Central Florida High Schools Kick Off Football Practice This Week

After a long offseason of spring drills and summer passing leagues, teams don the helmets in preparation for the 2025 season

Hagerty's Leo Gutierrez (22), one of many talented returnees for 2025, helps to make a tackle during a 2024 game. / Acovan Schild

Boone High senior linebacker Noah Maddox is so excited about the first day of high school football practice in Central Florida that he likens it to the winter holidays.

Anticipating The First Day of Football Practice Is Like Christmas Eve

“It’s like Christmas Eve,” said Maddox, who transferred back to the Orange County public school after a year playing for The First Academy. “Just can’t wait to get out there with my brothers and strap it up one last time in high school.

“We have an awesome senior-led team with a lot of experience,” Maddox said. “This year, we’re going to be really good and win a lot of ball games.”

Monday Marks the First Official Day of Football Practice in Florida

Boone is of many Central Florida schools that begin practice on Monday, July 28, the first day Florida high school football teams can begin practice per FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) rules.

Drills Remain Non-Contact Until Aug. 2

Practices are non-contact until Saturday, Aug. 2, when rules stipulate that schools can begin contact. Teams have two solid weeks of drills before preseason Kickoff Classic games are held the week of Aug. 11-16.

Boone coach Andy Johnson said the Braves will practice from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. Boone will drill in shells for two days and then go to pads.

Boone Returns 13 Starters in 2025

Maddox is one of many talented seniors for Boone, which returns seven offensive starters and six offensive starters from last year’s team that went 5-5 in a very tough Class 7A, District 2.

Boone High's Noah Maddox, a 6-foot, 220-pound linebacker with multiple Division I offers, leads an experienced senior-laden team into 2025, / Brady Myers

Quarterback Sam Johnson is back after passing for 2,100 yards and 31 touchdowns, along with offensive lineman Rhys Woodrow; cornerback Lagarion Wilson, who had five interceptions; and defensive end Will Buzyniski, six sacks.

Oviedo Lions Ready to Roar This Fall

In Seminole County, Oviedo High also will practice from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. The Lions will go helmets for two days and then proceed to shells for the remainder of the week.

Oviedo is expected to be very competitive again, returning eight offensive starters and four defensive starters from last year’s team that 8-3 and advanced to the Class 6A state playoffs.

Senior running back Brock Joyce, junior wide receiver/defensive back Carmari Solomon, junior wide receiver Jordan Donahoo, senior offensive lineman Micah Thorpe, and senior defensive back Samari Chisolm are the ones to watch for the Lions.

Hagerty Huskies to Practice in the Evening

Across town, Hagerty will wait until the evening to practice, drilling from 5 to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Huskies will work in helmets the first two days before going to shells to conclude the week. Hagerty begins full pads on Monday, Aug 4.

“I am excited to be back in and practicing with my team,” said Hagerty senior long snapper/linebacker/running back Leandro Gutierrez. “I love my brothers and I know we are going to do great things this season.”

Hagerty returns nine starters from a squad that went 5-5 last season. Senior middle linebacker Ryan Davis, senior two-way lineman Trevor Covelli, junior quarterback Royce Jenkins, and senior wide receiver/defensive back Jonathan Gandy also return.

The Master's Academy Eagles Aiming to Fly High Again

Also in Oviedo, The Master’s Academy will take its first step toward defending its SSAA (Sunshine State Athletic Association) title when it drills from 8:15 to 10:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday.

The Eagles, who welcomed Bailey Granier back as head coach this year, will practice in shells Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The team’s first practice in full pads will be at midnight, Saturday morning, Aug. 2.

“I’m excited about it,” said Granier, a former UCF lineman. “It’s great to be back after a few years’ hiatus. I’m ready to impact these kids, spiritually, physically and in the game of football.

Expected to lead TMA are quarterback/safety Ashton Bosco, two-way player Evan Slockett, special teams player Brett Gotwalt, and running back/linebacker Jadon McLennan.

Buccaneers Look to Conquer More Opponents in 2025

In Volusia County, Mainland second-year coach Jerrime “Squatty” Bell is ready to take the Buccaneers back to the top after finishing 5-6 and advancing to the Class 5A state playoffs last season. Mainland won it all in 2023, going 14-1.

The Bucs will practice from 4 to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, working in helmets the first two days before going to shells for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Mainland will practice in full gear from 9 to 11 a.m., Aug. 2.

“I’m looking forward to (the season),” Bell said. “We should be back to our dominating ways, making a playoff run.”

Among the Bucs to watch are linebacker Dennis King, defensive back Jhavin Westbrook, quarterback Sebastian Johnson, and two-way linemen Amare Campbell and Stephone Ross.

Cocoa Tigers Eyeing Four-Peat as Drills Get Underway

In Brevard County, three-time defending state champ Cocoa also will take the field for practice.

“We have to replace a lot of previous seniors who did a good job for us,” said Cocoa coach Ryan Schneider, who enters his seventh season at the helm. “We’re young, but we’re talented. We’re excited about the season. It’s probably the best summer we’ve had since I’ve been at Cocoa because we’re focused.”

Cocoa will have a new quarterback in junior Champ Smith, who transferred from Boca Raton Spanish River. He already has an offer from Kentucky.

The Tigers’ defense will be led by defensive back CJ Hester, an University of Florida commit and one of the top DBs in the nation. Cocoa also has defensive back/wide receiver Okece Battle, 4-star Kohl’s kicker Keelan Gonzalez, and two-way player Tyion Jacobs, a Florida Atlantic commit.

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Jeff Gardenour can be reached via email at jgardenour1962@gmail.com or via X @JMarkG1962