- November 4, 2024
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Week 11 of the West Orange and Southwest Orange County high school football season was once again full of storylines, notes and news for Observer Sports Editor Sam Albuquerque to pick from in his weekly Monday morning column — The Friday Night Five — where he serves up his five most interesting observations from the week's gridiron action.
This week's top observation? With the playoffs right around the corner, Dr. Phillips football showed that it's not afraid of the big games.
Let's get into it.
No. 1: Once again, Dr. Phillips showed it can deliver on the big stage
Time and time again this season, the Dr. Phillips Panthers have shown up against the biggest opponents on their schedule, and in this Week 11 rivalry game against West Orange High, DP delivered a huge 33-11 win for the Ole Orange Crate.
With just one more week until it is time to prepare for the playoffs, the Panthers' ability to rise to the action when the lights are the brightest — as it did against Lake Mary High, Apopka High, Ocoee High and the Warriors — bodes well for coach Rodney Wells' team once the playoffs arrive.
No. 2: Foundation Academy ready for run in SSAA playoffs
After a 35-0 first-round playoff win, this young Foundation team has now rattled off four wins in its last five games and seems to have figured out how to turn its talent into wins. Based on the Lions' recent form and their path in the SSAA Class 5A playoff bracket, there's a chance Foundation could add two more wins to its record and claim a state championship.
No. 3: Windermere's special season ended in fitting fashion
There's no way around it, an overtime walk-off goal line touchdown on the road against its rival was the most fitting way this season could have ended for the Wolverines. To claim its 10th victory, and to do it by beating Horizon for the first time in program history on an overtime QB sneak by senior Jack Reilly, was the epic ending Windermere's undefeated season deserved. Just storybook stuff.
No. 4: Olympia's rebuilding season was a success
From the jump, Olympia football coach Travis Gabriel was in for a difficult time replicating the success of 2023's historic team — considering the team lost 21 or 22 starters — so defining success for his 2024 group was about growth. From my vantage point, seeing this Titans team in Week 1 against Ocoee and then again in Week 10, there was a lot of growth from this team. Olympia looked like a completely different ball club, so hats off to Gabriel and his staff for the work they put in.
No. 5: Sanctions not a distraction for TFA on the field
It's no secret that The First Academy has faced tough opposition this season, both on the field with a murderer's row on its schedule and off the field on social media and by accusations of FHSAA rules violations. The latest edition of TFA football's off-the-field battles is a $36,000 fine and forfeiture of wins from the 2024 season after an investigation by the FHSAA found the program to be in violation of various of its bylaws. Regardless of these fights off the field, the Royals on the field were not distracted in the slightest — beating Calvary Christian easily on the road, 56-20. I don't care what anyone has to say, that's an impressive thing to do. You have to give the TFA coaches and players credit for either blocking out the noise and focusing on the job at hand or using the noise as motivation between the lines. Either way, no one can accuse TFA of not being a phenomenal football team.
