- December 22, 2024
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Spring football is a special moment on the high school sports calendar because there’s just nothing else that’s quite like it.
It’s a unique combination of the fanfare and pageantry of the fall’s Friday Night Lights and the hope that comes at the beginning of every new season. It either is a harbinger of your team’s upcoming dominance or of a long season ahead.
To celebrate this moment on the Florida high school sports calendar, Orange Observer Sports Editor Sam Albuquerque will be making the rounds during the 2024 spring football session to bring you all the best notes, tidbits and thoughts he picks up from visiting West Orange’s and Southwest Orange’s teams.
The team featured in the first edition of Sam’s spring football stops is The First Academy.
More from Sam's spring football stops: Foundation Academy | Ocoee High | Olympia High | West Orange High | Windermere High
2023 record: 6-4
Spring game: Team scrimmage at 6 p.m. on May 23
Coach: Jeff Conaway, second season.
Key returners, additions: QB Salomon Georges Jr., DL Christian Willis, ATH Demetrice McCray and ATH Evan James
A whole lot has changed at Warden Stadium this spring under second-year coach Jeff Conaway and his Royals football team. With two new coordinators and what seems like an endless amount of playmakers at every position group, The First Academy football is ready to start making noise this upcoming season.
Based on what I saw during practice, they’re already pretty loud.
No. 1: It starts with the big boys up front.
If you watch the Royals’ offensive line walk off the bus, you might mistake them for an SEC team because of how big they are. Just to give you an idea, here’s a list of the heights and weights of some of their linemen:
Regardless of the classification or the competition, this type of size up front is impressive and alone will help the Royals win ball games. But when you consider TFA will be competing at the Class 1A level, you have to think the 2024 Royals will be dominant against its classification.
No. 2: The future at quarterback for the Royals is in great hands.
Since rising senior QB Salomon Georges Jr., transferred to The First Academy from Leesburg High earlier this year, it was clear the starting quarterback spot for the Royals would be set for former Leesburg coach and now TFA offensive coordinator Steven Moffett.
But now, since the cancellation of the spring football season at Lake Minneola High, the Royals brought in another transfer QB, William Jackson.
A 6-foot-4 rising sophomore with an offer from Arkansas, Jackson played sparingly last season for the Hawks. He only attempted eight passes, but anybody with eyes can see the talent oozing out of the kid.
With some refinement and a year as Georges Jr.’s backup, I expect Jackson to be under center in 2026 and 2027 for the Royals.
No. 3: Despite the roster turnover, Royals practice ran like a well-oiled machine.
When I sat down with Conaway to ask him about everything that was happening at TFA athletics in April, one of the questions I had for him was about the challenge of meshing upwards of 15-plus transfer players into one cohesive team, he didn’t seem too worried about it.
After watching TFA’s third practice of spring ball, I can see why he didn’t flinch at the challenge. The Royals practiced like they’ve been playing with this same roster and coach for years.
It was smooth, efficient and impressive.
After seeing it in person, from the talent on the field to the quick manner in which Conaway and his staff have managed to piece everything together, I wouldn’t be surprised if TFA football is competing for a state championship as soon as this season.
Sam Albuquerque is the Sports Editor for the Orange Observer. Please contact him with story ideas, results and statistics.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @SamBAlbuquerque
Instagram: @OrangeObserverSam
