- April 18, 2024
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Troy Coke begins his era as the new Seabreeze head football coach.
C.J. Wilson will carry more of the load since Adrian Killins graduated.
Ronnie Stokes wrestles a sure catch from the receiver's hands during a scrimmage game.
Coach Matt Knauss looks to turn Father Lopez's district fortunes around this season.
Ryan Atkins extends to bring in a catch during practice.
Brody Loynd takes in a pass from Brevin Glaze.
Seabreeze: New beginnings – Part 2
Last year the Sandcrabs opened the season with a new coach and a new quarterback – the leader on the field and the leader off the field. This season, they will do the same.
Junior Brevin Glaze, who played some quarterback behind Anthony Butler, will be starting, and Troy Coke and Skip Saunier have changed positions from head coach to assistant.
Seabreeze endured one of the worst seasons in its history, going 1-9 (one win by University due to ineligibility) last year, behind mostly underclassmen. Coke believes this has fueled his bunch to return with a vengeance.
“We got a lot of guys who weren’t happy with the way the season went last year, and they’re motivated to have a good season this year,” he said. “Our juniors have played together for a lot of years, went undefeated their JV year and won a lot at the Pop Warner level, but we had to throw a lot of them in the fire last year as sophomores, and it didn’t go well. But now they’re determined to make amends.”
Team quote: “When you play the teams we play, there’s a big difference between a sophomore and a junior.” – TROY COKE, head coach
MY TAKE: Had all of the potential players returned this season to play for the Sandcrabs, things would be different. But, Seabreeze has lost too many key players to transfer. In our interview, Coke said they would be able to compete with every team on their schedule, but every team could also potentially beat them. I believe the latter will hold to be true. 2015 record: 2-8; Projected record: 3-7
Schedule
08/19 St. Augustine Away 7 p.m.
08/26 Spruce Creek Home 7 p.m.
09/02 DeLand Home 7 p.m.
09/09 Open
09/16 Matanzas Home 7.p.m.
09/23 Palatka Away 7 p.m.
09/30 Pine Ridge Away 7 p.m.
10/07 Atlantic Away 7 p.m.
10/14 New Smyrna Home 7 p.m.
10/21 Deltona Home 7 p.m.
10/28 Mainland Away 7 p.m.
11/04 Flagler PC Away 7 p.m.
11/11 First round of playoffs
Mainland: ‘Are we there yet?’
After losing key players to Division I colleges this past season, the Buccaneers have restocked with transfers and underclassmen to make another push for the Class 6A state title.
Every year Mainland plays Miami Central the toughest in playoff competition, but it does the Bucs no good to be the second best team in the class, if they’re stuck on the same side of the bracket.
In the past two years, Mainland held 14-3 advantages early in the game against Central, only to see those leads dwindle in the second half.
Although head coach Scott Wilson is confident his teams never rebuild but always reload, even he will have to admit that this bunch may be his best chance in a few years to take down their playoff foe.
Team quote: “We control our destiny.” – Cyrus Fagan
MY TAKE: Nothing about sports analysts frustrate me more than when they predict the Dallas Cowboys to win the Super Bowl; it’s become a tradition. For the same reason I hate this, I cannot choose Mainland to win the state title. Miami Central has won four in a row and five in six years, and they’ve gone through Mainland most of those years to do so.
I understand that Houston has two more years of experience, and Cyrus Fagan is one of the best defensive backs in the nation, but the Rockets always seem to find a way to get past the Bucs, and I see it going in a similar route this season. Mainland will surrender an undefeated record to Central. 2015 record: 11-2; projected record: 13-1.
Schedule
08/19 Lake Mary Away 7 p.m.
08/26 DeLand Away 7 p.m.
09/02 Bartram Trail Away 7 p.m.
09/09 Flagler PC Home 7 p.m.
09/16 Pine Ridge Away 7 p.m.
09/23 Dr. Phillips Home 7 p.m.
09/30 Deltona Home 7 p.m.
10/07 Cocoa Away 7 p.m.
10/14 Matanzas Away 7 p.m.
10/21 New Smyrna Away 7 p.m.
10/28 Seabreeze Home 7 p.m.
11/04 Open
11/11 First round of playoffs
Father Lopez: A new era
Father Lopez Catholic hasn’t won more than five games since 2005. For most of the past decade, they’ve either hovered around 5-5 or almost gone winless.
Last season, four-year head coach Jason Dunlap stepped down toward the end of the season, and Matt Knauss now leads the Green Wave as the new football coach.
Knauss won a state title last season with Bishop Moore as an assistant, and he hopes he can bring a winning atmosphere to Father Lopez.
“We want to make the playoffs,” Knauss said. “Last year, Lopez didn’t have a game within 30 points in the district. I think we’ll be able to close that gap a little this year.”
Knauss walks with confidence behind an offensive line averaging 255 pounds and a quarterback and receiver (Josh Spencer and Ryan Atkins) who have developed touchdown chemistry over the last three years.
It’s going to make it a lot easier for them that defenses will have to worry more about the running offense,” he said, “and that should open some things up for them.” The Green Wave will be running a hybrid Wing-T formation this season.
Team quote: “We want to make the playoffs. Last year, Lopez didn’t have a game within 30 points in the district. I think we’ll be able to close that gap a little this year.” – MATT KNAUSS, head coach
MY TAKE: If the Green Wave has gotten any better on defense, they’ll win more than four games this season. After watching their scrimmage, I’m confident their offense will continue to pile up points – though they need to do it in district play – position them to win more games. Overall, I think Spencer and Atkins will have their best season together this year. Knauss seems to know what to do with his weapons. 2015 record: 4-6; Projected record: 7-5
Schedule
08/19 Crescent City Away 7 p.m.
08/26 Melbourne Central Home 7 p.m.
09/02 Warner Christian Away 7 p.m.
09/09 Atlantic Away 7 p.m.
09/16
09/23 John Carroll Home 7 p.m.
09/30 Trinity Prep Away 7 p.m.
10/07 Interlachen Home 7 p.m.
10/14 Trinity Catholic Home 7 p.m.
10/21 Cocoa Beach Away 7 p.m.
10/28 First Academy Away 7 p.m.
11/04 Victory Christian Home 7 p.m.
11/11 First round of playoffs
