Tampa Bay High Schools Kick Off Football Practice This Week

With the official start of high school football practice in Florida, we preview the top teams in the Tampa region

Lakeland wide receiver Cassidy Ervin runs for a gain against Tampa Jesuit in the spring football game at Bryant Stadium. / ROY FUOCO/THE LEDGER / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It is finally here... We have made it to the official start of the 2025-2026 High School fall sports season where football, volleyball, cross country, golf, swimming, and cheerleading can officially start having practices. High School on SI Florida will be breaking down some of the top football teams to watch in the Tampa Bay area this upcoming season.

Is This The Year Armwood Finally Gets Over the Hump?

The Armwood Hawks have not won a state championship since 2004, although they won the 2011 Class 6A title over Miami Central. The title was stripped in 2012 due to playing ineligible players during the Hawks' postseason run. The Hawks have a loaded secondary in four-star defensive back Jaelen Waters, who is committed to the University of Miami and three-star safety D'Montae Tims, who is committed to play collegiate football at the University of Colorado.

Who Is Going To Be The Starting Quarterback at Tampa Bay Tech?

Heading into the spring season, senior quarterback Darryon Jones looked to be the clear favorite to be the starting signal-caller at Tampa Bay Tech, but a stunning move came earlier this summer when Jones transferred to 9-time state champion Chaminade-Madonna for his last high school season. Senior Trevon Moore will likely be the Titans' starting quarterback when they take the field for their preseason classic on August 15th against Apopka.

Gaither Brings Back Speedy Wide Receiver Duo For Senior Seasons

The Gaither Cowboys are coming off a 7-5 season in 2024, where they reached the regional semifinals before having their season come to an end against Lakeland. The Cowboys' will look for Pittsburgh commit Bryan Hamilton and his brother (Ryan) to be the leaders of the offense this season, where they combined for over 1,500 yards and 16 touchdowns last season.

Can Plant Continue The Momentum Shifting Upward in 2025?

The Plant Panthers are coming off an 8-4 record in 2024 and reached the regional playoffs for the third consecutive season. The Panthers will look to replace Waltez Clark, now at the University of Florida who accounted for a team-high 13 total touchdowns last season. Look for Duke University commit Dane Bathurst to be a lead catalyst for the Panthers this season, coming off a junior year where he accounted for 43 total tackles (25 tackles for loss) and 10.0 sacks.

Clearwater Central Catholic Seeking 1st State Title in 2025?

The Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders have reached the Class 1A State Championship Game in each of the last three seasons, where they matched up against Chaminade-Madonna, coming up short all three meetings by an average of 41.6 points per contest. The Marauders are facing a gauntlet of a schedule this season, where they're facing 2A runner-up Gadsden County (September 19) and reigning 7A champion Venice (October 17).

What Will Year 3 Bring For Marvin Frazier at Lakeland?

The 9-time state champion Lakeland Dreadnaughts have one of the most difficult schedules in the state of Florida this season. The Dreadnaughts are coming off a 13-1 record in 2024, where they reached the Class 6A Championship Game before losing to St. Thomas Aquinas. In 2025, The Dreadnaughts will face CIF Class 7A reigning champion De La Salle (August 29), FHSAA Class 7A runner-up Lake Mary (September 5), and The First Academy (Orlando) (October 31).

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