In what might seem to be an odd move, Crescent City’s current principal is making a move back to Palatka.
Randy Hedstrom, who is the principal of the southern Putnam County junior-senior high school was announced to become the next head coach for the Panthers earlier Monday, the Florida Times-Union reported.
Hedstrom, replaces Willie Offord who resigned after two seasons as the head coach of the Panthers. Offord departed Palatka back in January after taking the head coaching job in South Carolina.
However, Hedstrom is no stranger to the program having played for the school in the late 1970’s.
Offord, took the Panthers to the playoffs this past season, posting a 6-5 record. Before Palatka, Offord was the head coach for two years at Interlachen in western Putnam County and spent the 2009 season as the head coach at Paxon in Jacksonville.
![Addy Curry has helped lead second-year Tocoi Creek (St. Augustine) to the playoffs and will travel to Timber Creek for their first-round match. Class 4A Regional Quartefinals take place on Wednesday, April 29. [Joshua Wilson/FloridaHSFootball.com]](https://i0.wp.com/floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-Class-4A-Regional-Quarterfinals-Playoff-Preview.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1)
![Ponte Vedra QB Izzy Murray will be one to keep an eye when the Class 3A Regional Quarterfinals take place on Wednesday, April 29. [Joshua Wilson/FloridaHSFootball.com]](https://i0.wp.com/floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-3A-Regional-Quarterfinals-Playoff-Preview.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1)
![Robinson (Tampa) is chasing a 10th consecutive state championship -- and 11th overall as the Class 2A Regional Quarterfinals get underway on Tuesday, April 28. [Kyle Zedaker/Tampa Bay Buccaneers]](https://i0.wp.com/floridahsfootball.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-2A-Regional-Quarterfinals-Playoff-Preview.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1)
