2020 Observer All-Area Football Teams

It’s been quite an adventure since the football season started in September.

Throughout the season, several games in our coverage area were canceled, while some were shifted to allow games to played in a safe and timely manner. Despite the cancellations, rescheduling of games and shortened season, teams in the Observer’s coverage area showed out.

There were thrillers — such as West Orange’s overtime win over Apopka and Windermere Prep’s harrowing playoff victory over Legacy — and there were lopsided rivalries. There was also the return of hope to a once-proud program at West Orange and a record year at Foundation Academy.

The following is the Observer’s first-ever All-Area Teams for football.
 

COACH OF THE YEAR 

Brad Lord, Foundation Academy; runner-up, Mike Granato, WOHS

Victory Christian always had been a thorn in the side of Foundation Academy, but this year, the Lions and head coach Brad Lord found redemption in a hard-fought victory to claim the school’s first regional title. Lord has truly turned the program into one of the area’s premier powers.
 

ATHLETE OF THE YEAR 

Danny Stutsman, Foundation Academy; runner-up, Wilkerson St. Juste, CFCA

Foundation Academy is a team loaded in talent, but a team only can go as far as its leader can take them. In this case, the Lions were in good hands with senior Danny Stutsman. The Oklahoma commit did just about everything on both sides of the ball. He racked up more than 1,000 yards on the ground and through the air, and picked up 17 touchdowns. On defense, he racked up 78 total tackles, five sacks and two interceptions. 
 

COMEBACK TEAM OF THE YEAR 

West Orange High

The last few years have not been kind to the West Orange football program. The school saw three coaches come and go in as many years — creating instability and questions. But now, under first-year head coach Mike Granato, the Warriors are on their way up after finishing 6-4 and recording the program’s first playoff win in five years.
 

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

QB | CJ Brooks, Olympia

RB | Wilkerson St. Juste, CFCA

OL | Kyjuan Phillips, Dr. Phillips

OL | Scotty West, Foundation Academy

OL | Hunter Moss, Foundation Academy

OL | Alston Watts, Ocoee

OL | Ronnie Hayes, Dr. Phillips

WR | Jayden Gibson, West Orange

WR | Danny Stutsman, Foundation Academy

WR | Victor Jones Jr., Olympia

TE | Matthew Richardson, Windermere

K/P | Ian Garcia, Foundation Academy
 

DEFENSE

DL | Jordan Phillips, Ocoee

DL | Donovon Branch, Foundation Academy

DL | De’Andre Robinson, Olympia 

DL | Bryan Thomas, Foundation Academy

LB | Danny Stutsman, Foundation Academy

LB | Malik Harp, Ocoee

LB | Jahshari Jones, West Orange

DB | Lexus Jones, West Orange

DB | Zion Trimboli, Dr. Phillips

DB | Matthew McDoom, West Orange

DB | Miles Benjamin, Olympia
 

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

QB | Zane Fullmer, Windermere Prep

RB | Jaden Oyola, Legacy Charter

OL | Devin Hill, Dr. Phillips

OL | Jordan Thomas, Olympia

OL | Austin Purpura, Dr. Phillips

OL | Finley Voorheis, CFCA

OL | Cooper Ulgenalp, TFA

WR | Mason Williams, Windermere Prep

WR | Ledger Hatch, Dr. Phillips

WR | Joanes Fortilien, Dr. Phillips

TE | Jacob Lowe, Windermere Prep

K/P | Riley Boyd, West Orange
 

DEFENSE

DL | Edward Byrd, Foundation Academy

DL | Reggie Jean, Foundation Academy

DL | Ehigie Aliu-otokiti, Olympia

DL | Gerald Greaves, Dr. Phillips

LB | Tyson Schwalbach, West Orange

LB | Amer Amer, Windermere

LB | Greyson Labiad, Foundation Academy

DB | Sean Johnson Jr., TFA

DB | Zoren Tobe, Ocoee

DB | Jordan Dozier, Windermere

DB | Jamari Jones, West Orange
 

HONORABLE MENTION

Jackson Bennett, Windermere Prep

Stone Rivers, Windermere 

Jalen Thompson, Dr. Phillips

Amir Johnson, Dr. Phillips

Jaydan Taylor, Dr. Phillips

Jayden Colon, Legacy Charter

Terrence Mosley II, TFA

Jalen Washington, Dr. Phillips

Joanes Polynice, West Orange

n Josh Thompson, TFA

Tae’Quan Johnson, Ocoee

Tate Ewing, Foundation Academy

Chryse Gunn, Ocoee

Devin Gaines, West Orange