High School Football: Central Florida Preseason Kickoff Classic Schedule

IMG-The First Academy, Seminole-Jones highlight big week of games

The First Academy (Orlando) football team is expected to feature one of the best secondaries in the nation this year. The Royals will test their skills against powerful IMG Academy of Bradenton in a preseason Kickoff Classic game on Thursday, Aug, 14. / The First Academy football

Central Florida high school football players barreled through the first week of practice at all hours of the day and, sometimes, at night.

Athletes and their coaches know the clock is ticking as preseason Kickoff Classic games are just 10 days away. The contests serve as a fine tune-up before teams begin regular season play on Friday, Aug. 22.

“It’s going to be a great season,” said Boone senior linebacker Noah Maddox, who transferred back to the Orange County public school after a year at The First Academy.

Although the Kickoff Classic games do not count toward regular season records, they will feature some superb showdowns between some of the best teams in Florida.

IMG Academy, a world-renowned boarding school in Bradenton that offers camps and elite-level training, will travel to Orlando to play The First Academy on Thursday, Aug. 14. TFA last year roared to a 9-1 record on the field, but the Royals were forced to forfeit all of their victories for violating FHSAA rules.

Two days later, Seminole will trek to Camping World Stadium in Orlando to take on defending Class 4A state runner-up Jones, which features one of the best passing-receiving combinations in the state in quarterback Dereon Coleman and Larry Miles. Coleman is headed to Miami, while Miles has committed to Nebraska.

The Seminoles, who went 10-2 and advanced to the Class 7A regional finals last season, will feature one of the area’s best defenses. Leading the Seminoles is hard-hitting linebacker Rasheem Turner Jr., an Arkansas State commit.

In other interesting matchups, defending Class 7A state runner-up Lake Mary visits Oviedo; and defending Class 6A state runner-up Kissimmee Osceola travels to Daytona Beach Mainland – both on Aug. 15.

Below is the preseason Kickoff Classic schedule for Central Florida schools. Coaches are encouraged to write us for any date, time or venue changes as needed.

Thursday, Aug. 14

IMG Academy at The First Academy (Orlando), 7 p,m.

Orlando Evans at Haines City, 7 p.m.

Oak Ridge at Satellite, 7 p.m.

Spruce Creek at Gainesville Buchholz, 7 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 15

Umatilla at Jacksonville Stanton, 6:30 p.m.

Ocala Forest, South Sumter at Tavares, jamboree, 6:30 p.m.

Real Life Christian Academy at Riverview Bell Creek Academy, 6:30 p.m.

Halifax Academy at Sarasota Out-of-Door Academy, 7 p.m.

Belle Isle Cornerstone Charter Academy at Faith Christian (Orlando), 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay Tech at Apopka, 7 p.m.

Lake Mary at Oviedo, 7 p.m.

Bradford at Cocoa, 7 p.m.

Impact Christian at Pierson-Taylor, 7 p.m.

St. Cloud at Innovation, 7 p.m.

East Ridge at Dade City Pasco, 7 p.m.

Seabreeze at Astronaut, 7 p.m.

South Lake at Lake Nona, 7 p.m.

Heritage at Rockledge, 7 p.m.

Kissimmee Liberty at University High (Orlando), 7 p.m.

Melbourne Central Catholic at Lake Brantley, 7 p.m.

Lake Minneola at Land O Lakes, 7 p.m.

Kissimmee Gateway at Windermere, 7 p.m.

East River at Winter Park, 7 p.m.

Horizon at West Orange, 7 p.m.

Boca Raton St. John Paul II at Holy Trinity Episcopal, 7 p.m.

Fort Pierce Central at Merritt Island, 7 p.m.

Ocoee, Mount Dora at Lyman, jamboree, 7 p.m.

Poinciana at Orlando Christian Prep, 7 p.m.

Eustis at Colonial, 7 p.m.

Plantation at Eau Gallie, 7 p.m.

Foundation Academy (Winter Garden) at The Master’s Academy (Oviedo), 7 p.m.

Hagerty, Fort Pierce Westwood at Barracuda Jamboree, New Smyrna Beach, 7 p.m.

Freedom (Orlando) at Lake Buena Vista, 7 p.m.

Winter Springs at Port Orange Atlantic, 7 p.m.

Deltona at Lake Howell, 7 p.m.

Titusville at Sebastian River, 7 p.m.

Kissimmee Osceola vs. Mainland, at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium, 7 p.m.

Timber Creek at Tohopekaliga, 7 p.m.

Villages Charter at Harmony, 7 p.m.

North Miami at University High (Orange City), 7 p.m.

Boone at Dr. Phillips, 7 p.m.

Olympia at Wekiva, 7 p.m.

Edgewater at Bishop Moore, 7 p.m.

Cypress Creek vs. Legacy High, at South County Stadium, Port St. Lucie, 7 p.m.

Legacy Charter at Lake Mary Prep, 7 p.m.

Celebration at Discovery, 7 p.m.

Pine Ridge at Melbourne, 7 p.m.

Calvary Chapel at Deltona Trinity Christian Academy, 7 p.m.

Miami Norland at Vero Beach, time TBA

St. Edward’s at Bayside, 7 p.m.

The Master’s Academy (Vero Beach) at Santa Fe, 7 p.m.

Space Coast at Cedar Creek Christian, 7 p.m.

Viera at Palm Bay, 7 p.m.

Merritt Island Christian at Academy at the Lakes, 7 p.m.

Fernandina Beach at Mount Dora Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Cocoa Beach at Daytona Beach Father Lopez, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 16

Tallahassee Lincoln vs, Miami Carol City, at Vero Beach, 3 p.m.

Sanford Seminole vs. Jones at Camping World Stadium, 4 p.m.

Lakeland vs. Miami Northwestern, at Vero Beach, 7 p.m.

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