Palm Beach Central 2026 Football Preview: Schedule, Players

Kevin Thompson enters his fifth season with a team that looks different where it matters most. The Broncos have added serious weight along both lines, retained several young contributors and created genuine competition at quarterback. The schedule will not allow a long adjustment period. Glades Central arrives immediately, district play begins in Week 3 and Jupiter waits near the back end.

PALM BEACH CENTRAL BRONCOS (WELLINGTON)

Head Coach: Kevin Thompson, fifth year District: 6A-13 2024 Record: 10-2 2025 Record: 6-5 2025 Final FPRI Rating: 54.52 2025 Final State Rank: No. 141 2026 Preseason Rating: 61.08 2026 Preseason Rank: No. 96 2026 Class Rank: No. 15 2025 Playoff / FIT Finish: 7A Regional Quarterfinalist

Palm Beach Central’s 6-5 finish in 2025 was uneven, but it was not empty. The Broncos averaged 32.1 points, generated 3,540 yards and reached the playoff bracket despite replacing the dominant profile of their 10-win 2024 team. They also showed exactly what must change: the offense leaned heavily on quarterback Chance Routson, while a veteran-laden defense surrendered too many important snaps. The Broncos survived. In 2026, survival is not the standard.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

Category Value Average Opponent Rating 43.32 Opponent 2025 Record 65-46 Opponent 2025 Win Percentage 58.6% Hardest Opponent Jupiter District Games 6

The average can be misleading. Palm Beach Central has several manageable games, but the top of the schedule carries real teeth. Two opponents won at least 10 games in 2025, and four district contests come after the open week. There are places to breathe. There are no places to sleepwalk.

2026 FULL SCHEDULE

Week Date Time Opponent 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 1 8/20 6:30 PM Glades Central (Belle Glade) 10-2 No. 73 | No. 8 (3A) 66.28 2 8/28 6:30 PM @ Park Vista (Lake Worth) 4-6 No. 354 | No. 59 (6A) 29.58 3 9/3 6:30 PM Dr. Joaquin Garcia (Lake Worth)* 11-3 No. 126 | No. 20 (6A) 57.12 4 9/10 6:30 PM @ Wellington* 4-6 No. 343 | No. 56 (6A) 31.07 5 9/18 — BYE — — — 6 9/25 6:30 PM @ Palm Beach Lakes (West Palm Beach)* 5-5 No. 371 | No. 66 (6A) 27.44 7 10/2 6:30 PM Royal Palm Beach 7-5 No. 215 | No. 44 (5A) 45.38 8 10/9 6:30 PM Santaluces (Lantana)* 6-4 No. 191 | No. 30 (6A) 48.23 9 10/16 6:30 PM @ Jupiter* 10-1 No. 66 | No. 10 (6A) 67.39 10 10/23 6:30 PM Lake Worth* 3-7 No. 430 | No. 74 (6A) 18.89 11 10/30 6:30 PM @ Palm Beach Gardens 5-7 No. 246 | No. 48 (5A) 41.80

*District game

KEY LOSSES

No departure changes the offense more than Routson. He passed for 1,607 yards and 14 touchdowns, then led the Broncos with 814 rushing yards and 18 scores. That is 2,421 yards of individual production walking out the door. Palm Beach Central is not replacing a quarterback alone; it is replacing the engine, emergency exit and red-zone identity of the 2025 offense.

The supporting losses are substantial. Andrew Ulysse rushed for 579 yards and five touchdowns, Antoine Perry caught 40 passes for 489 yards and five scores, and Jayden Phipps added 259 receiving yards and three touchdowns. On defense, Antoine Sharp’s 100 tackles and five sacks leave a crater in the middle. David Harmon, Cameron Dwyer, Elijah Adolphe and a veteran secondary also depart.

The raw numbers are severe: Palm Beach Central loses its leading passer, its top two rushers, three of its four leading receivers and six of its seven most productive tacklers. The next wave has talent. It does not have the same résumé.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Player Position Class 2025 Production Brandon Pendergrass II RB Sophomore Rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries in eight games Tyler Alexander DT Senior Recorded 46 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hurries Cyre Blake SS Senior Totaled 11 tackles, one tackle for loss and one fumble recovery in 10 games Ashton Davis MLB Junior Recorded three tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in limited action Eric Salinas MLB Senior Recorded two tackles in two varsity appearances John Boinis MLB/OLB Senior Recorded five tackles in four games Donnie Yocum IV WR/RB Junior Caught nine passes for 88 yards and one touchdown Tyler Overstreet RB/FS Sophomore Produced one receiving touchdown and four tackles in five appearances Zaquan Linton OT Senior Returning 6-foot-6, 295-pound offensive tackle and three-star prospect Michael Robinson III OT/G Senior Incoming 6-foot-8, 330-pound lineman expected to strengthen the offensive front

Pendergrass is the obvious offensive player to monitor because the Broncos need someone to establish the run without Routson creating numbers with his legs. Alexander is the defensive centerpiece. His 20 tackles for loss were not ordinary production; they were disruption on demand. Around them, Palm Beach Central needs promising rotational players to become dependable Friday-night answers.

1ST DOWN — THE GAUNTLET

Palm Beach Central’s toughest assignment comes in two parts. First, the Broncos open against Glades Central and face Dr. Joaquin Garcia two weeks later. Then the district race tightens in October with Santaluces and Jupiter in consecutive weeks.

The opener is a tone-setter, not a warmup. Glades Central went 10-2, reached the 2A regional semifinals and owns the second-highest preseason rating on the schedule. The Broncos’ rebuilt offensive line will be examined immediately, and Pendergrass will have to create more than the occasional promising carry.

The later test is even more consequential. Santaluces brings playoff experience, while Jupiter owns the highest preseason rating on Palm Beach Central’s schedule. That Week 9 trip could decide the district hierarchy. Alexander and the Broncos’ pass rush cannot merely be active that night. They must change possessions.

KNOW YOUR OPPONENT

Opponent Week/Location 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Jupiter Week 9/Away 10-1 No. 66 | No. 10 (6A) 67.39 7A Regional Quarterfinalist Glades Central (Belle Glade) Week 1/Home 10-2 No. 73 | No. 8 (3A) 66.28 2A Regional Semifinalist

THE BOTTOM LINE: Palm Beach Central does not need to sweep these games to have a successful season. It does need to look physically comfortable in them. The Broncos’ ceiling will become visible whenever the opponent can match their size and challenge their discipline.

2ND DOWN — STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The schedule has a useful rhythm. Palm Beach Central faces immediate pressure against Glades Central, gets a more forgiving road date at Park Vista and then enters district play. The Week 5 open date arrives at the ideal time, separating the opening installation period from a six-game finish containing four district opponents.

That structure matters because Palm Beach Central is replacing an unusually productive quarterback. Isaiah Hamilton received limited varsity work as a freshman, completing 11 of 19 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown, while incoming transfer Julian Ayala adds another option to the competition. Neither should be treated as the automatic answer. The offense must determine who can manage protections, avoid giveaways and distribute the ball without trying to imitate Routson’s 2025 workload.

The line could shorten that learning curve. Robinson, Linton and Zayden Gatling give Palm Beach Central imposing bodies up front. Donnie Yocum IV offers a returning receiving option, and Pendergrass has flashed efficiency in a small sample. The pieces are there. The timing of their development will decide whether the Broncos enter October as a contender or as a team still introducing itself.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This is not a relentlessly brutal schedule, but it is expertly placed to expose uncertainty. Palm Beach Central gets enough manageable games to develop. It also gets enough difficult ones to ensure development cannot be faked.

3RD DOWN — THE PROVING GROUND

Dr. Joaquin Garcia, Royal Palm Beach and Santaluces form the swing tier. Those are the games that will reveal whether Palm Beach Central belongs closer to Jupiter at the top of the district conversation or closer to the crowded middle.

Garcia is particularly dangerous. The Bulldogs went 11-3 and won the FIT 4A-7A division, and they arrive in Week 3 before Palm Beach Central’s new offensive structure has had much time to settle. That game will test the quarterback competition, the protection plan and the Broncos’ ability to play from behind without abandoning themselves.

Royal Palm Beach and Santaluces arrive after the open week. By then, there are no developmental excuses. Pendergrass should have a defined workload. Yocum should have a clear role. Blake, Davis and Boinis should know whether they can carry expanded defensive responsibility. Alexander will attract protection help; someone else must punish it.

The Broncos do not need every young contributor to become a star. They need several to become trustworthy. That is how six-win teams become nine-win teams.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The proving ground is not Jupiter. Everyone will be ready for Jupiter. It is the middle of the schedule, where focus, quarterback efficiency and defensive depth determine whether Palm Beach Central controls games it is capable of winning.

4TH DOWN — PLAYOFF PICTURE

Palm Beach Central’s cleanest route into the playoff bracket is the District 6A-13 championship. The district champion earns an automatic bid, while the remaining playoff positions and seeding are determined through MaxPreps rankings. That makes every district result valuable twice: once in the standings and again in the broader postseason profile.

Jupiter enters with the district’s highest preseason rating, but Palm Beach Central is positioned as the primary challenger. Garcia and Santaluces are capable of scrambling the race, especially if the Broncos give away an early district result. The schedule offers little margin because five district opponents sit below Palm Beach Central in the preseason ratings. Losing one of those games would be expensive.

The Oct. 16 trip to Jupiter is the obvious centerpiece, but the district title may be shaped before then. Garcia comes to Wellington in Week 3, and Santaluces arrives one week before Jupiter. Win those two, and Palm Beach Central can travel north with leverage. Split them, and the Broncos may already be calculating a wildcard path.

DISTRICT BREAKDOWN

Team 2025 Record 2026 Rank (Overall | Class) Preseason Rating 2025 Finish Jupiter 10-1 No. 66 | No. 10 (6A) 67.39 7A Regional Quarterfinalist Palm Beach Central (Wellington) 6-5 No. 96 | No. 15 (6A) 61.08 7A Regional Quarterfinalist Dr. Joaquin Garcia (Lake Worth) 11-3 No. 126 | No. 20 (6A) 57.12 FIT 4A-7A Champion Santaluces (Lantana) 6-4 No. 191 | No. 30 (6A) 48.23 7A Regional Quarterfinalist Wellington 4-6 No. 343 | No. 56 (6A) 31.07 Missed postseason Palm Beach Lakes (West Palm Beach) 5-5 No. 371 | No. 66 (6A) 27.44 FIT 4A-7A Regional Semifinalist Lake Worth 3-7 No. 430 | No. 74 (6A) 18.89 Missed postseason

THE BOTTOM LINE: Palm Beach Central has enough talent to win District 6A-13, but not enough established offensive production to be handed the favorite’s label. Beat Garcia and Santaluces, and the Jupiter game can become a championship event. Stumble early, and every remaining week becomes a MaxPreps résumé exercise.

SEASON OUTLOOK

Difficulty Rating: 7/10

An 8-2 regular season is realistic, with 7-3 representing the safer projection while the quarterback competition and rebuilt defense settle. Palm Beach Central can push higher if its massive offensive line controls games and Alexander gets help generating pressure, but inconsistency at quarterback or linebacker could keep a talented roster stuck in the district’s second tier.

COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF: No. 96 Palm Beach Central Broncos — 2026 Season Preview, Schedule Analysis, Players to Watch and Playoff Outlook

Palm Beach Central has rebuilt its size, raised its expectations and assembled a roster capable of making noise in Palm Beach County. Now comes the harder part: proving that the Broncos are more than an intriguing collection of talent.

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