- April 23, 2024
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Father Lopez began its season 0-3. Since, the Green Wave has won four of their past five, including three in a row.
BY ANDREW O'BRIEN | SPORTS EDITOR
For the first time since 2005, the Father Lopez football team is heading to the postseason.
The Green Wave (4-4, 2-0 District 2-3A) clinched its first playoff berth in eight years after knocking off district opponent Maclay, 24-17, last week. Father Lopez has a bye this week but will play Trinity Catholic Nov. 1, for the district championship.
Coach Jason Dunlap, in his third year with the program, said he set a goal to make the playoffs by his third year.
Mission accomplished. But how did he do it? This year’s team features just five seniors. The rest of the team is made of freshmen and sophomores.
“Our core group of kids are really sophomores, so I think them growing up and getting a year of varsity playing experience as freshmen helped,” Dunlap said.
One of the seniors is quarterback Joe Boden, who officially received his first Division I offer last Thursday, from Jackson State.
Boden is 74-for-149 with 1,019 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. But he has added 118 carries for 573 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Fellow senior Justin Bryant has 98 carries for 767 yards (about 7.8 yards per touch) and five TDs. Wide receiver Ryan Mowen, a junior, has 19 catches for 345 yards and two touchdowns.
The team has gotten more competitive, but it has grown exponentially, too.
In May 2011, when Dunlap took over, there were just seven kids on the football team. This year, there are 50 — and it’s the first year Father Lopez has fielded a JV team.
“I think it has to do with a lot of things: administration support, parents understanding the value of a private education and, you know, the culture that we brought in as a coaching staff,” Dunlap said.
Father Lopez will close out its regular season against Taylor Nov. 8, at home. After that, it’s onto the state playoffs, where Dunlap expects his team to meet one of the region’s top Class 3A teams. If Father Lopez finishes as district runner-up, the Green Wave will likely face Trinity Christian (Jacksonville) in the first round of the state playoffs.
“They are a perennial powerhouse,” Dunlap said of Trinity Christian, noting they have a handful of Division I prospects.
Regardless, though, Dunlap’s team continues to improve. And his program continues to become relevant.
Father Lopez began the season 0-3. Since, the Green Wave has won four of their past five, including three in a row.
“To get into the playoffs, and us achieving the goal, I think most of the Green Wave nation is happy and ecstatic,” Dunlap said. “It’s a lot of fun, but we still have a lot of hard work ahead of us.”
Lopez golfer Albrecht wins region, advances to states
Emma Albrecht shot a 68 on Monday, winning the Region 3-1A girls golf championship. Albrecht, a junior, will advance to the Class 1A state tournament for the first time.
The state tournament will be held Oct. 29-30, at the Harbor Hills Country Club, in Lady Lake.
