The First Academy (Orlando) Football Loses Appeal to Have Postseason Ban Lifted

Royals finish 2025 with 5-5 record playing demanding national/state schedule

The First Academy's Assistant Head of School for Campus Operations, left, poses with head football coach Jeff Conaway during 2023 Media Days. TFA on Monday lost an appeal to get its 2025 postseason ban lifted after going 5-5 in the regular season. / Bo Burgess

The First Academy (Orlando) football team proved competitive on the national stage, but the Royals’ bid to show just how far they could go on the state level fell short.

Florida State Judge decides to not uphold temporary injunction on 2025 postseason ban

Five days after an emergency temporary injunction was issued on a postseason ban that was implemented on TFA a year ago, a Florida state judge on Monday, Nov. 10, decided not to uphold it, preventing the Royals from competing in the Class 1A state playoffs, per a story in The Orlando Sentinel.

Judge Margaret H. Schreiber of the Ninth Judicial Circuit Court, located in Central Florida, put a stop to TFA’s quest for postseason reinstatement when she said the plaintiffs did not satisfy the legal standard for an injunction, and should have filed the complaint in Alachua County, where the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is located, per The Orlando Sentinel.

The FHSAA found that TFA committed numerous rules violations in summer of 2024

A group of TFA parents and players had taken the FHSAA to court to appeal a two-year postseason ban handed down on Nov. 1, 2024. The private school was found to have committed numerous rules violations in 2024, including allowing at least 10 players to participate in TFA activities during the summer before they enrolled.

In addition to the postseason ban for the 2024 and 2025 season, the Royals were forced to forfeit all nine of their wins in a 9-1 regular season in 2024 and were fined by the FHSAA.

Royals went 5-5 this year playing demanding schedule against national and state powers

This year, TFA compiled a 5-5 record, beating five state teams and playing multiple out-of-state squads close before falling. However, the Royals did not play any schools in their assigned district (Class 1A, District 6).

Lawyers representing TFA said postseason ban in 2024 was unfair

Despite TFA having not played any district games this year – a requirement for postseason participation – attorneys for the plaintiffs in the case argued that the FHSAA issued an excessively unfair decision in 2024 in comparison to recent penalties levied upon Miami Northwestern, Gadsen County and Nease. But FHSAA attorney Leonard Ireland said that the association examined all evidence in the case and confirmed the sanctions were proper and final.

The TFA group was hoping an injunction could clear the way for the Royals to be eligible for selection to the state playoffs. But the last-minute move fell short and the FHSAA released the final Class 1A postseason bracket shortly thereafter on Nov. 10.

TFA players proud of gutsy finish in face of legal adversity

“This season meant a lot to us, even though we didn’t make the playoffs because of legal reasons that were out of our control,” said TFA senior wide receiver Demetrice McCray, who transferred to the Royals from Leesburg High in 2024. “We still came out and competed every week against a tough schedule. If I had to do it all again, I definitely would. I wouldn’t trade the opportunity to be at TFA for anything.

TFA senior Demetrice McCray caught 29 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns and ran for five scores to lead the Royals to a 5-5 record while playing a demanding national/state schedule. / Demetrice McCray

“We stayed together through everything,” McCray said, “even when people expected us to fall apart. It showed how much heart this team has and how much we care about each other. I’m proud of what we built this year.”

2025 season recap for the Royals

TFA began the season with close losses to Milton (Ga.), 24-17, and Phenix City (Ala.) Central, 38-35. Milton is 7-3 and in the Class 5A state playoffs, and Central is 10-1 and in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.

The Royals bounced back to win four consecutive games against Florida opponents, including a 12-8 win against Class 3A playoff participant, Eau Gallie, and a 21-14 victory against defending Class 7A state champion, Venice.

TFA then fell hard to the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, St. Frances Academy of Baltimore, 37-0, before playing St. James Performance Academy (Springfield, Va.) close in a 41-40 loss. Both of those schools finished their season at 8-1.

After losing to Hun (Princeton, N.J.), 31-14, TFA closed the season with a huge 35-28 double-overtime victory against defending Class 5A state runner-up Lakeland (8-2).

"I feekl the season was good," said TFA junior quarterback Brian Dillard, a transfer from West Orange who made an immediate impact for the Royals in his first season. "To line up across the ball every Friday night against the top talent in the country was special.

"Making the playoffs would have been great," Dillard said. "We had a special group of guys on our team this year. I feel like we could have been state champions."

The future looks bright, however, for TFA. The Royals will be likely be among the schools to beat in 2026.

“I think this season was definitely a building season,” said TFA eighth-grade quarterback Anthony Woods, Jr. “Everyone worked hard and played their hearts out. We knew we had a tough schedule coming in, but we had to step up and play four quarters of football every week.”

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