Experience, Defense Fuel Out-of-Door Academy’s 4-0 Start

The Thunder have outscored four opponents 158-13 behind a veteran roster and a defense that has posted two shutouts.

Out-of-Door Academy is 4-0 in 2026 behind a strong defense and an experienced roster under head coach Rob Hollway. | Stacy White

Four games into the 2026 high school football season in Florida, Out-of-Door Academy remains unbeaten.

The Thunder improved to 4-0 with a 28-0 victory over rival St. Stephen’s Episcopal on Sept. 4, following earlier wins over Indian Rocks Christian, Babcock and Cambridge Christian.

ODA has outscored those four opponents 158-13 while recording two shutouts.

Before the St. Stephen’s game, head coach Rob Hollway pointed to experience as one of the biggest reasons for the Thunder’s early success.

“I think the biggest thing for this team is that we’re a veteran team,” Hollway said. “We have 15 seniors in all the right spots. Four out of five of our offensive linemen are seniors. Our quarterback’s a senior. All four of our defensive linemen are seniors.”

That experience is spread across both sides of the football.

Senior quarterback Jaxon Lawhun has completed 36 of 67 passes for 609 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception through four games.

The defense, meanwhile, has allowed only two touchdowns all season.

ODA Defense Sets the Tone

ODA opened the season with a 26-7 victory over Indian Rocks Christian before shutting out Babcock 56-0. The Thunder followed with a 48-6 win over Cambridge Christian and their second shutout against St. Stephen’s.

Hollway credited defensive coordinator Zach Hammond and the culture built around the unit.

“We have a really strong culture on defense about rallying to the football, 11 playing as one,” Hollway said. “I think this team leads through defense. We take it seriously. Every yard is precious.”

Several players have contributed to that production.

Junior wide receiver/linebacker Kingston Kokoefer leads ODA with 26 tackles and has seven tackles for loss. Senior Jake Beasley has recorded 23 tackles, a team-high nine tackles for loss and four sacks.

Senior nose guard Bryce Briones, a transfer from North Carolina's Mooresville High, has added 19 tackles and seven tackles for loss.

Hollway singled out Briones before the St. Stephen’s game as one of the additions who has made a difference up front.

“He’s just made things really hard for opponents,” Hollway said. “When you can press the pocket, it causes conflict and gets guys out of spots. As long as we can continue to control the line of scrimmage, we are going to find success.”

Against St. Stephen’s, that line of scrimmage again became a factor.

Thunder Pull Away in Head of School’s Cup

ODA led St. Stephen’s 7-0 at halftime before scoring 21 unanswered points in the second half.

The annual rivalry, now known as the Head of School’s Cup after previously being called the Headmaster’s Cup, carries added significance for Hollway.

His father played football at Michigan, and Hollway said growing up around the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry shaped his appreciation for games between familiar opponents.

“I think a good, healthy rivalry is good for both schools, and this game means everything to us,” Hollway said before the matchup. “It’s our Super Bowl. Beating St. Stephen’s, if we want to have a successful season and achieve our goals, it starts with beating our rival.”

ODA turned a one-score halftime lead into a four-touchdown victory.

Lawhun completed 11 of 23 passes for 180 yards and three touchdowns, connecting with Dominick Reddick, Cam Yates and Brayden Ogle for scores.

TOUCHDOWN: Cam Yates wins the jump ball on 4th down 😮

Lawhun puts it up. Yates comes down with it. Thunder rolling. 21-0 ODA. 10:54 4Q @ODAfootball pic.twitter.com/puksyGmdem

— Jaret Rojas (@RojasTalksTampa) September 5, 2026

Yates also scored on the ground to account for ODA’s fourth touchdown.

The senior athlete has five rushing touchdowns this season on 15 carries and added his first receiving touchdown against St. Stephen’s. He has also committed to Holy Cross to play baseball as a pitcher.

Yates helped ODA control the second half as the Thunder turned a 7-0 halftime lead into a 28-0 victory.

Lawhun’s three-touchdown performance increased his season total to nine, while the ODA defense completed its second shutout in three games.

Out-of-Door Academy quarterback Jaxon Lawhun (3) passed for three touchdowns against St. Stephen’s Episcopal during the Head of School’s Cup on Sept. 4, 2026. Lawhun now has nine touchdown passes this season. | Jaret Rojas

Football as a Tool for Development

Hollway believes the experience that has helped ODA start 4-0 is also part of a broader program culture built around player development.

“I do it to help these kids achieve their goals,” Hollway said. “The great thing about football is it teaches a lot of valuable life lessons about toughness, perseverance and hard work.

“Our game of football is just a vessel to helping these kids become better people. That’s my favorite part about it, helping them find homes in college recruiting. What I hang my hat on at ODA is that we provide a positive experience and have a lot of fun.”

For now, the Thunder enter their bye week 4-0 after outscoring their first four opponents 158-13.

ODA returns Sept. 18 against Sarasota Christian, carrying the formula that has worked so far: experience up front, steady quarterback play and a defense that has made every yard difficult to earn.