Joshua Wilson

ALL - I got the call this morning (while driving) and lost it when I was told John had passed earlier this morning. I am still emotionally raw on this. Apopka John was a great guy and an amazing colleague to all. It is not going to be the same anymore, not having all his updates each week from the Apopka football games. Will also miss seeing him on the sidelines when we cross paths for games or at the media days each year in Central Florida. This one will be very hard to let it all sink in for the next few days. Going to miss Apopka John greatly!

ALL - I got the call this morning (while driving) and lost it when I was told John had passed earlier this morning. I am still emotionally raw on this. Apopka John was a great guy and an amazing colleague to all. It is not going to be the same anymore, not having all his updates each week from the Apopka football games. Will also miss seeing him on the sidelines when we cross paths for games or at the media days each year in Central Florida. This one will be very hard to let it all sink in for the next few days. Going to miss Apopka John greatly!

ALL - I got the call this morning (while driving) and lost it when I was told John had passed earlier this morning. I am still emotionally raw on this. Apopka John was a great guy and an amazing colleague to all. It is not going to be the same anymore, not having all his updates each week from the Apopka football games. Will also miss seeing him on the sidelines when we cross paths for games or at the media days each year in Central Florida. This one will be very hard to let it all sink in for the next few days. Going to miss Apopka John greatly!

ALL - I got the call this morning (while driving) and lost it when I was told John had passed earlier this morning. I am still emotionally raw on this. Apopka John was a great guy and an amazing colleague to all. It is not going to be the same anymore, not having all his updates each week from the Apopka football games. Will also miss seeing him on the sidelines when we cross paths for games or at the media days each year in Central Florida. This one will be very hard to let it all sink in for the next few days. Going to miss Apopka John greatly!

John, could have probably worked at the Orlando Sentinel or he could have ventured into the Tampa market and perhaps worked for the TBT. But instead, he plied his trade at the local, community newspaper. I suspect that he loved his job. In that sense his life was a happy one. For when one loves what they do, they are among the richest among us. 

ALL - I got the call this morning (while driving) and lost it when I was told John had passed earlier this morning. I am still emotionally raw on this. Apopka John was a great guy and an amazing colleague to all. It is not going to be the same anymore, not having all his updates each week from the Apopka football games. Will also miss seeing him on the sidelines when we cross paths for games or at the media days each year in Central Florida. This one will be very hard to let it all sink in for the next few days. Going to miss Apopka John greatly!

John Peery,
Former editor of the local weekly Apopka Chief, passed away today. John wrote all of the sports articles in the Chief, and was always on the sidelines of Apopka football games. And though he retired a year ago, he continued to write his articles and cover Apopka football from the sidelines. We last exchanged pleasantries at the Pancake Supper and Pep Rally before the Edgewater game three weeks ago. I ragged on him a bit for picking Edgewater to win by 7 points and suggested that the Darters could pull the game off. Little did either of us know the shellacking we were about to take.  
Last Friday John was on the sidelines when our kicker nailed a 43 yard field goal to win as time expired in dramatic fashion. John, who was am ample man, literally leapt for joy. 
Though I don't count myself as a personal friend, for the past 25 years, his weekly articles have been a  staple in my life. 
I am sure all Apopka fans will agree with me that John was the epitome of what it meant to be a Blue Darter. John graduated in the class of 1974, and his daughter graduated from Apopka several years after my two boys did over a decade ago.
I don't know if John ever posted on this message board, but he used to post on the old Florida Varsity Football Central board back in the day.  
In addition to Apopka football, John was an ardent fan of Tennessee football. 
He will be greatly missed. 

Also side note 
Florida High is not a private school they are a laboratory school (similar to PK Yonge in Gainesville is for UF)

Booker T
Norland
Walton
Seminole
Lowndes
Benjamin
OC University
Olympia
Golden Gate
Trinity Christian
Plantation
Choctaw

Norland was always my pick
Cocoa
Carrollwood Day
Miami Palmetto
Bishop Verot
Venice
South Sumter
AHP
Palm Beach Central
Titusville

There was private school representation. I just didn't have everyone's name down. Was going on memory of who's names I could remember from being in the meeting and who I knew. A few people I did not know.

Committee endorses adding an Open Division playoff bracket for team sports while also eliminating Metro-Suburban classifications for football to help achieve competitive balance in the state
Yes, some big changes could be on the horizon soon if they come to fruition. Still, there is a long way to go, but this may start to address some of the concerns some of you have had about football (and maybe other sports). 
https://floridahsfootball.com/2023/10/04/exclusive-fhsaa-classification-task-force-committee-proposes-changes-to-classification-system-to-help-address-competitive-balance/
 

There was private school representation. I just didn't have everyone's name down. Was going on memory of who's names I could remember from being in the meeting and who I knew. A few people I did not know.

There was private school representation. I just didn't have everyone's name down. Was going on memory of who's names I could remember from being in the meeting and who I knew. A few people I did not know.

Committee endorses adding an Open Division playoff bracket for team sports while also eliminating Metro-Suburban classifications for football to help achieve competitive balance in the state
Yes, some big changes could be on the horizon soon if they come to fruition. Still, there is a long way to go, but this may start to address some of the concerns some of you have had about football (and maybe other sports). 
https://floridahsfootball.com/2023/10/04/exclusive-fhsaa-classification-task-force-committee-proposes-changes-to-classification-system-to-help-address-competitive-balance/
 

There was private school representation. I just didn't have everyone's name down. Was going on memory of who's names I could remember from being in the meeting and who I knew. A few people I did not know.

You all...
You all keep complaining....
One the contracts ran out at Gene Cox and DRV PNK
Second, I don't believe DRV PNK was interested in renewing and taking on all nine games.
Third, FHSAA heard a ton of complaints regarding the split weekends. Honestly, going back to one site was needed.
Fourth, Orlando... my understanding is both sides tried, but it comes down to dollars and what is going to make sense for all involved.
A lot of you think the FHSAA can just go pull up to any stadium and play at it, and the stadium will be fine with it. It does not work that way. Logistics are a major thing in all of this, and if all the logistics do not line up, would it make sense to play at said stadium?
And no, I am not a secret member of the FHSAA... I just understand how things work and what the bylaws and policies are without trying to sound off-putting here.

You all...
You all keep complaining....
One the contracts ran out at Gene Cox and DRV PNK
Second, I don't believe DRV PNK was interested in renewing and taking on all nine games.
Third, FHSAA heard a ton of complaints regarding the split weekends. Honestly, going back to one site was needed.
Fourth, Orlando... my understanding is both sides tried, but it comes down to dollars and what is going to make sense for all involved.
A lot of you think the FHSAA can just go pull up to any stadium and play at it, and the stadium will be fine with it. It does not work that way. Logistics are a major thing in all of this, and if all the logistics do not line up, would it make sense to play at said stadium?
And no, I am not a secret member of the FHSAA... I just understand how things work and what the bylaws and policies are without trying to sound off-putting here.

You all...
You all keep complaining....
One the contracts ran out at Gene Cox and DRV PNK
Second, I don't believe DRV PNK was interested in renewing and taking on all nine games.
Third, FHSAA heard a ton of complaints regarding the split weekends. Honestly, going back to one site was needed.
Fourth, Orlando... my understanding is both sides tried, but it comes down to dollars and what is going to make sense for all involved.
A lot of you think the FHSAA can just go pull up to any stadium and play at it, and the stadium will be fine with it. It does not work that way. Logistics are a major thing in all of this, and if all the logistics do not line up, would it make sense to play at said stadium?
And no, I am not a secret member of the FHSAA... I just understand how things work and what the bylaws and policies are without trying to sound off-putting here.

You all...
You all keep complaining....
One the contracts ran out at Gene Cox and DRV PNK
Second, I don't believe DRV PNK was interested in renewing and taking on all nine games.
Third, FHSAA heard a ton of complaints regarding the split weekends. Honestly, going back to one site was needed.
Fourth, Orlando... my understanding is both sides tried, but it comes down to dollars and what is going to make sense for all involved.
A lot of you think the FHSAA can just go pull up to any stadium and play at it, and the stadium will be fine with it. It does not work that way. Logistics are a major thing in all of this, and if all the logistics do not line up, would it make sense to play at said stadium?
And no, I am not a secret member of the FHSAA... I just understand how things work and what the bylaws and policies are without trying to sound off-putting here.

My two picks tonight are:
Chaminade
Rockledge
Treasure Coast
Cardinal Newman
Edgewater
Choctaw
Miramar
Vero Beach
St. Augustine
Coconut Creek

My two picks tonight are:
Chaminade
Rockledge
Treasure Coast
Cardinal Newman
Edgewater
Choctaw
Miramar
Vero Beach
St. Augustine
Coconut Creek

Being told it was 61-0 not 85-0. 

Hey everyone! Voting is open for the scoutSMART Florida Player of the Week. Running two polls at the same time as we postponed voting last week due to Hurricane Idalia.
Please go in and vote and vote as often as you wish:
Week 1: https://floridahsfootball.com/2023/09/05/vote-now-who-should-be-the-scoutsmart-florida-player-of-the-week-for-week-1-aug-24-aug-26/
WEEK 2: https://floridahsfootball.com/2023/09/05/vote-now-who-should-be-the-scoutsmart-florida-player-of-the-week-for-week-2-aug-31-sept-2/
 

The tired and old "tradition" of posters to the message board critiquing and commenting on the officiating has reared its ugly head already in week 1. Anybody who posts on a game that he/she attended or watched, and makes comments such as "the refs sucked" or "the refs cheated one team out of a win" should have the common decency to expand on these "observations" when asked to. If not, then please refrain from commenting on the officiating at all.