josh Hepel UCF Coach
08 09 11
HOLIDAY BASKETBALL SCHEDULE
UCF FIESTA BOWL Subtext Here
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BISHOP MOORE BASKETBALL Subtext Here
COACH DARLINGTON Subtext Here
EDGEWATER FOOTBALL Subtext Here
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DR PHILLIPS WRESTLING
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ALL-STAR
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FIESTA BOW Subtext Here
HOLI
IDAY
Orlando TD Club to honor West Orange Harding and Oviedo standout Coffie as Football players of year The Orlando Touchdown Club will celebrate outstanding football seasons this fall by a pair of playmakers from Oviedo and West Orange high schools at its final meeting of the year on December 1st. West Orange wide receiver Darrell Harding and Oviedo running back Keonte Coffie will receive TD Club player of the year awards. Wekiva’s Head Coach Rich Bedesem was named coach of the year after guiding the Mustangs to the region finals and a solid season. Long-time area high school coach Phil Ziglar, who retired after leading Hagerty to its second district title, will be recognized for 43 years of service in both Orange and Seminole counties. College and pro football analyst Charles Davis will serve as guest speaker at the Historic Dubsdread Ballroom at 549 West Par Street in College Park. Harding finished the regular season with 46 receptions for 959 yards and 15 touchdowns while helping the Warriors reach the postseason. Coffie carried the ball 248 times for 1,545 and 10 touchdowns for the district-champion Lions. More information about the Orlando Touchdown Club is available at OrlandoTDClub.com
Football coaches move to maintain rivalries following FHSAA reclassification One of the area’s most grueling high school football leagues, Class 8A, District 4, has been revamped in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s statewide reclassification process for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Wekiva, which went 11-2 and finished No. 1 in the Sentinel Super 16 rankings for the 2018 season, was dropped from that district and down a class. The Mustangs move to 7A, District 3 where the competition includes Edgewater, which reached a state semifinal and finished No. 3 in the Super 16. Wekiva head coach Rich Bedesem was Edgewater’s coach from 2014-16. The Mustangs are coming off back-to-back titles in a district that included Apopka and West Orange, who remain in 8A. “We would’ve liked to stay in the other district, but we’re going to play where they put us,” said Bedesem. “A lot of the same teams that were in the district agreed to play us, so our schedule won’t change that much. We’re still going to play teams like Apopka and West Orange and Dr. Phillips.” Wekiva dropped because its October enrollment count of 2,173 students is 233 short of the large-class cutoff of 2,406. Edgewater’s enrollment is 2,030. The FHSAA’s reclassification for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, unveiled Friday morning, includes new region and district alignments and some major changes. Classifications are based solely on a enrollment numbers, as requested by a majority of member schools, according to FHSAA administrators. Unlike in years past, schools will not be allowed to appeal for permission to move up or down in class. Breaking down FHSAA football classifications “I like the fact that the FHSAA is putting its foot down and saying this is it,” said Olympia coach Travis Gabriel. “If we’re going to base this on the student enrollment, then put us where we need to be and we’ll just go out there and compete.” But what that means for Gabriel over the next two years is facing his former team Boone, the school his daughter attends and where he spent time as an assistant coach under Andy Johnson. District 5 also includes Dr. Phillips, Oak Ridge, Clermont East Ridge and Windermere High. “When I saw it I called Andy and we laughed about it,” Gabriel said. “Most of the teams know each other, so we’ve already got that competitive relationship.” With the shift in districts at the Class 8A-5A levels, it’s now up to individual programs to ensure that rivalries forged in recent years remain intact while filling out schedules for the next two years. West Orange coach Bob Head called Bedesem after the FHSAA announcement was made to schedule a game, which could be played as early as the second week of the season. “These teams are used to playing each other for the district championship, and there’s a hunger for playing each other,” said Head. “How can you take that rivalry away?” The new challengers to West Orange and Apopka in District 4, which retains Evans, are Lake Brantley, Lake Mary and Ocoee. “I like playing some new teams, I think that’s great,” said Head. “But passing on all the teams that are closer to our school like East Ridge [which moved up to 8A] makes no sense.” Lake Brantley and Lake Mary were part of a seven-team district in recent years that included Orange City University and six schools from Seminole County. That has been disbanded. Seminole and OCU join DeLand in 8A-2. The worry now for the Seminoles, who went 8-2 but missed the playoffs via the FHSAA power-rankings system (which awards points for wins and losses based on opponent’s strength of schedule), is how it can retain Seminole Athletic Conference rivalries. “Hopefully we can get the better SAC teams on our schedule so we can get [ticket sales] to help fund the program,” Seminole coach Don Stark said. In Osceola County, Liberty was dealt a similar hand. The Chargers, coming off a 9-2 bowl win season, go to 7A-6 with Poinciana, Bartow, Lakeland George Jenkins and Winter Haven. “I really didn’t expect the districts to change so dramatically,” Liberty coach Brandon Pennington said. “But with only four other teams in our district it gives us more control over whom we play and building that strength of schedule.” Pennington said he’s already reached an agreement with Osceola coach Doug Nichols to schedule a game with the Kowboys, and that he’s also made similar inquiries with other in-county programs.
Oak Ridge gets prepared for Hawaii boys’ basketball tournament Orlando’s own, Oak Ridge’s nationally ranked boys basketball team breezed through its final tune-up in preparation for next week’s trip to the Iolani Classic in Hawaii. The Pioneers (8-0), ranked No. 21 nationally in MaxPreps’ Xcellent 25, pulled away from Orlando University (2-6) in the second quarter Saturday for an 80-48 win at the Windermere Prep Hoopfest event. C.J. Walker threw down four dunks and finished with a teamhigh 21 points and 11 rebounds in the win. Kaleb Coleman added 17 points and 9 rebounds while Niven Glover tallied 15 points. Oak Ridge plays its first game of the Iolani Classic on Wednesday against Kailua. Montverde Academy (4-0), ranked No. 1 nationally, opens Tuesday against Hawaii’s Campbell at the 16-team tournament. “We’re excited to take the boys to Hawaii and play against the best,” said Oak Ridge coach Steve Reece. “There’s some really good teams there, so we’ll be the underdogs and we’ve got to be ready to play because it’ll be a good test for us. That’s why I scheduled the toughest teams that we could early in the season to prepare ourselves for that.” What was a competitive game Saturday at the onset took a drastic turn when University’s Ocyher Owens left the game with 36 seconds left in the first quarter. The 6-foot-4 sophomore suffered a right wrist injury after hitting a 3-pointer to get the Cougars to within 20-15. University never regained its footing from there while being held scoreless until midway through the second period when Carlos Machua connected for a 3-pointer to make it a 10-point deficit at 28-18. In other Hoopfest games, The First Academy (2-4) held an 11-point advantage at halftime over Bradenton Lakewood Ranch (4-0) before faltering down the stretch in a 55-53 loss. Alex Shields made a pair of free throws inside the final two minutes and Kam Summers, who knocked down five 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 20 points, added a bucket with 25 seconds left to get the Royals to within 54-53. Following a missed free throw at the other end, the final heave from Shields was off the mark from beyond the arc. Kayne Jones finished with 13 points for TFA. Aidan Knight scored 26 points and James Groestch added 18 points to help Oviedo improve to 7-1 with a 90-78 win over Tampa Catholic (4-3). Melbourne (7-1) rebounded from its first loss of the season this week at Harmony for a 65-55 win over West Orange (24).
Unbeaten Bishop Moore basketball is on the road to Success Facing a tough boys basketball district stretch on the road this week, unbeaten Bishop Moore will lean on the efforts of a deep roster that’s adapted on the fly and found ways to win so far this season. “We’ve gotten winning contributions in a variety of ways,” Bishop Moore coach Jim Yarbrough said. “Our depth is maybe the surprise so far with being able to play nine or 10 guys while still holding it all together.” Bishop Moore, Oviedo come away with Hoops for Heart basketball wins The Hornets (5-0) will first be challenged at defending Class 6A state champion Leesburg (5-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Bishop Moore, coming off of a 23-5 season, lost three times to the Yellow Jackets by lopsided scores a year ago. BM then plays at Poinciana (3-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. Leesburg (5-1) is averaging 70.6 points per game. They suffered a loss for the first time this season 63-62 over the weekend at Auburndale (2-3), which Bishop Moore defeated 61-58 on Dec. 1. Sophomores Sammy Lake and Blake Burkey offered notable efforts for the otherwise experienced Hornets on Saturday while helping hold off Orlando Christian Prep for a 43-37 win at the Hoops for Heart event at Oviedo. “Our bench is sustaining while we rest some guys,” Yarbrough said. “We don’t have to worry about foul trouble as much, and that growth from our young guys is a real blessing. We’re real fortunate to have that.” Bishop Moore returned four starters from last year’s team, including 6-foot-3zz senior guard Hunter Cattoor, who averaged 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 2017-18.
Rick Darlington leaves Apopka High after his 17th season and several State Championships Record-setting Apopka football coach Rick Darlington was named by Enterprise High School in Alabama as its new coach on Thursday, December 6th. The Enterprise City Schools Board of Education voted to approve Darlington, who led Apopka to three state championships, as the coach of a storied program that has slipped. Darlington attended Thursday morning’s board meeting in Enterprise and was quoted by the Southeast Sun newspaper as saying, “I figured I have a good 30-35 years left in me and hopefully all of those will be right here in Enterprise.” The Florida Sporting News reported Wednesday that Coach Darlington resigned as Apopka’s coach after leading the Blue Darters to three state championships and a 167-47 record in 17 seasons over two stints. Coach was a staple of a winning tradition and hard work. His level of commitment was second to none. Coach even reached out to his Pop-Werner program knowing that these young men were going to be the future of his program. Darlington expressed his frustration with Florida’s open enrollment rules that have opened he door to a landslide of transfers from one school to another by athletes. Darlington’s overall record is 206-69, including three seasons at Eustis to start his head coaching career and a three-year run at Valdosta, Ga. (2003-05) that included a 2003 state final appearance. That departure ended with Darlington returning to Apopka in 2006. Apopka won state championships under his direction in 2001, 2012 and 2014 and was a state runner-up in 2013. That makes it the only school in the current Sentinel coverage area to win more than one FHSAA football final. The Blue Darters finished 8-4 this season and reached the Class 8A region semifinals. Enterprise, located roughly 130 miles northwest of Tallahassee, owns a 644-320-34 all-time record with state championship wins in 1979 and 1982, according to the Alabama High School Football Historical Society. But it was 2-8 in each of the past two seasons. Darlington has his work cut out for him. All of us at the Florida Sporting news wishes Coach Darlington much success with his new venture. This is a huge step for him and his family who have called Apopka home for a long time.
Edgewater has brought Pride back to their Football Program under Coach Duke ships After traveling more than a thousand miles for high school football playoff games over the past four weeks, Edgewater’s impressive turnaround ended a game short of its intended destination. The Eagles (12-2) lost 56-21 at Lakeland (14-0) on Friday in a Class 7A state semifinal. Edgewater was within 21-14 at halftime before the Dreadnaughts reeled off 28 points in the third quarter to secure a spot in the FHSAA state championships this week at Camping World Stadium in Orlando. It was a bittersweet ending for a group of upperclassmen that experienced a 0-10 season in 2016, won a district championship in 2017 and secured Edgewater’s first region title since 2009 this fall. “We’ll learn from it and bounce back,” said Edgewater coach Cameron Duke. “My message to these guys was that the love that we have within this program doesn’t end with a loss and that we’ve got to keep our head held high for everything that’s been accomplished. “The foundation has been set the past two years and hopefully [deep playoff runs] is something we do consistently,” he said. Duke implemented a “Restore The Pride” motto upon taking over the program two years ago. And there was plenty of Edgewater pride on display along a packed visiting grandstand Friday at Lakeland, just as there was when the team made postseason trips to Gainesville, Tallahassee and Jacksonville. “We brought the community back together,” said Edgewater senior quarterback R.J. Harvey. “There were so many people out here for this game, and we appreciate them for supporting us.” The turnout by fans this year has been a noticeable change since that winless of people that doubted us, but it feels good knowing that our school and all of College Park are behind us,” White said. “Last year or two years ago our fans weren’t traveling too far with us, and now it’s a great atmosphere with our band and cheerleaders and people in the stands.” The seeds of exceeding expectations appear to be planted for the future and will likely be used to fuel returning players into next season. “We did something that people thought we couldn’t do,” said junior running back Isaiah Connelly. “I’ll always love these guys until the end. We came together every day [on the field] and bonded even more through activities voutside of school.”
Dr. Phillips senior Wrestle
It’s easy to understand why people might figure wrestling is pretty simple for Dylan Meeks. He’s wrestled only about tw eyeing a fourth championship. Out of 178 varsity matches, Meeks has only lost twice (176-2) in his entire high school var season he has only been on the mat 24 times, all victories. While most other wrestlers were fine-tuning their skills in pre-C but no problem. He has 17 pins and two technical falls Meeks. “It might seem like that to people who have only see been doing something a long time, you come back and shape, but give it two months and you’ll be there.” The wrestle. Sure, there’s basketball and football to an exten There might be a couple thousand fans at the Kissim day tourney averages more than 70,000 people. Meeks is also the youngest of three boys, all athleti little brother. It eventually worked to Dylan’s advantag Meeks said with a big smile. “My dad [Sanford Meeks there. You either wrestle or play basketball because fo moved back to Florida around the time when Dylan w right, the older Meeks brothers didn’t go easy on Dyla “The brothers, yeah they’ve beat on him his whole either. He’s always been a fighter, always been a scrapp Alton Meeks (6-foot-3, 250 pounds), who won a s State, Iowa Western and spent this past season at Nor Colby Meeks (6-3, 305), who took second place at Colorado State, where he enrolled early just after Jim “My brothers are bigger and some people might s house,” Dylan Meeks said. Most people who know of Dylan Meeks would consider him a football player who just happens to also be good at wres leading tackler at Dr. Phillips High School with 443 career stops. He also holds the mark for tackles in a game (24) and in always been wrestling. “From what I know of how it normally happens, you don’t start out being a great football player an wrestler that became a football player. That’s where I got my toughness and desire to play, in the wrestling room.” He said seems to drive him in wrestling is that individual desire to win … or, more importantly, to not lose. “I would say it’s winn said. “Three years ago I lost a match I shouldn’t have … and then the state championship my eighth grade year. Alex Kruk he’s won 123 consecutive matches, but the bouts that stand out to him are the two he lost. “I’m a competitor, but for me it being able to accomplish this or that, but there is a lot more regret in losing than there is joy in winning.” He just expects he’s doing, and he prides himself in his athleticism, his technique, the use of his hands and his intelligence. This weekend in Kissimmee, even though he’s wrestling in the heavyweight class, and even though he could end up fac South Dade, the 230-pound Meeks expects to win. He is ranked No. 6 among the nation’s top heavyweights and Taylor is N get to the final, but Meeks has never really been concerned about having a target on his back as the guy to beat. What’s we could be his last wrestling tournament. “Yep, it’s been a long time … my fifth year of high school wrestling,” Meeks said, “But it’s weird because I don’t think of my want to make sure I don’t let anyone down, let myself down and just wrestle as well as I can.” After the state tournament, Meeks will have to decide what lies ahead. He finally got his first football scholarship offer sinc summer, and he could end up signing with Akron, or perhaps even following his brother to Liberty, which will be playing He also has wrestling options at top schools like Eastern Michigan, Appalachian State or Clarion of Pennsylvania. “Footb have to make a decision pretty soon, whether it’s football or wrestling. I probably have three or four choices and I’ll just ha those I’ll need to make a decision. “I would have liked to have signed on National Signing Day, but I didn’t, so …”
er Dylan Meeks, is Awesome!
wo months since last wrestling season and once again the Dr. Phillips senior finds himself back in the state tournament rsity wrestling career, which dates all the way back to his eighth-grade year at Central Florida Christian Academy. This Christmas tournaments, Meeks was taking time off from the football season. He didn’t even hit the mat until January, s in those 24 victories. Easy, right? Those who think it comes easy, however, don’t know wrestling. And, they don’t know
en me wrestling for the past five years,” Meeks said. “You always hear the phrase, ‘It’s like riding a bike.’ When you’ve d you’re a little rusty, but once you knock the rust off and you get your wind back, it’s not too bad. You’re not tip-top ey also don’t know that Meeks spent the early portion of his life in Iowa, where young boys either wrestle or, well … they nt, but wrestling is a way of life. mmee Silver Spurs Arena for this weekend’s state wrestling championships on Friday and Saturday. In Iowa, the three-
ic, all wrestlers and football players, and the oldest two — Alton and Colby — always made it a point to toughen up their ge. “I started when I was 4 up in Iowa and I also have my two older brothers, so I’ve been beat on for a solid 15 years,” s] got a job at the University of Iowa and so we lived in Iowa City and I wrestled with the Little Hawks. “It’s a big deal ootball ends in October or November when it starts to really snow and everything moves indoors.” The Meeks family was 6, but he continued to wrestle, as did his brothers, who also continued to “beat on” him. Both athletes in their own an. life, especially Alton. He’s just mean,” their father said,, laughing. “They never took it easy on him, but they never had to py kid and a grinder.” state wrestling title when he was at a sophomore at Boone High, played football as a linebacker and tight end at Iowa rthern Illinois. He’ll likely use his final season of eligibility as a grad student at Liberty in Lynchburg, Va. t the state wrestling tourney as a junior at Dr. Phillips, will be entering his junior season as an offensive lineman at McElwain left for Florida two years ago. say it’s tough to find partners. Well, they were in my
stling, and why wouldn’t they? He’s the all-time a season (158). Football, however, came later. It’s nd then become a wrestler,” Meeks said. “You’re a d he loves the team concept of football, but what ning, but it’s really more of hating to lose,” Meeks klinski … that was his name. He remembers. Sure t’s not really the joy of winning. There is joy in it and s to win, but he’s not overly cocky. He knows what
cing talented 291-pound Kyron Taylor of Homestead No. 20. They both have to do what is necessary to eird for Meeks, he said, is thinking about how this
yself as a senior at DP. … This is the last one and I
ce suffering a torn labrum in his shoulder last g at the Football Bowl Subdivision level in two years. ball is the sport that I love to play,” Meeks said. “I’ll ave to pick. I’ll go on a couple of visits and after
High School Football East All Stars 29, West All Stars 10 in a great Game Daytona Beach Mainland’s D’andre McMillian ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns to help the East defeat the West 29-10 on Friday, December 7th in the 20th Central Florida All-Star Football Game. Mainland’s D’Andre McMillian was named Most Valuable Player for the 20th Annual Central Florida All-Star Game. McMillian ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns to help the East defeat the West 29-10. McMillian scored on runs of 3 and 39 yards and was named Most Valuable Player for the game at Lake Howell High School. “It feels great. It’s a great accomplishment,” McMillian said. “My offensive line made the hole and I just did what I had to do.” The West team received the opening kickoff and scored first, with Winter Park’s Alec Boe converting a 30-yard field goal. The East struck back on the next possession, though, the beginning of what became a 20-point swing in its favor. By the time West Orange’s Elijah Stimmell got the West back on the board in the fourth quarter with a keeper for a touchdown, it was too little, too late. Stimmell was named the Offensive MVP for the West team. He passed for 125 yards and rushing for 57 yards and the score. Apopka defensive lineman Curtis Williams walked away from Friday’s game with two trophies: one as the West’s recipient for the Jeff Wenstrom Memorial Award for Sportsmanship and the other as the West’s Defensive MVP. “A lot of my coaches from the All-Star team and my coaches from Apopka taught me well,” Williams said. “My dad’s been teaching me sportsmanship since I was a kid.” Trinity Prep quarterback Spencer Fetter got the lion’s share of the snaps under center for the East, in place of Oviedo quarterback Morgan Mitchell, who is playing basketball for the Lions and did not attend. Fetter made the most of it, completing 13-of-19 passes for 119 yards. He was named the East’s Offensive MVP. Freedom running back Jordan Grant rushed for 63 yards on eight carries for the West. Seminole defensive back Hilton Mobley was named the East’s Defensive MVP. Mobley had an interception in the third quarter that led to a touchdown for the East.Originally, it had been a pick-six interception, but Mobley’s return was called back on a holding penalty. Rockledge defensive back Adreal Johnson had two interceptions for the East. East All Stars 29, West All Stars 10 FIRST QUARTER W: Alec Boe 30 yard field goal, 4:56 E: D’andre McMillian 3 yard run (kick missed), 2:15 THIRD QUARTER E: D’andre McMillian 39 yard run (Ryker Casey kick), 8:00 E: Vincent Thomas 1 yard run (Alex Griggs kick) 1:46 FOURTH QUARTER W: Elijah Stimmell 6 yard run (Alec Boe kick), 11:42 E: Safety, punt snap fumbled out of the end zone, 6:46 E: Nate Wright 3 yard run (Alex Griggs kick), 3:30
The 2019 Fiesta Bowl represents many things for the UCF football teamps It’s an opportunity to collect the program’s third New Year’s Day bowl victory in six seasons. It’s another chance to knock off an SEC powerhouse, as they did to the Auburn Tigers last year. And for UCF’s 22 seniors, it means getting to sport the black and gold on the field one final time. “Shoot, we’ve been through it all here,” senior linebacker Pat Jasinski said. “To finish it off right is the way we all want to go out.” Jasinski, defensive end Titus Davis and UCF’s other true seniors received an unforgiving introduction to college football. They were freshmen during the Knights’ winless 2015 campaign, which included the midseason resignation of head coach George O’Leary. From that nadir, however, the program quickly rebuilt itself under Scott Frost, culminating in last year’s Peach Bowl win. But while trying to cap that season, the Knights had to say goodbye to Frost’s staff and say hello to new coach Josh Heupel. Jasinski admitted Thursday the transition was a distraction, but it’s one of many these seniors have overcome. Now following another year that mixed winning with plenty of hardship — from the sight of cornerback Aaron Robinson getting carted off the field on the season’s opening kickoff to being able to push forward after quarterback McKenzieMilton suffered a traumatic leg injury — the seniors have just one game separating them from undefeated glory once more. No Football Bowl Subdivision program has recorded back-to-back perfect seasons since Nebraska in 1994 and 1995. Throughout this season, the Knights have carried an every-week determination to not let their next game be the one that squashes their chance to match the Cornhuskers. “That’s one of the things that during the whole season, we talk about every game like this could be that one game that could trip us up,” Davis said. “This being the last game, it’s a big game for us and we know that going out with a bang would mean everything for us.” Heupel has spent a little more than a year with these departing Knights, but he has expressed his gratitude throughout the season for howthey immediately bought into what he and his staff have tried to implement. “They are a special group,” Heupel said of the seniors on Friday. “I appreciate just the way they have embraced some of the culture that we brought in here, bought into the family atmosphere, continued to compete in a great way and lead our football team in a great way.” No Knight has seen more of the highs and lows than sixth-year senior tight end Michael Colubiale. He said Thursday the Fiesta Bowl will feel “bittersweet” because it will be his final game in a UCF uniform. But it’s an appropriate location for Colubiale’s career to end because, in a way, it began there. Colubiale is the only member of this year’s team who was part of UCF’s 2014 Fiesta Bowl victory over Baylor. He watched from the sidelines as a freshman walk-on. “Everything about that bowl game was amazing,” he said. “The place we stayed, the whole scenery, all the activities we got to do. And the bowl game itself was awesome.” From there, Colubiale earned a scholarship and has played on four conference championship t eams and seen UCF turn competing on New Year’s Day into its new normal. The symmetry of wrapping up his time as a Knight in the desert isn’t lost on Colubiale. “It’s kind of like a full circle for me. I’m starting there, I’m ending there. It’s awesome. I couldn’t have really wanted it any other way,” he said. “I think it’s kind of the bowl game, if we had to pick, where I think everyone on the team really wanted to go to. “I think we’re going to enjoy the bowl game, but we’re also going to really focus on winning that game because we’ve got to finish off this strong season and these past two years. I think it would mean everything for the seniors.”