Week 1 Top Dozen games

[nolebull813]

Just a quick scan this is what I got for week1. It’s gonna be a monster. Any other recommendations and explanations why?

Monarch vs Bolles 

Southridge vs Columbus

Bishop Verot vs Jesuit

Tampa Bay Tech vs Venice  

Lake Mary vs Norland 

Vero Beach vs Eau Gallie

Miami Central vs Raines 

First Academy vs Milton,GA

AHP vs St Joes Philly

STA vs Mater Dei,MD

MNW vs Orange Lutheran,CA

Chaminade vs St Frances Academy,MD

 

[Longtime Observer]

It's become clear to most everyone that you have to schedule major opponents to be able to recruit and/or retain top players. And most coaches feel playing those major opponents early in the season is best as it allows time to review and adjust based on what's learned in the big games.

You should note there are at least two games over "kickoff classic" weekend which are as good or better than most of those above.

IMG and The First Academy will play and both teams will count the game on their records. They won't care about the FHSAA or playoffs as neither is eligible. 

Miami Northwestern and Lakeland will play in Orlando. You can be certain both will play to win the game. And, as has always been the case going back over 20 years, I will acknowledge as much even if Lakeland gets embarrassed. And MNW figures to be a pretty big favorite going into that game...

[JDHoss]

Can't wait until the schedules are complete so we can start planning our schedule. If at all possible, we want to take in Venice v Northwestern at Traz Powell. 

[DILLARDBOYZ954]

That central vs Raines game will be a snooze fest. Raines will be lucky to keep it within 30. 
 

and that’s no knock on Raines they’re a extremely solid program for the Jacksonville area. But as shown time and time again, especially down here in south Florida, there’s a difference between being State Good & Nationally elite. 
 

Raines is A Respectable Top 30 Squad in Florida, Miami Central is A Elite Nationally Ranked Powerhouse. And if it wasn’t for them having to forfeit their season last year, more then likely would have been state champions as well. 

[DILLARDBOYZ954]

As Far As Recommendations Go. I will say….

 

West Broward Vs Corner Canyon Will Be A One to keep an eye on. West Broward and that staff has completely changed the culture of that program. The bobcats got a lot of transfers this off season and they’re coming off a very good 2024 season. 
 

Dillard Vs Dr.Philips (Battle of the panthers), this will be the Must See 8:00pm game of the broward vs USA showcase on 8/22/2025. 
 

Dr.Philips Went 12-2 last year, they’re constantly for the most part a 2 to 3rd round playoff team, who occasionally makes it to the state semis, like they did in 2024. 
 

Dillard Finished the Season 9-3 , Going 6-1 down the stretch, the bring back 90% of the team, with a few key additions, one of them being one of the top 10 Qbs in the state that transferred in from pace a few months ago. 
 

A South Florida Vs Central Florida Showdown, 1st times these two teams have ever faced off, this will probably be one of the best games of the showcase. 
 

 

[Ray Icaza]

13 hours ago, Longtime Observer said:

It's become clear to most everyone that you have to schedule major opponents to be able to recruit and/or retain top players. And most coaches feel playing those major opponents early in the season is best as it allows time to review and adjust based on what's learned in the big games.

You should note there are at least two games over "kickoff classic" weekend which are as good or better than most of those above.

IMG and The First Academy will play and both teams will count the game on their records. They won't care about the FHSAA or playoffs as neither is eligible. 

Miami Northwestern and Lakeland will play in Orlando. You can be certain both will play to win the game. And, as has always been the case going back over 20 years, I will acknowledge as much even if Lakeland gets embarrassed. And MNW figures to be a pretty big favorite going into that game...

IMG openly recruits on a national level and is fine playing a national schedule with no interest in the FHSAA playoffs.  The same cannot be said about the First Academy as they want to openly recruit, play a national schedule but also desperately want a state championship in the FHSAA.  Their appeal to lift the suspension for this season was just rejected by the FHSAA board 10-0 which I applaud them for.  A Christian school that cloaks itself in righteousness and virtue should not be rewarded for cheating to win.  

[nolebull813]

1 hour ago, Ray Icaza said:

IMG openly recruits on a national level and is fine playing a national schedule with no interest in the FHSAA playoffs.  The same cannot be said about the First Academy as they want to openly recruit, play a national schedule but also desperately want a state championship in the FHSAA.  Their appeal to lift the suspension for this season was just rejected by the FHSAA board 10-0 which I applaud them for.  A Christian school that cloaks itself in righteousness and virtue should not be rewarded for cheating to win.  

How did they cheat? What were they found guilty of that the punishment should be teenagers losing the ability to compete for a state title?

[Ray Icaza]

2 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

How did they cheat? What were they found guilty of that the punishment should be teenagers losing the ability to compete for a state title?

They were found guilty of recruiting players plus providing impermissible benefits during the past season and fined $36K, two-year suspension for the HC and two-year suspension in playoff competition.   Get real Nolebull, both the players and coaches knew exactly the rule breaking they were engaged in and both groups should pay the price.  Spare me the pity for the "Teenagers" who have parents that should also know better.  They got what they deserved and happy their appeal fell on deaf ears.   You and I could have a different opinion of what constitutes cheating but we don't count, only the opinion of the FHSAA which has ruled on the matter. 

[Ray Icaza]

2 minutes ago, Ray Icaza said:

They were found guilty of recruiting players plus providing impermissible benefits during the past season and fined $36K, two-year suspension for the HC and two-year suspension in playoff competition.   Get real Nolebull, both the players and coaches knew exactly the rule breaking they were engaged in and both groups should pay the price.  Spare me the pity for the "Teenagers" who have parents that should also know better.  They got what they deserved and happy their appeal fell on deaf ears.   You and I could have a different opinion of what constitutes cheating but we don't count, only the opinion of the FHSAA which has ruled on the matter. 

By the way, those "Teenagers" and their parents if they had common sense would see the light and transfer out to play for another local school that can participate for a FHSAA title leaving TFA with that national schedule and the humiliation they deserve. 

[Perspective]

3 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

How did they cheat? What were they found guilty of that the punishment should be teenagers losing the ability to compete for a state title?

If those teenagers truly want the ability to compete for a state title, they can simply transfer to another school.  Apparently that's a thing now. 

[nolebull813]

51 minutes ago, Perspective said:

If those teenagers truly want the ability to compete for a state title, they can simply transfer to another school.  Apparently that's a thing now. 

So they get punished for doing something and the only way to remedy the situation and have a chance of competing for a championship they need to (checks notes) do the exact same thing that got them punished in the first place!!!!! 

[nolebull813]

1 hour ago, Ray Icaza said:

They were found guilty of recruiting players plus providing impermissible benefits during the past season and fined $36K, two-year suspension for the HC and two-year suspension in playoff competition.   Get real Nolebull, both the players and coaches knew exactly the rule breaking they were engaged in and both groups should pay the price.  Spare me the pity for the "Teenagers" who have parents that should also know better.  They got what they deserved and happy their appeal fell on deaf ears.   You and I could have a different opinion of what constitutes cheating but we don't count, only the opinion of the FHSAA which has ruled on the matter. 

I wasn’t familiar with what they were found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for. I did know they hired coaches from other schools and a slew of the players for the former team came over. Not sure if that’s illegal or not. If there was evidence of someone who works for TFA coercing a child to transfer then that’s on them. But kids who had nothing to do with it shouldn’t suffer. Suspend the guilty adults for 2 years from coaching in Florida. Coaching of any kind. 2 years. And allow the kids who didn’t do anything wrong still get a chance that the rest of the kids in the state get to do. 

[Ray Icaza]

18 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

I wasn’t familiar with what they were found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for. I did know they hired coaches from other schools and a slew of the players for the former team came over. Not sure if that’s illegal or not. If there was evidence of someone who works for TFA coercing a child to transfer then that’s on them. But kids who had nothing to do with it shouldn’t suffer. Suspend the guilty adults for 2 years from coaching in Florida. Coaching of any kind. 2 years. And allow the kids who didn’t do anything wrong still get a chance that the rest of the kids in the state get to do. 

Plausible Deniability can be used as a defense, but it still doesn't eliminate GUILT!!  They took 2 kids from our program and had a full court press on our 2 top LB's that just graduated, Melendez who is now at Auburn and Robert Lee at FAU.  This isn't hearsay as their parents told me as much at practices.  "COERCING" the player isn't the standard, instead simply talking too and encouraging it.   Kids that were not involved shouldn't be punished and with the School Choice they are free to play elsewhere.  The institution knew all along as their Principal as well as the varsity baseball HC resigned in protest of what they witnessed.  TFA needs to be held accountable for turning a blind eye.   Hopefully, we will see more of this in the upcoming season as they aren't a one off. 

[Longtime Observer]

I tend to side with Ray here. No other program can entice players in the way IMG, and it seems TFA, have done. Programs shouldn't play by different sets of rules. The idea that an absolute nobody program at a tiny school can suddenly scoop up many of the area's best players and play a national schedule without ever having won ANYTHING is ludicrous. 

But, I think where we run into trouble is with the basic idea around programs being able to recruit players. I think we're beyond the point of a communist-style approach where we engineer equivalent talent bases for programs. The better programs should be able to recruit/attract whoever they please, and families pick the best option. Now that the players are all professionals (don't get it twisted, the 16 year-old brat who isn't any good STILL retains the right to PURSUE "NIL" opportunities and there is a non-zero chance he'll get some eventually), schools and/or boosters should also be able to pay players. It's basically already legal. The market will eventually sort itself out and we'll reach a point where no one would actually pay a teenager to play sports for a particular high school. It will just be seen as bad business. But, it shouldn't be illegal. And, it wouldn't be such a sore spot if all the programs could play by the same rules.

[nolebull813]

I think kids know who the hot hand is. Take Edgewater for example before Cameron Duke. Laughingstock. Then he “attracts” players and becomes a contender every year. 
 

Look at Deerfield Beach. They were a 8-12 win team annually with Jevon Glenn. Now they are one of the worst teams in South Florida. They have won 6 games in the last 3 season combined after he left!!!

Point is certain coaches know how to attract players. Players know where to go and when to go. It’s even easier in the Information Age. 
 

So if TFA has coaches who know this formula, it’s not a surprise someone can get really good really fast 

[Longtime Observer]

3 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

I think kids know who the hot hand is. Take Edgewater for example before Cameron Duke. Laughingstock. Then he “attracts” players and becomes a contender every year. 
 

Look at Deerfield Beach. They were a 8-12 win team annually with Jevon Glenn. Now they are one of the worst teams in South Florida. They have won 6 games in the last 3 season combined after he left!!!

Point is certain coaches know how to attract players. Players know where to go and when to go. It’s even easier in the Information Age. 
 

So if TFA has coaches who know this formula, it’s not a surprise someone can get really good really fast 

None of this has anything to do with the (im)propriety of allowing some schools to play by a different set of rules. What would happen to Osceola if they actively and blatantly recruited players on TFA's roster, as TFA did to them? There'd be a scandal, the coaches would be fired, and the team banned from playoffs. IMG does this and it's "savvy marketing" or something lauded. What would happen if Lakeland offered housing for prospective players as IMG does? We don't have to search for an answer to this question, as it's assumed it already happened in about 2011 and there was an outcome that was highly unfavorable to Lakeland. Meanwhile, IMG and SFA do it and are lauded, while programs who won't play them are accused of being scaredy cat wimps by internet posers. Any program who wants a seat at the table and a place in the playoffs needs to play by the same set of rules as the others who want to do this.

[Ray Icaza]

IMG is a different category as it isn't depriving anyone from a state championship, so I am okay with their model of taking elite players from around the country and preparing them in every way for the next step in their development.  The two players we lost to TFA will be contributing seniors to their program in the upcoming season and as you can see didn't devastate our program last year so my beef isn't about that.  However, it is my understanding that they took 6 or 7 of the best players from both Lake Minneola and Leesburg last year and that would certainly be a devastating blow to almost any FL HS team's chance for success.  That is unconscionable.

[nolebull813]

18 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

IMG is a different category as it isn't depriving anyone from a state championship, so I am okay with their model of taking elite players from around the country and preparing them in every way for the next step in their development.  The two players we lost to TFA will be contributing seniors to their program in the upcoming season and as you can see didn't devastate our program last year so my beef isn't about that.  However, it is my understanding that they took 6 or 7 of the best players from both Lake Minneola and Leesburg last year and that would certainly be a devastating blow to almost any FL HS team's chance for success.  That is unconscionable.

Couple things. Lake Minneola was in disarray. They hired a coach from Pensacola who came in and resigned before ever committing one coaching duty because of the incompetence of the athletic department. It got to the point Lake Minneola had to cancel spring practices and their spring game. Why should players aspiring to continue their football careers have to endure that?
 

And Leesburg had a popular coach move over or TFA, and multiple players came with him. He was/is a mentor to those young kids. If you have ever been to Leesburg there’s nothing. The school is poor at best and kids thrive to escape Leesburg. A lot of young kids get lost and repeat the cycle. This mentor/coach helped saved these kids by putting them on a better path both academically and athletically as well. Why wouldn’t they have wanted that? 

[Ray Icaza]

28 minutes ago, nolebull813 said:

Couple things. Lake Minneola was in disarray. They hired a coach from Pensacola who came in and resigned before ever committing one coaching duty because of the incompetence of the athletic department. It got to the point Lake Minneola had to cancel spring practices and their spring game. Why should players aspiring to continue their football careers have to endure that?
 

And Leesburg had a popular coach move over or TFA, and multiple players came with him. He was/is a mentor to those young kids. If you have ever been to Leesburg there’s nothing. The school is poor at best and kids thrive to escape Leesburg. A lot of young kids get lost and repeat the cycle. This mentor/coach helped saved these kids by putting them on a better path both academically and athletically as well. Why wouldn’t they have wanted that? 

Your view of society is typical where the perpetrator has all the rights and the victim has little.  That is where we live today but thank God that isn't my view. 

[nolebull813]

2 hours ago, Ray Icaza said:

Your view of society is typical where the perpetrator has all the rights and the victim has little.  That is where we live today but thank God that isn't my view. 

I’m not saying TFA is innocent of recruiting. Not one bit. I asked for some clarification because I didn’t know all the information. I’m giving my opinion on why kids would jump ship and head for greener pastures. 
 

And to the other point of recruiting, if a coach or coaches were busted for illegally recruiting and any other infractions, THEY should be banned for 2 years. Not the kids who could use the playoffs for extra reps and film for college. The FHSAA is essentially stealing 2-8 games of precious film time from student athletes in these 2 years over something an adult did. I don’t think that’s right. Suspend the guilty adults for 2 years from coaching any sport in the FHSAA for 2 years and levy and monetary fines to recoup for the investigation from the school, but don’t steal the kids opportunity that they only get once in their life 

[Longtime Observer]

3 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

Couple things. Lake Minneola was in disarray. They hired a coach from Pensacola who came in and resigned before ever committing one coaching duty because of the incompetence of the athletic department. It got to the point Lake Minneola had to cancel spring practices and their spring game. Why should players aspiring to continue their football careers have to endure that?
 

And Leesburg had a popular coach move over or TFA, and multiple players came with him. He was/is a mentor to those young kids. If you have ever been to Leesburg there’s nothing. The school is poor at best and kids thrive to escape Leesburg. A lot of young kids get lost and repeat the cycle. This mentor/coach helped saved these kids by putting them on a better path both academically and athletically as well. Why wouldn’t they have wanted that? 

The OL coach-which happens to be the most impressive part of the team in 2024 and now- came from Lake Minneola and brought a 4* tackle with him.

[Longtime Observer]

43 minutes ago, nolebull813 said:

I’m not saying TFA is innocent of recruiting. Not one bit. I asked for some clarification because I didn’t know all the information. I’m giving my opinion on why kids would jump ship and head for greener pastures. 
 

And to the other point of recruiting, if a coach or coaches were busted for illegally recruiting and any other infractions, THEY should be banned for 2 years. Not the kids who could use the playoffs for extra reps and film for college. The FHSAA is essentially stealing 2-8 games of precious film time from student athletes in these 2 years over something an adult did. I don’t think that’s right. Suspend the guilty adults for 2 years from coaching any sport in the FHSAA for 2 years and levy and monetary fines to recoup for the investigation from the school, but don’t steal the kids opportunity that they only get once in their life 

The head coach remains front and center in that program 24/7. Only for 2-3 hours on Fridays will he not be on the sideline.

The other aspect of this not mentioned: all of the MAJOR in and out-of-state games they will play. That takes a lot of money. Their schedule figures to be more impressive than any other team's schedule even with 15 games and 5 playoff games. 

Once again, there is no *compelling* case to be made for K-12 schools (or possibly even universities) to be caught up in big-time, professional sports. All of the arguments around the benefits of extracurricular activities, being a part of a team, etc, can all be experienced through things that dont involve the mess schools are in now. The ONLY reason big-time, for profit sports won't be separated from schools is the folks in charge, psychologically, can not stomach seeing their schools' programs become club sports teams. And that's not really compelling...

[THAT S--T WAS FUNNY]

The dudes name is Steven Moffett. Been around for a while (winter park, leesburg, TFA). Runs the 7v7 team 24K. Recruits kids from there and though various trainers and street agents around CFLA.

[Ray Icaza]

1 hour ago, THAT S--T WAS FUNNY said:

The dudes name is Steven Moffett. Been around for a while (winter park, leesburg, TFA). Runs the 7v7 team 24K. Recruits kids from there and though various trainers and street agents around CFLA.

Thank You, he is the reason we lost our top receiver 3 years ago to WPHS, not an easy drive from Kissimmee.  He ended up being their top WR, kick returner and top TD maker that year.   FHSAA came down on them hard so he headed to Leesburg.  Acting like this stuff isn't really happening, justifying why it happens, leaving poor programs, headed to better programs or other lame excuses are weak.  Clear rule breaking should have consequences for ALL involved. 

[Perspective]

14 hours ago, nolebull813 said:

And to the other point of recruiting, if a coach or coaches were busted for illegally recruiting and any other infractions, THEY should be banned for 2 years. Not the kids who could use the playoffs for extra reps and film for college. The FHSAA is essentially stealing 2-8 games of precious film time from student athletes in these 2 years over something an adult did. I don’t think that’s right. Suspend the guilty adults for 2 years from coaching any sport in the FHSAA for 2 years and levy and monetary fines to recoup for the investigation from the school, but don’t steal the kids opportunity that they only get once in their life 

Responding to Nolebull's comment with an SAT-like question for everyone on this board:

Here's the scenario (and I'm making it as blatantly obvious as I can):  Assistant coach for Local High School ("LHS") identifies a rising junior skill position player from another high school that the LHS coach believes could be a real difference-maker for his team.  The LHS coach pulls the kid aside after a 7-on-7 tournament and starts extolling the virtues of LHS and telling the kid what a great fit the kid would be.  He then meets up with the kid's parents and offers them housing right down the street from LHS.  He then tells them he can make arrangements for the kid's mom to get a new "job" at the car dealership owned by former LHS quarterback and long-time LHS booster, Rooster Calhoun, who took LHS to the state championship game back in 1974.   In short, the coach commits what everyone and their brother could only describe as 'recruiting,' and extends an offer of what everyone and their sister could only conclude would be 'impermissible benefits.'  And the kid and his family members willingly participate in the recruitment process and, ultimately, gladly accept the benefits. 

Who should be punished:

A.  The assistant coach.

B.  The head coach (and, yes, I was intentionally vague on whether the head coach participated in or had knowledge of the actions).

C.  The school.

D.  The kid.

E.  All of the above. 

Unlike the SAT, you are not limited to one answer.   Put down the letter for each one (unless you think all should be punished, in which event you can just put down "E").