SEMINOLE, Fla. — Seminole High School JV volleyball player Shaleigh Hirtzel is working on her dream of playing at the collegiate level.
She is also an inspiration not only for her moves on the court, but also for the drive and determination it took for her to get there.
Shaleigh gets a lot of attention when playing.
What You Need To Know
Shaleigh Hirtzel, who plays with a prosthetic, made the Seminole High School JV volleyball squad
Shaleigh hopes her story inspires other student athletes to overcome their obstacles
Teammates and coaches say her positive attitude is great
For one thing, she is quite vocal, pushing her teammates to do their best in every play.
In turn, her teammates love her.
But really, it is the way she plays and that is with a prosthetic.
“Obviously, every time you try something new, it’s going to be hard,” Shaleigh said. “And I’ve never had a forearm before, and this is basically acting like that.”
As Shaleigh explained, she was born with a limb difference.
How she is similar to other young athletes is in the desire to be the best.
Her coach at Seminole High said it is her attitude on and off the court that has resulted in great improvements in her game.
“I love her determination to get better,” said coach Chad Mowrey. “She wants to improve every aspect of her game regardless of if it’s a difficult task or an easy task.”
More specifically, it is her positivity.
Shaleigh is a 10th-grader, and she has only been playing for about three years.
“And I think that shows everybody else, if she can do it, so can others,” said coach Mowrey.
She is serving up a lesson in confidence to kids facing adversities.
“Kids that are like me, I want to be able to inspire them,” Shaleigh said. “And show them, even though you’re different, you can still do it.”
She also has a message for others.
“Then, also help the kids out who don’t have a limb difference understand it better,” she said.
No matter the challenge, she is overcoming it and having fun while doing it.
Shaleigh has big plans and aspirations.
She would like to get the attention of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.
SEMINOLE, Fla. — Seminole High School JV volleyball player Shaleigh Hirtzel is working on her dream of playing at the collegiate level.
She is also an inspiration not only for her moves on the court, but also for the drive and determination it took for her to get there.
Shaleigh gets a lot of attention when playing.
What You Need To Know
Shaleigh Hirtzel, who plays with a prosthetic, made the Seminole High School JV volleyball squad
Shaleigh hopes her story inspires other student athletes to overcome their obstacles
Teammates and coaches say her positive attitude is great
For one thing, she is quite vocal, pushing her teammates to do their best in every play.
In turn, her teammates love her.
But really, it is the way she plays and that is with a prosthetic.
“Obviously, every time you try something new, it’s going to be hard,” Shaleigh said. “And I’ve never had a forearm before, and this is basically acting like that.”
As Shaleigh explained, she was born with a limb difference.
How she is similar to other young athletes is in the desire to be the best.
Her coach at Seminole High said it is her attitude on and off the court that has resulted in great improvements in her game.
“I love her determination to get better,” said coach Chad Mowrey. “She wants to improve every aspect of her game regardless of if it’s a difficult task or an easy task.”
More specifically, it is her positivity.
Shaleigh is a 10th-grader, and she has only been playing for about three years.
“And I think that shows everybody else, if she can do it, so can others,” said coach Mowrey.
She is serving up a lesson in confidence to kids facing adversities.
“Kids that are like me, I want to be able to inspire them,” Shaleigh said. “And show them, even though you’re different, you can still do it.”
She also has a message for others.
“Then, also help the kids out who don’t have a limb difference understand it better,” she said.
No matter the challenge, she is overcoming it and having fun while doing it.
Shaleigh has big plans and aspirations.
She would like to get the attention of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Brodie Anderson fired a 1-over par 37 at Merrimack Valley Golf Course for a total of 34 points to fuel the Lowell High golf team to a 161-146 non-league victory Tuesday afternoon. Also contributing for Lowell were Matthew Casey (33 points), Danny Gleason (25 points), Michael Rillovick (25 points), Shane Peters (23 points) and Michael […]
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Leilah Abrams, Sacred Heart Prep volleyball: The sophomore had 17 kills in a win over Archbishop Riordan, 21 in a win over Palo Alto and 11 in a win over Burlingame as SHP finished the week 3-0 against a trio of quality Bay Area teams.
Ania Aleshi, Hillsdale flag football: The junior completed 29 of 37 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns as Hillsdale beat Santa Clara 21-6. She added 13 yards rushing on three carries. She also went 17 of 21 for 116 yards in a loss to San Mateo.
Dora Amirkhany, Menlo School tennis: The freshman went 5-0 at the ninth annual Golden State Classic tennis tournament held at multiple Bay Area high schools, helping Menlo finish fourth of 32 teams competing.
Hannah Gardner, Miramonte water polo: The sophomore scored four goals and added an assist and a steal in a 15-13 win over Archie Williams, then added two steals and a steal in a 13-8 loss to Sacred Heart Prep. She also contributed a steal in an 8-1 win over Campolindo.
Gabriella Gonzalez, Santa Clara flag football: The senior quarterback completed 13 of 20 passes and threw for 130 yards with three touchdowns in a 49-0 win over MacDonald. She added 14 completions for 157 yards and a TD in a loss to Hillsdale.
Natalie Miyamoto, Hercules flag football: The senior had 12 tackles, four passes defended and a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 13-6 win over Mt. Eden. She added eight tackles, a sack, four passes defended and two interception returns for touchdowns in a 25-0 win over Vallejo.
Sabrina Neal, Los Altos flag football: The junior completed 17 of 27 passes for 106 yards as Los Altos beat Presentation 12-6 in a close contest. She added 76 rushing yards and a TD on 12 attempts.
Katie Vail, Granada flag football: The senior completed 19 of 26 passes for 142 yards and three TDs as Granada beat Monte Vista 19-7. She added 163 yards while completing 18 of 27 passes in a loss to Tracy.
Kennedy Whyte, Monte Vista volleyball: The junior led Monte Vista to a 5-0 record and a win at the Bishop O’Dowd Invitational with 68 kills, 17 aces, 12 blocks and 34 digs.
Helena Younan, Los Gatos flag football: The sophomore quarterback completed 11 of 20 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns in Los Gatos’ 25-0 win over St. Francis, then added 22 of 38 passes for 208 yards and four scores in a 32-0 win over Andrew Hill. She rushed for 52 yards across the two games as well.
SAN JOSE — An old-time defensive dogfight broke out Friday night in front of a near-capacity crowd at Pioneer High School as the Mustangs made a first-quarter touchdown and a couple of field goals stand up in a 13-0 win over archrival Leland in the latest installment of the Battle of the Den.
The win evened the series between the two Almaden Valley schools, according to MaxPreps, at 10-10.
“Playing this game with Leland it doesn’t matter what the records are,” Pioneer coach Eric Perry said. “The kids all know each other and they play so hard against each other. It’s nice to be on the winning side of it.”
Pioneer's Braeden Ries (19) passes the ball against Leland during the second half at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
On Pioneer’s first possession of the game Braeden Ries connected with Connor Christensen on a 13-yard touchdown pass. That was it as far as crossing the goal line was concerned in this contest.
Nathan Bearrows kicked a 37-yard field goal in the final minute of the first quarter to make it 10-0, and the score stayed that way until 1:41 was left in the game when Bearrows added a 34-yard field goal.
In between was a lot of good defensive play by both teams, most notably by Pioneer.
Pioneer's Bryce Coats (56), middle, looks on during the first half against Leland at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
Junior defensive end Matthew Wheeler broke loose for three sacks. Doing it against Leland made it more special.
“It’s such an intense battle,” Wheeler said. “It’s a big rival game, everyone’s here. The crowd is going crazy. It feels really nice to get those sacks and hear the stands calling my name.”
Leland, which won the Central Coast Section Division V championship a year ago, was hit hard by graduation and is trying to make a transition with new personnel and a new head coach, Anthony Herrera, who replaces Kelly King Jr., now at Piedmont Hills.
Leland's Philip Arsintescu (15) tosses the ball to Leland's David Ahlgren (3) against Pioneer during the second half at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
“Offense failed tonight, I failed tonight at not putting these guys in better position to win and execute offensively,” Herrera said. “We go back to the drawing board tomorrow with our lift and film session and start preparing for Lincoln.”
Pioneer running back Colton Bermillo was the top offensive player on the evening as he rushed for 106 yards on 16 carries. Ries completed 7 of 16 passes for 44 yards.
“Defense did a great job,” Herrera said. “We lost the penalty battle and the turnover battle which is why we lost the game. We’re a young team, we’re going to learn from this.”
Leland quarterback Philip Arsintescu was 11 of 17 for 96 yards. Sam McFarland carried 18 times for 50 yards. The Pioneer defense came up with two fumble recoveries and an interception by Christensen.
Bearrow, in addition to his two field goals, was a big factor in Pioneer winning the field position game in the second half with punts of 52, 50 and 44 yards, the latter one a coffin corner beauty going out of bounds at the 2.
Middle linebacker JJ Garcia had tackles for loss on two successive plays on one Leland possession.
“Putting all hats on the ball,” Garcia said in an explanation as to why the defense was so successful on this particular occasion. “Going all out in practice during the week and executing on Friday.”
Pioneer celebrates after defeating Leland at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Pioneer head coach Eric Perry reacts after defeating Leland at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Pioneer head coach Eric Perry celebrates with his team after defeating Leland at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Pioneer's Jonathan Silveira (13) is tackled by Leland's Dylan Repetto (11) during the second half at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Pioneer's Braeden Ries (19) hands the ball to Pioneer's Adam Larson (24) against Leland during the second half at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Leland's Cole Canter (5) runs the ball against Pioneer's Juan Jose Garcia (2) during the first half at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group) Leland's Philip Arsintescu (15) looks to pass the ball against Pioneer during the second half at Pioneer High School in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Pioneer won 13-0. (Thien-An Truong for Bay Area News Group)
High School Playbook Show: Watch Week 3 recaps, highlights and game scores
STARTS NOW. ALL RIGHT. THERE THEY ARE. CAN ONLY MEAN ONE THING. WELCOME TO KCRA 3’S HIGH SCHOOL PLAYBOOK SHOW. I’M DEL RODGERS DURING THE NEXT 13 FRIDAYS, WE’LL BRING YOU EVERY ASPECT THAT MAKES UP THE HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL EXPERIENCE FROM THE BANDS, THE FANS, CHEERLEADERS, GAME OFFICIALS, AND EVEN THE PARENTS IN THE STANDS. TONIGHT IT’S WEEK THREE OF THE FOOTBALL SEASON. WE BEGIN WITH A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO UNDEFEATED TEAMS CHAVEZ TITANS OUT OF STOCKTON, AND THE UNDEFEATED FRANKLIN WILDCATS OF ELK GROVE. ELK GROVE KICKS OFF TO CHAVEZ. JOEL O’DONNELL TAKES THE KICK AND NOW IT’S A TRACK MEET. JD OUTRACES EVERYBODY WHO’S ANYBODY ON THE FIELD. AND AFTER A FEW NEAR MISSES, JOEL O’DONNELL TAKES THE KICKOFF BACK TO THE HOUSE FOR A CHAVEZ TITANS TOUCHDOWN AND THE LEAD. BUT FRANKLIN WOULD RESPOND. QB ONE BRAYLON ROBINSON THROWS A DART TO CADEN BOWERS. TOUCHDOWN, FRANKLIN! BUT THE WILDCATS DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO KEEP UP WITH CHAVEZ TONIGHT, AS THE TITANS FROM STOCKTON TAKE DOWN THE FRANKLIN OF ELK GROVE. FINAL SCORE 39 TO 26. WELL, THE MARQUEE GAME OF THE NIGHT SAW THE UNDEFEATED BELLARMINE COLLEGE PREP AT THE JESUIT MARAUDERS. KCRA 3 MICHELLE DAPPER HAS THE ACTION. JESUIT HEAD COACH MARLON BLANTON GOING FOR WIN NUMBER 100 WITH THE MARAUDERS AS THEY HOST BELLARMINE PREP. BIG RED UP 28. NOTHING AT THE HALF. JESUIT DOMINATES IN EVERY PHASE OF THIS FOOTBALL GAME. DUNCAN BROCKTON WITH THE SACK AND THE LOSS OF 12 YARDS ON THE NEXT MARAUDERS DRIVE, TEDDY RIOS GOES DEEP, FINDS NOAH BRISENO ALL ALONE UP TOP. HE TAKES IT IN FOR THE 88 YARD TOUCHDOWN. TWO TD PASSES FOR RIOS IN THIS BALL GAME, A 35 NOTHING LEAD. JESUIT WASN’T DONE IN THE FOURTH, 109 YARDS RUSHING AND TWO SCORES FOR BRODY QUINN, INCLUDING THIS EIGHT YARDER. AND JESUIT DELIVERS WIN NUMBER 100 TO COACH BLANTON IN DOMINANT FASHION, 42 TO 7. A COOL MOMENT CAPPED OFF WITH AN EVEN COOLER GATORADE BATH. WE GOT THOSE HELMETS CRACKING AND TOUCHDOWNS GOING DEFENSE FOR SURE. STOPPING SEVEN POINTS IN TWO GAMES. COULDN’T ASK FOR A BETTER DEFENSE. JUST SEEING THE GUYS CONGRATULATE YOU. YOU’RE DEVELOPING MEN HERE AS WELL AS FOOTBALL PLAYERS. I AM SO GRATEFUL AND THANKFUL FOR ALL THE YOUNG MEN AND MY COACHING STAFF AND THE COACHES THAT I’VE WORKED WITH. INSTITUTION FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND HELP THEM BECOME THE BEST OF THEMSELVES. AND THEY MAKE ME BETTER. AND IT’S A GREAT THING TO BE A PART OF. SO COACH BLANTON LOOKS TO MAKE IT 101 WINS NEXT WEEK. AND IT’S HOLY BOWL WEEK AGAINST CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AT HUGHES STADIUM IN CARMICHAEL, MICHELLE DAPPER FOR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYBOOK. ALSO TONIGHT, A PAIR OF WINLESS TEAMS MET ON THE ARTIFICIAL TURF. THE GOLDEN VALLEY COUGARS AND THE ELK GROVE THUNDERING HERD, TRYING TO SECURE THEIR FIRST WIN, GOLDEN VALLEY TRIED TO STRIKE WITH THEIR AIR ATTACK AS THEIR QB. ONE DJ TERRY, DUMPS IT OFF TO TJ DENNIS FOR THE GOLDEN VALLEY COUGARS FIRST DOWN, BUT IT WAS ELK GROVE IN THIS ONE. HUDSON HALL HANDS OFF TO ALFONSO MOORE JUNIOR AND HE WILL NOT BE DENIED. ALFONSO FINDS A QUICK SIX FOR THE THUNDERING HERD. ELK GROVE OVER GOLDEN VALLEY. FINAL SCORE TONIGHT, 55 TO 19. OUR PLAYBOOK CAMERAS WERE ALSO IN EL DORADO AS UNION MINE TOOK ON THE BEAR RIVER BRUINS FROM GRASS VALLEY TONIGHT FOR THE UNION MINE. DIAMONDBACKS MAXIME ESTEVE TAKES THE HANDOFF, BREAKS THROUGH THE LINE, AND THEN MAXIMUM HITS MAXIMUM SPEED 75 YARDS LATER, HE’S IN THE LAND OF QUICK SIX FOR UNION MINE. BUT TONIGHT BELONGED TO BEAR RIVER. THE BOYS FROM GRASS VALLEY KNOW HOW TO PLAY BIG TIME HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL. THE BRUINS FORCED THE TURNOVER AND THEN CORBIN, DAGANG SCOOPS AND SCATS, BRINGING IT BACK TO THE HOUSE. 56 YARDS FOR BEAR RIVER. BRUINS WIN AT UNION MINE. FINAL SCORE 30 TO 8. NOW TO OUR KCRA THREE HIGH SCHOOL PLAYBOOK. ENVISION MOTORS, MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA GIRLS VARSITY FLAG FOOTBALL FEATURED GAME OF THE WEEK, AND IT WAS A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO DEFENDING SECTION CHAMPS. LAST YEAR’S D1 CHAMPS DILAURO TAKING ON LAST YEAR’S D-2 CHAMPS PONDEROSA. THIS YEAR, THE CIF HAS CLEARED THE WAY FOR THE BEST GIRLS FLAG FOOTBALL TEAMS TO COMPETE FOR A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. PONDEROSA HAD A HARD TIME FINDING THE END ZONE, BUT ON THIS PLAY, THINGS WENT WELL. ELIJAH CRUZ FINDS ROHAN THOMAS FOR THE TEN YARD BRUINS TOUCHDOWN, THEN HONDO LOOKING TO DO MORE DAMAGE. THEY GO TO THE AIR. THE BALL IS TIPPED AND HEIDI HERSHBERGER IS THERE FOR THE INTERCEPTION. HEIDI BRINGS IT BACK, HITS THE JETS ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE HOUSE FOR A PICK SIX DEL ORO OVER PONDEROSA. THIS IS A CLOSE ONE. 13 TO 6. TWO GREAT PROGRAMS. I’M VERY HAPPY WITH OUR DEFENSE. WE ONLY LET UP ONE TOUCHDOWN AND WE WERE ABLE TO DENY THEIR EXTRA POINT, WHICH KIND OF BROUGHT OUR CONFIDENCE UP INSTEAD OF BEING TIED. SO I WAS VERY HAPPY WITH EVERY GAME WE’RE LEARNING. YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY I TELL THE GIRLS OUR GOAL IS TO GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER EACH GAME. SO IF WE GOT A LOT BETTER FROM OUR PREVIOUS GAME, IF WE CAN GET BETTER FROM THIS GAME TO THE NEXT WEEK, I KNOW WE’RE GOING TO HAVE SUCCESS. ALL RIGHT, AS WE DO EVERY WEEK, IT’S TIME TO SHOW OFF OUR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYBOOK. GREAT CLIPS, CATCH OF THE WEEK FOR WEEK THREE, OUR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYBOOK, GREAT CLIPS CATCH OF THE WEEK WAS TURNED IN BY BEAR RIVER HIGH SCHOOL QUARTERBACK JAYDEN BROCK DROPS BACK ON THE PLAY ACTION, SLINGS IT DOWNFIELD TO TY CREEK, WHO CLIMBS THE LADDER AND BRINGS IT DOWN. THAT’S A ONE HANDED INCREDIBLE CATCH THAT SECURES A FIRST DOWN FOR THE BRUINS. TY CREEK FROM BEAR RIVER TURNS IN OUR GREAT CLIPS CATCH OF THE WEEK. WELL, TO KEEP OUR PROMISE OF BRINGING YOU EVERY ASPECT OF FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, IT’S TIME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR SHRINERS CHILDREN’S OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHEER TEAM OF THE WEEK. IT’S A 23 MEMBER VARSITY CHEERLEADERS FROM CASA ROBLE HIGH SCHOOL FROM ORANGEVILLE. THE CHEERLEADERS TOLD ME THEY LOVE TO MAKE THEIR FANS IN THE STANDS, STAND UP AND CHEER EVERY GAME AS THEY LOVE CONTROLLING THE EMOTIONS OF EVERYONE DURING THEIR HOME AND AWAY GAMES. THAT DOES IT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE PLAYBOOK SHOW, COMING UP AFTER A QUICK COMMERCIAL BREAK. I’VE GOT OUR FAN OF THE WEEK PLUS OUR GAME OF THE WEEK, BUT FOR NOW, IT’S TIME TO MEET OUR HIGH SCHOOL PLAYBOOK GAME OFFICIALS OF THE WEEK. THERE’S NO FOOTBALL WITHOUT THOSE GUYS. THE VARSITY CREW AND THE CREW CHIEF AND THE WHITE CAP. MY MAIN MAN, GREG LARSON, HE’S BEEN REFEREEING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAMES FOR 21 YEARS. AND WHEN GREG LARSON ISN’T ON THE FIELD, HE’S BEEN SELLING REAL ESTATE FOR 4
High School Playbook Show: Watch Week 3 recaps, highlights and game scores
KCRA 3’s High School Playbook show is sharing the highlights from Friday Night Lights.Watch Del Rodgers give a recap of the third week of games across the Sac-Joaquin Section in Northern California on Sept. 5.Part 1 of the show is in the video above with game recaps, Catch of the Week and more.You can watch part 2 with Game of the Week coverage and more in the video below.See more high school football scores below:Did you miss week 2? Catch it here.Vote for Week 4’s Game of the Week here.
KCRA 3’s High School Playbook show is sharing the highlights from Friday Night Lights.
Watch Del Rodgers give a recap of the third week of games across the Sac-Joaquin Section in Northern California on Sept. 5.
Part 1 of the show is in the video above with game recaps, Catch of the Week and more.
You can watch part 2 with Game of the Week coverage and more in the video below.
Allie Coyle became the first women to lead a boys soccer team to a Maryland state title. Now, she prepares Blair High School to defend its standing.
From saving on school supplies to the impact of federal cuts, the WTOP team is studying up on hot-button topics in education across the D.C. region. Follow on air and online in our series, “WTOP Goes Back to School” this August and September.
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Md. boys’ soccer coach ready for new season after team’s historic state title win
A light drizzle fell at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland, as Allie Coyle marched the sidelines watching the boys’ soccer team play in an intersquad scrimmage. At the time, the 31-year-old stood silently, observing her players’ movements, passing and defending.
Yet, once a mistake is made, like crowding passing lanes or standing offsides, Coyle stepped on the field and demanded answers. If she shouted, it was a directive or advice.
“Hey, use your left,” she yelled at a striker. “I like it!”
Last year, Coyle made history, becoming the first women to lead a boys soccer team to a Maryland state title when the Blazers defeated Richard Montgomery 1-0 to become 4A champions.
Entering her fourth season in charge of Blair’s varsity team, Coyle told WTOP the weight of that victory has fueled her team’s drive to win its second consecutive title.
‘Can you coach us?’
Coyle never envisioned herself coaching boys soccer. She played high school soccer at River Hill High School in Howard County and was coaching Blair’s girls soccer junior variety squad. One evening, multiple boys players participating in a Montgomery County Recreation program for high-risk youth called Soccer4Change needed a coach and turned to their science teacher for help.
“The boys needed a coach, and so I had them in class, and they kept seeing me at the girls JV team,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Can you coach us?’”
That pull to boys soccer continued when Coyle became Blair’s JV boys coach. In 2022, she took over the varsity program, and in that first season, the Blazers made it to the state semifinals.
“They’re just awesome kids, and they sucked me in,” Coyle said. “They got me in as their coach, and then I couldn’t leave them, and then, it just led all the way to the boys varsity team.”
Yet, there were challenges. Early on, some parents questioned Coyle’s decision-making on cutting certain players. Coyle recalled speaking to Blair’s former boys soccer coach, who said they questioned her because, “You’re young and you’re female.”
When times got hard, Coyle leaned on a support group of coaches and athletic director Rita Boule, who coached boys soccer in the past.
Blair’s players also stood by Coyle. During one game, a rival coach referred to Coyle as “lady” the entire match. After the Blazers won, the team’s student-run Instagram account posted the final score with “Lady” as its caption as a measure of revenge.
Senior midfielder Jorge Mejia said he doesn’t see the difference in the way Coyle approaches the sport compared to previous male coaches. Instead, he said Coyle set boundaries for the players to build chemistry among each other and is harder on them about their grades.
“She’s a really good coach,” senior midfielder Lyon Alvarez said. “People doubt her just because she’s a female, but when it comes to conditioning, tactics in game, subs, she has like a discipline and everything. … She knows what she can do.”
Championship statement
The 2024 season was a culminating year for the Blair boys soccer program. Many of its seniors had been with Coyle since her JV days, anchoring the Blazers to a 17-3-4 record. After losing to Walt Whitman 4-1 in the regular season, Blair bounced back with a 3-1 victory in the state semifinals.
The night before the state title game, Coyle recalled one of her senior players told her that she could become the first woman to win a state title coaching boys soccer.
“I just kind of blew it off,” she said.
However, when a reporter asked her about it, Coyle attempted to look it up. Once confirmed, she attempted to block it out of her mind, even on game day.
Once the final whistle blew in the Maryland 4A championship, winning Blair’s first boys soccer state title since 1975, Coyle was speechless. After the game, she received so many emails and texts of congratulations, she elected to leave her phone in her car for the night to give herself time to take in the moment.
The Montgomery Blair High School boys’ soccer team won the Maryland state 4A title in 2024.
(Courtesy Tino Pham/Montgomery Blair High School )
Courtesy Tino Pham/Montgomery Blair High School
Allie Coyle looks on during training at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.
(WTOP/José Umaña)
WTOP/José Umaña
A Montgomery Blair High School boy’s soccer player speaks to head coach Allie Coyle during training in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Montgomery Blair High School’s Allie Coyle observes training in Leesburg, Virginia.
(Courtesy Washington Spirit )
Courtesy Washington Spirit
Montgomery Blair High School boys’ soccer coach Allie Coyle participated in the Washington Spirit’s coaching mentorship program.
(Courtesy Breanna Biorato/Washington Spirit)
Courtesy Breanna Biorato/Washington Spirit
Montgomery Blair High School’s boys’ soccer team participate in training in Silver Spring, Maryland.
(WTOP/José Umaña)
WTOP/José Umaña
“I’m not someone who necessarily likes the spotlight,” she said. “I want it on my team and my players. I would not have gotten there if it wasn’t for them.”
The attention came from all angles: local media outlets covered the historic moment, while ESPN dedicated a social media post on the achievement. Coaches from Coyle’s youth reached out to express their support, too.
“They reached out saying how much it meant to their daughters,” she said. “I think it meant the most from all of it is knowing that actual people did find impact from it.”
RaShauna Hamilton, the Spirit’s vice president of fan growth and community, told WTOP in a statement the program aims to create opportunities for female coaches through access to on-field training sessions, interactive lectures with the coaching staff and an online master class on using technology and analytics to develop players.
“Allie has been an impressive coaching mentee throughout her time in the program and is a great representative of what we want this program to be,” Hamilton said.
The mentorship program was the final accolade Coyle needed to celebrate the championship success. As the summer break ended, her focus shifted to meet the standards she set for the Blazers program. She said athletic director Boule as well as her players and their families, helped remind her that to win another title, the team will need to be built up again.
“We knew what we had going into that season,” Coyle said. “We knew it was going to be our chance, and so we pushed harder than we’ve ever pushed to make sure that it all paid off.”
Preparing for the 2025 season
Thirteen players from last year’s title-winning side are returning for the 2025 season, seven of whom are seniors. They will be joined by 14 new players who have never played on Blair’s varsity team.
Some new players are getting accustomed to Coyle’s direct approach, which involves speaking to them in straightforward terms while encouraging them to work harder in training. At the same time, she allows her captains to run the drills, and during scrimmages, players can pick the positions that best suit them.
That balance of being a disciplinarian while finding a player’s strength is essential in team building, Coyle said.
“I want them to push themselves as hard as they can so that they see the hard work paying off if they do it over and over,” she said. “I think that’s a bigger life lesson — is hard work will pay off.”
Almost a year removed from the historic victory, Coyle said there is pressure to repeat last year’s success. She also understands her accomplishment will serve as a catalyst for others who want to coach in male sports.
One piece of advice she offers to any woman looking to make the leap is to have a support system that can keep you grounded and focused on the task at hand.
“It’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders, and not a lot of the pressure that I can really control,” she said. “You can say and teach them as much as you want, but really, at some point it’s got to be: How bad do they want it, also? I think this team might want it. We’ll see.”
Blair opens regular season play on Sept. 8 on the road at Clarksburg and at Blake on Sept. 10. The Blazers will finally play their first home match on Sept. 15 against county rivals Wheaton.
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It would be nearly impossible for this upcoming football season to match last fall. Shawsheen Tech went 13-0 and won the Division 5 Super Bowl. Pelham saw its 47-game win streak end, but advanced to the New Hampshire Division 2 title game. The good news is there’s plenty of top returning talent, including returning Sun […]
After Week 1, the top three teams in the Bay Area News Group rankings solidified their spots.
De La Salle came away with a gritty win over Florida powerhouse Lakeland, Archbishop Riordan cruised past Oakland heavyweight McClymonds and Pittsburg lit up the scoreboard and then held off Granite Bay, a respected program from the Sac-Joaquin Section.
San Ramon Valley found its way into the Top 5 after beating El Cerrito in a close game.
Though Serra lost to Folsom in a 56-42 thriller, the San Mateo school proved HSRatings’ computer dead wrong. The computer had Serra losing 40-0. For that, the Padres moved up two spots, to No. 5.
Liberty defeated last year’s Division 3-AA state champion Frontier-Bakersfield and rose to the 10th spot in the rankings.
Sacred Heart Cathedral moved into the rankings following an impressive win over Sacred Heart Prep. The West Catholic Athletic League has six teams in the Top 25, the most of any league in the Bay Area News Group’s coverage area.
Editor’s note: Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The news organization’s high school staff chooses the teams.
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No matter what happens, Serra and Folsom know that most seasons, they will be in position to compete for section championships at the end of the year.
Which is why both teams go out of their way to schedule exceptionally tough nonleague opponents in September.
This year, Sacramento area power Folsom visited another top team from its area (Grant), bussed to San Mateo to play Serra on Saturday and will fly to Southern California this week to face Mission Viejo.
Serra opened with Folsom and will also take on De La Salle in San Mateo this Saturday. The Padres will finish their nonleague schedule with a trip to face Southern Section powerhouse St. John Bosco.
After beating Serra 56-42, Folsom coach Paul Doherty admitted that earning Northern California’s berth in the CIF Open Division state championship game is the Bulldogs’ goal this season.
Testing themselves – and winning – against the best teams in the state is an important part of making that a reality.
“Every time you go through it, you’re like, ‘This is a bad idea,’” Doherty said. “Tough schedule, that’s the only way to do it. We’ve won four section (championships) in a row. We were in four NorCals in a row. We’ve won two of them, and we lost two by a total of four points. If we’re going to get better, we have to schedule and we have to plan. That’s the DNA or the blueprint of what we’re trying to do.”
Doherty noted that the programs in SoCal especially are “better than ours,” and playing them gives Folsom something to aspire to moving forward.
Serra, meanwhile, is trying to recapture the form that powered the Padres to a 25-0 record against NorCal foes in 2022 and 2023. That stretch came during a run in which the San Mateo school represented Northern California in the Open state title game three consecutive seasons.
Serra’s strong showing against Folsom on Saturday could be the first sign that the Padres are on their way back to being a top NorCal contender.
“There’s a Nelson Mandela quote that says, ‘I either win or I learn,’” Walsh said. “I want to know what we got and what we don’t have. I’m not trying to stack up wins around here. What we’re trying to do is be WCAL champions and CCS champions. And my philosophy has always been to schedule the best, be a part of the best. Challenge yourself against the best coaches and players, and then you know exactly where you are.”
— Christian Babcock
RIORDAN: FAMILY BUSINESS
Early in the first quarter, Riordan quarterback Mike Mitchell Jr. scanned the field for openings in McClymonds’ defense. After going through his reads, Mitchell locked in on a target he is very familiar with.
Younger brother Maxwell, a sophomore receiver, found the soft spot in the defense on a crossing route, pulled in the pass, and ran in for a 27-yard touchdown.
It was a play that the two had informally rehearsed in the backyard for years, and drilled on the practice field all summer.
“It was unreal,” Max Mitchell told the Bay Area News Group. “We did that every day in the summer, so the work definitely paid off.”
– Joseph Dycus
ACALANES: NEW POSITION … SORT OF
After Grant Ricker grabbed three interceptions in Acalanes’ emotional 33-12 victory, he noted that it was his first start ever at defensive back. He had started at receiver last season for Acalanes’ North Coast Section Division III championship team.
“I have to thank my coaches for teaching me on the fly,” Ricker said.
According to teammate Deonte Littlejohn, that isn’t quite true.
“Actually, Ricker played DB freshman year … and he wasn’t the best,” Littlejohn said. “He had a complete turnaround, and now he’s a dog out there. Playing receiver just helps him track that ball down.”
– Joseph Dycus
DE LA SALLE: JEFFERSON CAN SCOOT
Jaden Jefferson is a fast runner.
De La Salle’s two-way speedster reset the state record in the 100-meter dash last spring, clocking a time of 10.01 seconds at the CIF state meet in Clovis.
But his time caused some controversy.
It was widely speculated by those including Arcadia Invitational meet director Rich Gonzalez that the record-breaking time resulted in part because, he suspected, the starter fired the gun too far from the electronic timing sensor, causing a clock delay.
But CIF stood by its time, and so is Jefferson.
“CIF, they confirmed it, they said they had two clocks running,” Jefferson said. “So I’m not really arguing with the people who don’t believe it. I know what I ran, and I came back a second day to run another time. They said they had two clocks running, and they approved it. So I’m not sure what the other people are talking about.”
De La Salle football coach Justin Alumbaugh isn’t too concerned, either. He knows what Jefferson’s wheels do for his team.
“I think he could have broken 10,” Alumbaugh said. “He slowed up at the end. What I know is he was moving. And football-wise, he passes the eye test for speed. You’ll see him out there. He can scoot. No matter what the exact time is, that dude can run. You get under a 10.3, you’re scooting pretty well.”
— Christian Babcock
NORCAL COMMIT FROM FLORIDA ENJOYS TIME IN GOLDEN STATE
Lakeland-Florida running back and Sacramento State commit Ja’darious Dobie got a little taste of the Cali life when the Dreadnaughts played De La Salle on Friday.
Though Lakeland didn’t get the results it wanted, Dobie said he enjoyed his time in NorCal.
“It was beautiful weather out here and it’s just beautiful scenery,” Dobie said. “I wish we could have come out here and dominated better, but at least we lost in Cali. So it feels good to be home.”
Dobie picked Sacramento State over FBS schools Wake Forest, UNLV, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech. New Sacramento State coach Brennan Marion is a former Bay Area resident, coaching at St. Patrick-St. Vincent in Vallejo, and playing at Foothill and De Anza colleges in the South Bay.
– Nathan Canilao
MENLO SCHOOL: OPENER SHARED CULTURAL EXPERIENCE
It’s not every year you see a California high school team play a season opener against a squad from New Mexico.
Menlo School welcomed Hózhó Academy, a charter school from Gallup, N.M., on Saturday in Atherton. The unusual matchup brought together two small schools with a number of differences but similar values.
Hózhó Academy is located on the edge of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, a Native American reservation home to the Diné people. Most of the Hózhó Academy players had not traveled off the reservation before coming to the Bay Area this weekend.
“Coach (Todd) Smith and I really clicked when we talked about our coaching philosophies and the bigger picture of helping shape good, young men,” Hózhó Academy coach Cyle Balok said in a release. “We thought this game could be a special opportunity for both of our teams to meet and use the game as a bridge between two vastly different parts of the country.”
Hózhó Academy traveled to Atherton by bus and made the trip thanks to fundraising from local businesses near Gallup. The two teams shared a pregame dinner Friday, and Menlo hopes the connections they make through the game last beyond Week 1.
“We come from very different parts of the country,” said Smith, Menlo’s head coach. “But we started this friendship and knew this could be much more than a regular game.”
— Christian Babcock
PEEK AHEAD TO WEEK 2
Friday
Campolindo (1-0) at Northgate (1-0), 7 p.m.: Campo was in midseason form last week at Granada.
Los Gatos (0-1) at Liberty (1-0), 7 p.m.: Los Gatos will try to tighten its defense before the long trip to Brentwood.
Menlo-Atherton (0-1) at Acalanes (1-0), 7 p.m.: Acalanes aiming to beat CCS school for second week in a row.
St. Francis (0-1) at McClymonds (0-1), 7 p.m.: Tough trip for St. Francis as Lancers try to bounce back from loss to Cathedral Catholic.
San Jose (1-0) vs. Lincoln-San Jose (1-0) at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.: Will Lincoln’s dominance continue in Big Bone game?
Windsor (1-0) at Hayward (1-0), 7 p.m.: Both teams had impressive season-opening wins.
Saturday
De La Salle (1-0) at Serra (0-1), 2 p.m.: DLS remembers its last visit to Serra, a 28-0 loss two seasons ago.
Of the eight swimmers chosen (six females, two males) for last year’s Lowell Sun All-Star team, seven return for this fall season, including swimmer of the year Mackenzie Gibbons of the Academy of Notre Dame and Chelmsford’s Lily Dunlea, who was named The Sun’s Diver of the Year for the second straight year.
Gibbons holds seven school records, won two events at the MVC Championship Meet, Division 2 sectionals and the Division 1 state meet, where she was crowned the 100-meter backstroke and 100 butterfly champ.
Other all-stars returning are Chelmsford’s trio of Nora Williamson, Mai Pho and Anna Florence, and on the boys side, Billerica’s Peter Hong and Tewksbury’s Alan Dang.
Academy of Notre Dame/Dracut/Tyngsboro
League: MVC
Last season: 1-7
Captain: Mackenzie Gibbons, sr., free/fly/back
Other returning letterwinners: Aura Da Silva, sr., back/fly; Dwayne Wangari, jr., back; Chris Ngigi, so., free; Alaina Foss, so., free/IM; An Tran, so., free; Lara Zyla, so., free/breast; Ian Diaz, so., free/back; Viha Rane, so., fly/free; Emma MacLeod, 8th, free; Olivier Perrier, 8th.
Promising newcomers: Thomas Baldwin, jr.; Julian Gornisiewicz, fr.; Perla Gomez, so.; Wesley Rylas, so.; Sebastian Nova, 6th; Jordana Farrow, 7th.
Coach Nicole Musher (3rd season): “We are excited to have our two-time state champion, Mackenzie Gibbons, back for what I’m sure will be a great season. We are also welcoming new members from Tyngsboro High School. This year, we are focused on growth for our newer swimmers, as well as integrating our co-op teams, Dracut and Tyngsboro, for future success. Although our team is still fairly young, we are optimistic, and excited, to see what this year brings.”
Academy of Notre Academy swimmer Mackenzie Gibbons is looking for a big season in the pool this fall. (Courtesy photo
Billerica
League: MVC
Last season: 2-6
Captains: Allison Gargalianos, sr., diving; Yuwal Kumar, sr., breast/free; Sophie Barriault, sr., free/IM; Peter Hong, jr., breast/fly
Other returning letterwinners: Kiera Harvey, jr., fly; Kaelyn Kerr, so., back; Andy Gerasimov, sr., free; Sammi White, jr., back; Ishaan Dadhirao, jr., free; Ryann Kobrenski, fr., diving; Elizabeth Agpar, so., back; Arjun Mahajan, sr., back; Hailey Romanik, fr., free/breast; Emily Manganiello, fr., back; Pedro Da Silva, sr., breast.
Coach Brooke O’Connor (1st season): “With the majority of the strong swimmers returning, we continue to get faster on the swim side, especially with a couple of experienced eighth-graders to add to the events.”
One of the captains of the Billerica swim team is junior Peter Hong. He’s a returning Sun All-Star. (Courtesy photo)
Coach Harriet Kinnett (30th year, 292 wins): “The swimmers and divers have been working hard at practice. Our talented upperclassmen are ready to step up and fill the roles of our graduated seniors. We should be competitive in the Merrimack (Valley) Conference.”
Promising newcomers: Lucille Berni, so., free; Aliyah Burgos, so., free; Julianne Fox, fr., IM/free; Nathan Kim, so., free/back; Alissa Kim, fr., free; Quoc Le Thoueithaisong, sr., free; Sovanreach Ly, so., free; Joseph Maniscalco, so., free/back; Jennifer Nguyen, fr., free; Violet Zapata, fr., free.
Coach Jennifer McGlauflin (16th season): “We’re excited to build on the strong team culture that’s earned us the conference Sportsmanship Award the past two years. This season our focus is on continuing that tradition while also raising our competitiveness by pushing for best times, stronger finishes and being more competitive in dual meets. With our mix of experienced returners and new athletes, we’re looking forward to steady growth and a season we can be proud of.”
Captaining the Lowell High swim team this season are, from left, Kelly Souza, Jaiden Long and Olivia You. (Courtesy photo)
Promising newcomers: Soufiane Bridaa, fr.; Camdyn Rae DeLano, fr.; Jesse Torres, fr.; Ella Corthell, 8th; Mason Borushik, so.; Joseph Todd, so.; Kyle Chiu, fr.; Dylan Dang, fr.; Gabe Pinheiro, fr.; Evathia Kazanis, 8th.
Coach Jason Smith (23rd season): “We graduated a very strong class, so our young team will have some big spots to fill. However, we have had a great first week of practice, and hopefully that hard work will pay off and we will be ready to compete starting with our first meet against Chelmsford.”
Bo MacCormack III didn’t put up eye-popping numbers in his college debut Saturday.
But the Westford resident did what he always seems to do when he’s on a football field – he reached the end zone. A 5-11, 198-pound true freshman, the running back scored for Boston College on a two-yard rush with 9:11 left.
The score gave BC a 58-3 lead and the Eagles went on to crush Fordham, 66-10, in season-opening action under sunny skies at Alumni Stadium.
MacCormack committed to play at Syracuse University before changing his mind and opting to play for head coach Bill O’Brien at BC. At Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, MacCormack became the all-time leading rusher in Massachusetts high school history.
He galloped for 6,699 yards and finished with 100 rushing TD’s.
In his college debut, he gained nine yards on three carries and returned two kickoffs for 37 yards.
College soccer
Giansiracusa shines: Freshman Maggie MacDonald netted two goals in her collegiate debut and sophomore Christa Giansiracusa (Tewksbury) recorded her first career shutout as Plymouth State University topped Thomas College, 3-0, in non-conference women’s action at Smith Field in Waterville, Maine.
Giansiracusa finished with two saves.
UML ties: Freshman Alvaro Medrano (Guatemala City, Guatemala) made his second career shutout in as many matches, as the UMass Lowell men battled the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals to a 0-0 draw in San Antonio, Texas.
Medrano, who made two saves in 90 minutes, has now kept a clean sheet in each of his two collegiate starts. Offensively, 10 River Hawks (2-1-1) logged a shot, with eight of those shots coming on target. On defense, sophomore Aamir Ketbache (Frankfurt am Main, Germany) played the entire game, while sophomore Henry Wohlt (Milwaukee, Wis.) logged 72 minutes in his second appearance of the season.
College field hockey
UML falls: UMass Lowell freshman goalkeeper Veerle Mous (Breda, Netherlands) registered 11 saves in a hard-fought, 3-0 loss to No. 14 UMass.
“I’m really happy with our performance in the first three quarters,” said UML head coach Shannon LeBlanc. “It’s just unfortunate that after three great quarters we didn’t play our best when it mattered.”
Sophomore Karlijn Kerkhof (Rotterdam, Netherlands) led the way on the offensive end with four shots, while senior Madison Leeper (Amherst, N.Y.) and sophomore Alice Van Hemelen (Tervuren, Netherlands) each added two.
Pelham’s Aleena Cunha executes a flip throw during Friday’s girls soccer game against Milford. The Pythons dropped their home opener, 3–1. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
High school golf
GLT starts well: Greater Lowell Tech has defeated its first two opponents, Northeast Metro, 149-122, and Nashoba Tech, 155-117.
Against Northeast Metro, Tommy McKiernan led the Gryphons by scoring 40 points. He was followed by Brody Simmons (26), Nolan Torpey (24), Jackson Ferreira (23), Ben Hickok (18) and Joe McMenamy (18).
In the victory over Nashoba Tech, McKiernan and Simmons paced the winners with 34 and 32 points, respectively.
Hickok collected 30 followed by Ferreira (21), Jack Hickok (19) and Andrew Baia (19).
Auto racing
Moulton takes third: A 50-lap special Ammonoosuc Asphalt Mini-Late Models was held Saturday at White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H.
Chris Moulton of Pepperell drove a terrific race and finished third in a competitive field.
Palisades football wide receiver Demare Dezeurn knew what was next: the end zone.
Dezeurn’s four receiving touchdowns catapulted the Dolphins (1-0) to a 37-35 victory over Harvard-Westlake (1-1) in a season debut that head coach Dylen Smith described as “too close for comfort.”
The Wolverines chased down Palisades through their rushing attack, but a series of defensive and special teams turnovers and quarterback Jack Thomas’ arm propelled Palisades forward.
“We tried to do too much too early and didn’t take what the defense gave us,” Smith said. “We have athletes and we thought we could push the ball down the field, Harvard-Westlake had a good game plan and played very disciplined.”
Dezeurn, a four-star prospect with offers from programs such as Alabama, Arkansas and Miami, caught his stride at both ends of the game, scoring Palisades’ first two and final touchdowns. The junior pass-catcher, whose uncle Donte Dezeurn serves as the program’s position coach for receivers and defensive backs, leveraged the variety of his route tree, observing a defender’s position and taking advantage of the space, or lack thereof.
Through slants, curls, fades and post routes, Dezeurn reached through his bag to pull out whatever the situation required.
“Early in the game me, my coach and JT (Jack Thomas) all talked about the short routes,” Dezeurn said. “Open up the short routes so they can start coming down on me so I can beat them over the top.”
In the second and third quarters, where Harvard-Westlake threw a variety of looks and often showed double coverage, Palisades took advantage by spreading the ball to their other receivers.
With the Dolphins up one and the Wolverines nipping at their tails, Thomas looked to another one of his receiving weapons. Senior wide receiver King Demethris, who had gone down the drive before after taking a hit that took him to the sideline, burst up the field with speed.
Finding a gap between the safeties, Thomas delivered Demethris his sole touchdown of the night, a 60-yarder that sent fans, coaches and teammates alight.
On his senior signal-caller, Smith expressed his approval while also wanting him to trust in his own instincts.
“He didn’t check as many plays out as I wanted him to,” Smith said. “I know he’s trying to play within my offense, but he always puts on good plays and if he sees something and feels comfortable throwing it I don’t mind.”
Despite the loss, Harvard-Westlake always remained competitive to the last down, though early setbacks never allowed them to gain the lead.
The Wolverines operated through the ground game, with juniors Auggie Sone and Jordan Doi taking turns running the ball. On one drive in the second quarter, the team ran eight consecutive times on a 95-yard drive to give them their first touchdown of the night.
Another highlight play for Harvard-Westlake was delivered by junior WR/FS Dylan Fullmer, who took a 75-yard kick-return to the house.
Going into next week, Palisades will look to continue their winning start, hosting Granada Hills at Santa Monica College on Friday at 7 p.m., while Harvard-Westlake will look to get back in the win column at Venice at 7 p.m.
SAN JOSE — A number of observers concerned about Bellarmine’s demise in football have made a similar contention: the school’s admissions standards are preventing the program from fully accessing the diverse group of athletes available around the Bay Area.
“Admissions is always a subject that people are going to talk about,” said athletic director Kevin Saldivar, who is a member of Bellarmine’s admissions committee. “People have a perception that if you don’t have a certain GPA or certain belief, then you can’t come to Bellarmine. And that, for us, is just not accurate.
“We’re diverse in our student body in all ways, academically, socioeconomically, ethnically. We want everyone to apply to Bellarmine.”
Saldivar, who played football for the Bells before graduating in 2004, said Bellarmine is taking steps to attract students needed to excel at football and other sports.
He noted that the school’s administrators and coaches met this summer.
“What we had to do was really stop and evaluate where we were, where we are, and where we want to be,” Saldivar said. “It was a good exercise for the administration, for us, for the coaches, for the board, to really understand where we want Bellarmine football to be and where our expectations of Bellarmine football need to be.”
“One of the best programs in the Bay Area is what we should be,” Diaz-Infante said.
Bellarmine head coach Dave Diaz-Infante watches over his team at a practice this month at the San Jose school. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Saldivar and Diaz-Infante acknowledged that Bellarmine may have overlooked the needs of its football program in recent years. And as Diaz-Infante noted, the Bells still have a ways to go to catch programs like Serra, St. Francis and Archbishop Riordan.
But Saldivar is steadfast that Bellarmine is aiming toward that goal.
“We filled our coaching staff on all three levels this year, 20 coaches, nine on the varsity level,” Saldivar said. “We were able to add two on-campus coaches, so a total of four for the varsity level, with plans and the idea to strategically add more on-campus coaches. The experience in high school and high school athletics, especially football, is one that doesn’t just happen from 3 to 5 (p.m.) after school when you have your coaches on campus.”
The program’s former head coach, Jalal Beauchman, now in his first season as the team’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, is perhaps the clearest example of what Bellarmine is preaching. In his new role, he will lead outreach to middle school students, looking to identify future Bells and encourage them to apply.
Bellarmine offensive coordinator Jalal Beauchman works with players during a practice this month on the school’s campus. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
Beauchman’s objective goes beyond the athletic department as he helps lead the Bellarmine United in Learning and Diversity (BUILD) program. But a lot of people around Bellarmine wouldn’t mind if some of the future applicants also happen to be standout athletes.
“We’ve got to go to places that we may not have been to recently and find guys and let them know that there’s a place for them over here at Bellarmine,” Diaz-Infante said. “And that’s been good. It’s reflected in our freshman class this year, and we’re gonna keep getting better. We’re gonna get more guys.”
Happening now
Bellarmine football players work on handoff drills during a practice this month. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
As bricks are being laid for the program’s future, Bellarmine still has to play a football season this fall. This year’s edition of the Bells will begin play against Sobrato on Aug. 29.
The season opener is notable for multiple reasons. For one, it will be Bellarmine’s first on-campus night game, an unprecedented feat for a school that has 175 years of history attached to its name.
The school plans to add temporary lights and bleachers and will hold a fanfest in its quad that will start a couple of hours before kickoff.
“We have a really big opportunity and a really great opportunity to really communicate and give the kids who are looking to come to high school that kind of information and opportunity,” Saldivar said. “It’s exciting.”
Bellarmine’s non-league schedule opened eyes because it features two opponents – Sobrato and Los Altos – that are below the “A-league” threshold as designated by the Central Coast Section. Historically, this is nearly as unprecedented as the Bells playing a home night game on campus.
Los Altos coach Mark Adams said his team was looking for a closer non-league matchup after facing Calaveras last season, a trip he described as “halfway up to Tahoe.” Hoping for a closer game, he reached out to Bellarmine, and the Bells said yes.
“It’s a great student-athlete experience at Bellarmine,” Adams said. “I have a lot of respect for them, and I want my kids to understand what we’re trying to build and what we’re trying to get to. It was all me reaching out to them and wanting to play a great traditional school and show our kids what good looks like.”
Sobrato coach Joel Rueda said he saw playing the Bells as an opportunity to prove to kids in Morgan Hill that they don’t need to leave town to play football at a high level.
“There’s a whole lot of our young people in our community that choose to go to Bellarmine, whether it’s for athletics or for a faith-based education or whatnot,” Rueda said. “This is our chance to show the community, ‘Hey, you don’t need to travel to a private school or to a whole ‘nother town to have an awesome education. You don’t have to travel far at all to get top-tier coaching and play for a good football program.’”
Diaz-Infante said playing Sobrato and Los Altos, as well as traditionally strong Jesuit, a school based in Carmichael near Sacramento, would help the Bells heading into West Catholic Athletic League play.
“Sobrato, they’re an up and coming program,” Diaz-Infante said. “Los Altos is rebuilding. It’s important that our schedule is appropriate for us to build some momentum, because we play in the toughest league in the Bay Area.”
Next steps
Bellarmine football players go through a practice that began at 6 a.m. this month in preparation for a season that kicks off Friday. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)
It’s clear that Bellarmine football isn’t what it once was. The question now is what it will become.
For junior running back/linebacker Justin Donahue, a Bellarmine legacy, playing for the Bells is about more than just a simple high school experience.
“Bellarmine is my life, really,” Donahue said. “I’ve made a ton of friends here. It’s a brotherhood. It’s a family. It’s guys who want you to get better, both academically and athletically. All this comes together to make you a man who’s for and with others, which is what we learn here as a Jesuit school.”
In many ways, Donahue is the quintessential Bellarmine football player. His father, uncle, older brother and two of his cousins attended the school, and his little brother will likely do so as well.
Donahue has a simple objective for what he wants to accomplish with his teammates this fall.
“Success wouldn’t be about the record, but rather us being able to surprise people,” Donahue said. “Because even though I’m sure everyone’s heard about Bellarmine not being good – 0-10 this, 0-10 that – we need to surprise these people and show them that we’re a lot better than we were last year, and we’re actually a team that will put up a fight against all these guys.”
When Diaz-Infante was a player at Bellarmine, the Bells won their first CCS championship in the National division, then the top classification in the section, in 1981. They had rebounded from a 17-7 loss to Saratoga in the first National title game in 1980.
Those days are long gone.
“Bellarmine needs to wash away what we’ve been these past few years,” Donahue said. “Everyone knows that Bellarmine was a powerhouse. And I think we can get a lot more people coming to Bellarmine who are more athletic to improve all of our sports and make us better overall.”
It’s possible that no one wants this more than Diaz-Infante. When discussing the Bells’ 0-10 record, he was visibly disgusted.
“It got everyone’s attention,” he said. “Because, look, you can’t do things the same way as when we went 0-10. I have to wear that more than anybody. And do you think I like it? No, absolutely not. I can’t stand it. Makes me want to puke.”
But when discussing Bellarmine’s future, he wasn’t just hopeful. He was emotional.
As he thought of his experience playing for the Bells, Diaz-Infante briefly found himself unable to communicate. The impact was profound enough to render him speechless, and he shed a few tears.
When he did regain his voice, he was resolute.
“Our job is to smooth off the rough edges,” he said. “Our job is to create opportunities for more kids from different backgrounds. I was one of those kids. I know what the school did for me. Sometimes, I think I care too much. There’s a lot of kids that can benefit from being here. And we’re committed to getting there.”
Clayton Valley Charter transfer running back Jhadis Luckey, a Fresno State commit, discusses his plans for a follow-up to his breakout junior year at California High.
VALENCIA — “Going forward my goal is to win every single game, have a breakout season and … playing both ways, I’m just an athlete, I’ve been an athlete. And I just had to transfer to know that, you know.”
That’s what Valencia senior receiver/cornerback Elias Holloway – a transfer from Chaminade – said after his standout performance in Valencia’s 28-7 win over Simi Valley on Friday night.
Things started strong for the Vikings when senior quarterback Brady Bretthauer found Holloway open in the flat and he took it the rest of the way for a 43-yard touchdown to open up the scoring with 10:11 left in the first quarter.
From there, Holloway continued to make his presence felt in the first half, getting an interception and two pass breakups in the period.
Valencia was able to stymie Simi Valley’s offense in the half, and the Vikings stayed on top 7-0 before two late touchdowns – a two-yard score from senior running back Brian Bonner and an 18-yard catch from sophomore Matthew Steen – broke things open heading into halftime.
The Vikings took a 21-0 lead into the break and from there it was “all systems go” for a strong Valencia defense.
Caleb Larson – a transfer from Mountain View High School in Arizona – got his first sack as a Viking on a key 3rd down for Simi Valley in the redzone. That came after Simi Valley quarterback Connor Petrov led the Pioneers on what would have been a key scoring drive to open the 3rd quarter.
One play later, Valencia forced a turnover on downs, and ended any hope of a Pioneer comeback with a methodical, ball-control heavy offense.
The Vikings were able to succeed at that despite star running back Bonner – a Washington commit – being at “60 percent,” according to Valencia head coach Larry Muir, who said that the senior ball carrier “was sick all week.”
A 30-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw from Bretthauer put Valencia up 28-0, and a late interception return for a touchdown by Simi Valley’s Cole Alejo off backup quarterback Evan McCalister proved to be a consolation prize of sorts for the Pioneers, who fell to 0-2 on the season after the 28-7 road defeat.
Muir was proud of his team’s defense after the win, an element of their program that had a difficult start to last season.
“I thought the defense did an outstanding job,” Muir said. “I thought they did a great job against the run. You always gotta be able to establish your defensive run game to get yourself into those 3rd down situations… I also thought the defensive secondary did a great job of limiting… really limiting their big plays.”
For Muir he was pleased with the overall performance his team put together against the Pioneers.
“The reality is, this is our first time getting out on the field and getting, you know, together as a group,” he said. “You got a lot of new players and young players coming up, so your kind of in that ‘unknown’ of ‘okay, how are they gonna perform?” You feel good about the preparation and you feel good about how they practice and they did a great job of that. Now, how are they gonna perform, and I thought so many guys did a nice job of performing tonight.”
It’s simultaneously a time of continuity and transition for Valencia, and Muir was complimentary of Holloway after the win.
“Great player, he’s a playmaker,” Muir said. “Did a great job for us on both sides of the ball and what a tribute to him that a new guy really learned our system and became a captain for us, and he performed. He made great plays for us on both sides of the ball.”
Valencia (1-0) heads on the road next Friday to take on Chaminade, while Simi Valley (0-2) will stay on the road and face Shadow Ridge (Nevada) next Friday.
Friday Night Hits: All game recaps and scores of Central Florida high school football
WELCOME TO FRIDAY NIGHT HITS ALONGSIDE ZACH MASKAVICH. I’M DAREN STOLZFUS. WE’LL CHECK IN WITH KRISTEN LAGO IN JUST A BIT. YEAH. TONIGHT, WEEK ONE OF THE REGULAR SEASON. WHAT DO THE THEY HAVE TO DO FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON TO GET INTO THE WIN COLUMN? OBVIOUSLY WE HAD A BUNCH OF GOOD KICKOFF CLASSIC GAMES LAST WEEK. A FEW PRIVATE SCHOOLS DID PLAY A WEEK AGO, BUT FOR A MAJORITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA TONIGHT, THE ROAD TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP BEGINS. OUR GAME OF THE WEEK WAS A SHORT DRIVE FROM WESH TWO STUDIOS OVER TO BISHOP MOORE IN COLLEGE PARK. THE HORNETS AND THE OVIEDO LIONS CLASHING TONIGHT. YEAH, OVIEDO, COMING OFF A CONFIDENCE WIN BUILDING WIN WITH AS THEY TOOK DOWN LAKE MARY TO WARM UP THE SEASON, WHILE BISHOP MOORE LOST A TIGHT BATTLE WITH THEIR NEIGHBORS, THE EDGEWATER EAGLES, IN THEIR KICKOFF CLASSIC. YEAH, BOTH TEAMS HAVE PRETTY BIG GOALS THIS YEAR. LIONS AND THE HORNETS TANGLING OVER THERE IN COLLEGE PARK. BISHOP MOORE WASTED NO TIME IN FORCING A FUMBLE ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME. HERE IS PLAY NUMBER TWO. AMARI JOHNSON TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE. PART OF A HUGE FIRST HALF FOR NUMBER 21. A FEW MINUTES LATER OVIEDO ALREADY DOWN 14. NOTHING THEY DO STRIKE BACK. SEBASTIAN GALEANO PERFECT BALL TO DESHAWN. FAVORS. NOBODY CATCHES HIM THAT CUT THE BISHOP MOORE LEAD IN HALF BUT BACK COME THE HORNETS BLAKE MCCULLOUGH WITH THE BEAUTIFUL PASS OF HIS OWN. MAGNUS TALMA HAULS IT IN. WE LOVE MAGNUS’S NAME HERE. THE POINTS WERE COMING IN BUNCHES IN THE FIRST HALF AND PRETTY MUCH ALL NIGHT LONG AS WELL. LIONS GOING BACK TO THEIR BAG OF TRICKS HERE. WIDE RECEIVER PASS JORDAN DONAHUE TO BROCK JOYCE. WHAT A BALL. BUT THE HORNETS WOULD NOT BE DENIED JOHNSON AGAIN. HIS THIRD RUSHING TOUCHDOWN OF THE FIRST HALF. HOW ABOUT THIS FINAL SCORE. BISHOP MOORE 68 OVIEDO 35. BMC WINS TONIGHT. BIG WIN TO START THE SEASON. THEIR DAREN. EARLIER, WE MENTIONED THAT LAKE MARY LOST THEIR KICKOFF CLASSIC GAME. BUT THERE’S NO QUESTION THE RAMS HAVE BIG GOALS FOR THIS SEASON, ESPECIALLY AS THEY FINISH AS THE STATE RUNNER UP A YEAR AGO. YEAH. AND WHEN YOU HAVE THE FUTURE NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL QUARTERBACK AS YOUR GUY, NOAH GRUBBS, PRETTY MUCH A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP OR BUST. AND HEY, WE PICKED THE GAME OF THE WEEK. BUT HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT YOU GET TO PICK TWO. THIS ONE, THE BIG GAME. YEAH COMING FROM UP NORTH COMING UP NORTH FROM MIAMI. IT WAS NORLAND PAYING A VISIT TO THE RAMS. NOT THE START THEY ENVISIONED. FIRST QUARTER. THAT WAS VIKINGS QUARTERBACK KAI MOORE FINDING MALACHI JOHNSON FOR THE SCORE. THE RAMS GET A SMALL BIT OF REVENGE HERE. THEY BLOCK THE EXTRA POINT. SO IT WAS JUST 13. NOTHING. INSTEAD OF 14 NOTHING LAKE MARY WOULD GET ON THE BOARD A LITTLE BIT LATER. HERE NOAH GRUBBS FINDS HIS BIG WIDE RECEIVER. THAT’S BARRETT SCHULTZ THAT CUTS IT TO A ONE SCORE GAME. BUT NORLAND WOULD ANSWER RIGHT BACK. A FEW MINUTES LATER. RASHAD WALLACE HE’S GOING TO SHOW OFF HIS POWER RUNNING MOVES AS HE’S GOING TO BUST THIS ONE IN. THEY GET THE TWO POINT CONVERSION THAT WOULD MAKE IT 19 SEVEN VIKINGS. GRUBBS TRYING TO MAKE THE COMEBACK HERE. BUT THEN THIS HAPPENS. JALEEL ALEX JUNIOR TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE. BUT IT’S NOT A TALE OF TRAGEDY. DAREN DESPITE WHAT YOU JUST SAW THERE, AFTER GIVING UP 29 POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF, THE RAMS COMPLETE THE COMEBACK. THEY WIN IT 3029. ALWAYS HAVE A SHOT WHEN NOAH GRUBBS IS YOUR QUARTERBACK. THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING HERE. ALSO AT HALFTIME THE RAMS DEDICATING THEIR FIELD AT THE HALF. MORE THAN $700,000 RENOVATION TO THEIR STADIUM, INCLUDING NEW TURF, WHICH WILL NOW BE CALLED DOUG PETERS FIELD. PETERS WAS A LONGTIME COACH, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND TEACHER AT LAKE MARY HIGH SCHOOL, WORKED WITH RAMS ATHLETICS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. LAKE MARY ISN’T THE ONLY TEAM WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS. JONES ALSO MADE IT TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP A YEAR AGO, AND THEIR QUARTERBACK IS ALSO ELITE DAREN COLEMAN. HE’S HEADING TO MIAMI AT THE END OF THE SEASON, AND JONES FULLY EXPECTS TO TRY TO GET BACK TO THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THIS SEASON. BUT WANTING THE RESULT TO GO DIFFERENTLY IN THAT TITLE GAME TURNED OUT TO WINTER PARK. GREAT CROWD AT SHOWALTER FIELD, HIGH ABOVE WINTER PARK IS CHOPPER TWO, AS WINTER PARK TASTES ONE OF THEIR FIRST TESTS THIS EARLY SEASON. EARLY GOING LONG DRIVE CAPPED OFF FOR JONES BY DARIAN COLEMAN, QUARTERBACK KEEPER, FUTURE MIAMI HURRICANE IN FOR SIX. AND HOW ABOUT THE ACTION ON THE LINE RYAN DUVAL RIPS DOWN THE QUARTERBACK A BIG SACK IN THE BACKFIELD. ALL JONES TONIGHT FIGHTING. TIGERS TOP THE WILDCATS 35. NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE. CHOPPER TWO HIGH OVER SANFORD AS SEMINOLE WAS HOSTING CREEKSIDE COMING DOWN FROM GEORGIA LATE FIRST HALF THE NOLES IN A HOLE. BUT HOW ABOUT THE DEFENSE HERE. LOOK AT THIS. GOING UPSTAIRS FOR THE PASS BREAKUP. IT DIDN’T RESULT IN A TURNOVER, BUT IT DID SET THE STAGE FOR THIS THE NEXT PLAY. LOOK AT THE PRESSURE ON THE QUARTERBACK HIT AS HE THROWS. THIS ONE IS A TURNOVER. THAT’S THE FINAL PLAY OF THE HALF. THE NOLES WERE DOWN NINE. NOTHING AT THE BREAK. AND IN THE END SEMINOLE WHO WAS HELD SCORELESS IN THEIR KICKOFF CLASSIC. THEY’RE ALSO HELD SCORELESS TONIGHT. CREEKSIDE 32 NOTHING. THE FINAL AT ALL TIME. APOPKA 18 ZERO AGAINST OCOEE. THAT WOULD CHANGE TONIGHT. A LITTLE EXTRA ON THE LINE WITH THIS ONE. SOME FORMER DARTERS NOW WEARING ALL BLACK IN THIS RIVALRY SHOWDOWN. SECOND QUARTER KNIGHTS DRIVING TYSON DAVISON. YEAH, HE WAS APOPKA’S QUARTERBACK FOR THREE YEARS. HE LIGHTS UP HIS FORMER TEAM TONIGHT. DEMARION CAWTHON GETS THE TOUCHDOWN THERE 14 NOTHING. OCOEE IN FRONT. THE DEFENSE DOING IT FOR THE KNIGHTS AS WELL KENDRICK SIDDELL RIPS DOWN THE INTERCEPTION. EVERYTHING GOING HIS WAY. STILL BEFORE THE HALF. DAVISON FINDS CHRISTIAN LINGARD FOR THE SCORE. OCOEE KNOCKS OFF APOPKA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SCHOOL HISTORY. AND IN A BIG, BIG WAY. 47 TO NOTHING. THE FINAL SCORE. LOOK AT THAT HISTORY BEING MADE. HOW ABOUT THIS THE GOODYEAR BLIMP OVER COLLEGE PARK AS EDGEWATER WAS HOSTING WEKIVA EARLY GOING. THE EAGLES WERE DRIVING WHEN THE STAN GANG MAKES THE PLAY, CARTER EMANUEL BUYING TIME. BUT HE BUYS TIME FOR THE WRONG REASON, THROWS IT TO THE WRONG TEAM. THAT’S MATTHEW BEECHAM FOR THE MUSTANGS COMING UP WITH THE INTERCEPTION. BUT THAT JUST BACKS UP WEKIVA. THEY END UP PUNTING FROM THEIR OWN END. IT’S BLOCKED AND IT’S GOING TO BE EASILY SCOOPED UP. AND ZAY DENMARK TAKES IT IN FOR THE SCORE. THEN HOW ABOUT DAMIEN MOORE. JUST MAKING IT LOOK EASY HERE DAREN BREEZING PAST PEOPLE. THE LINEBACKER TURNED RUNNING BACK LOOKING ABSOLUTELY ELITE. AND HOW ABOUT FOR GOOD MEASURE, WE ADD SOME MORE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAY HERE. HOW ABOUT JUSTIN EDWARDS. JUNIOR COMES UP WITH A BLOCKED PUNT THROUGH THE SUN. RECOVERS IT IN THE END ZONE. END ZONE. EDGEWATER EVISCERATES WEKIVA 65 EIGHT. THAT FINAL SCORE OUT AT WEST ORANGE WARRIORS. PLAYING HOST TO EVANS. THIRD QUARTER ANDREW CHUNG GOING TO TOSS THIS ONE DOWNFIELD. EDISON DELGADO GOING TO REEL IT IN. WELL NOPE. HE CAN’T COME UP WITH IT. INSTEAD IT’S A FUMBLE EVANS GETS THAT FOOTBALL. IT’S NOT GREAT. THIS ONE WAS BACK AND FORTH THOUGH. YEAH LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS. GIVE ME THAT FINAL SCORE. THERE’S THE BAND. SOMETIMES IT GOES LIKE THAT. WHO WON I DON’T KNOW. LAKE BRANTLEY ON THE ROAD AT LYMAN. WELL WE’LL FIND OUT LATER. AND OH MY GOODNESS DID THE PATRIOTS DAREN PUT ON A SHOW TODAY ALREADY WITH A BIG LEAD LATE FIRST QUARTER CURTIS DEWBERRY CUTS IT OUTSIDE, MAKES ANOTHER MAN MISS AND THEN HE WINS THE FOOTRACE. COUNT UP ALL THE YARDS. IT’S 66 FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. SCAMPER 34. NOTHING AFTER THAT. STILL IN THE FIRST. OH CAPTAIN. MY CAPTAIN AIDEN GREER FORCES THE FUMBLE. LAKE BRANTLEY RECOVERS. THAT LEADS TO A JUSTIN STECKER TOUCHDOWN. 41 POINTS ON THE BOARD IN THE FIRST QUARTER ALONE. IT IS A HUGE WIN FROM LAKE BRANTLEY. BEFORE WE CAME TO THE STUDIO, I SAW IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN 75 TO NOTHING. YOU KNOW A LOT GOING ON TONIGHT. BACK TO BACK SCORES. WE SOMETHING HAPPENED. ALL RIGHT. LET’S CHECK OUT SOME MORE SCORES FROM OUT OF TOWN. THESE ARE FILLED IN. THAT’S GREAT. OSCEOLA GOES ON THE ROAD TOPS. TREASURE COAST 35. NOTHING BOONE BEATS UP ON MOUNT DORA OVER IN MOUNT DORA, 4614 LEESBURG GETTING THE BIG 44. NOTHING WIN OVER UNIVERSITY AND BRAD LAKE SOUTH BRAD, LOURDES SOUTH LAKE EAGLES TONGUE TWISTER 27 TO 6. THEY TAKE DOWN NATURE COAST. ALL RIGHT. PLENTY MORE TO GET TO HERE ON FRIDAY NIGHT. HITS INCLUDING A DOUBLE OVERTIME THRILLER FOR THE THREE TIME DEFENDING STATE CHAMPS TONIGHT. I DO KNOW THE FINAL OUT THERE. PLUS A FORMER UCF STAR AND NFL RUNNING BACK WAS BACK ON THE SIDELINES FOR HIS ALMA MATER. TITUSVILLE.
Friday Night Hits: All game recaps and scores of Central Florida high school football
Take a look at some Central Florida high school football highlights from this Friday, Aug. 22. Bishop Moore defeats Oviedo 68-35Lake Mary defeats Miami Norland 30-29Jones defeats Winter Park 35-0 Creekside defeats Seminole 32-0 Ocoee defeats Apopka 47-0 Edgewater defeats Wekiva 65-8 Cocoa defeats Merritt Island 30-24Heritage defeats Titusville 25-19Astronaut defeats Palm Bay 38-13Spruce Creek defeats Seabreeze 33-0The Master’s Academy defeats Father Lopez 43-20
, Fla. —
Take a look at some Central Florida high school football highlights from this Friday, Aug. 22.
