Meet the 2024 All-Orange Observer football teams, award winners

As the 2024 high school football regular season comes to a close and the playoffs begin to ramp up in West Orange and Southwest Orange County, it’s time to take a moment and reflect on the incredible season it has been so far. 

Although the season isn’t over yet and plenty of teams still have hopes of hoisting a state championship trophy before 2024 is done and dusted, the end of the regular season is the perfect time to recognize the incredible talent in the area. 

Meet the 2024 All-Orange Observer football teams, players of the year and coach of the year. 

Player of the Year

Chancellor Barclay, The First Academy 

It’s rare that an offensive guard is recognized, period, let alone with a Player of the Year award when pitted against the flash of other skill positions and the stats they can accumulate to justify the selection, but when it comes to Barclay, he’s just that rare of a player. 

Sure, he didn’t score 20-plus touchdowns or gain thousands of yards, but what he did do was dominate whoever was lined up against him from the right guard spot on the Royals’ offensive line. The 6-foot-4, 290-pound junior was a mauler in the run game, constantly being used as a lead blocker or puller and getting up to the second level and burying defenders into the ground. In pass protection, Barclay’s dominance on the interior of the line was vital for his mobile quarterback — Salomon Georges Jr. 

Ultimately, Barclay was the best player regardless of position in the West Orange, Southwest Orange County area and the biggest justifications for that are as simple as this: Watch the tape and look at the offers — the four-star prospect has his pick of schools to go to, from Alabama and Georgia to 23 others.

Player of the Year, Offense  

Stanley Anderson-Lofton, Dr. Phillips

From his command of the offense to his physical gifts and how he leads his team on the biggest stage, Dr. Phillips’ senior QB is everything you want under center, and he’s one of the main reasons why the Panthers look primed for a deep playoff run.

Player of the Year, Defense

Michael McClenton, Ocoee

The junior linebacker is the definition of a problem for offensive coordinators. Not only is McClenton one of the most dominant defenders in Central Florida, according to MaxPreps at press time, he also leads the nation in total tackles with 219 through 10 games — to go along with his 46 tackles for loss and 19 sacks.

Player of the Year, Utility  

Brian Dillard, West Orange

Quarterback, receiver, defensive back or return man; it doesn’t really matter where you put the Warriors sophomore on the football field; he’ll go out there and ball. Across all four spots this season, Dillard has racked up 1,676 total yards, 11 total TDs and an interception over nine games — leading West Orange to an 8-2 record and the Class 7A, District 5 championship.

Coach of the Year

Riki Smith, Windermere 

In a season that was dubbed the most anticipated in program history, with a new stadium on its way, the adversity of starting its season with five consecutive away or neutral site games and an expectation of winning that was not usually associated with the team, the Wolverines’ third-year coach was set up to disappoint. 

So, for Smith and his Windermere team to go from a 3-7 finish in 2023 — the school’s most wins in a single season at the time — and come out on the other side of the 2024 season with an undefeated 10-0 record and a heap of other program firsts, making the former Dr. Phillips assistant the coach of the year was a no-brainer.

First team

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Salomon Georges Jr., TFA

Running backs

Jamarian Robinson, Ocoee

Dane Thompkins, TFA

Wide receivers

Demetrice McCray, TFA

Mykel Calixte, Dr. Phillips

Ja’Cari Jackson, Olympia

Offensive linemen

Noah Devine, TFA

Nico Marti, West Orange

David Gardner, Dr. Phillips

Parker Moss, Olympia

Deuce Forrester, Windermere

DEFENSE

Defensive linemen

Enzo Fernandes, Windermere

Bryson Furrey, West Orange

Blaze Jones, TFA

Daniel Bradley, Windermere

Linebackers

Aden Hall, TFA

Logan Hartman, West Orange

Defensive backs

Dariyon Gordon, Ocoee

CJ Bronaugh, Windermere

Ivan Taylor, West Orange

Devin Jackson, TFA

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker, punter

Braedyn White, Foundation

UTILITY

Devonte Anderson, West Orange

Joshua Guerrier, Ocoee

Bryce Speed, Windermere

Second team

OFFENSE

Quarterback

Jack Reilly, Windermere

Running backs

Raymond Green, Olympia

Sam Wood, Foundation

Wide receivers

Evan James, TFA

Tavion Greaves, Dr. Phillips

Davy Murphy, CFCA

Offensive linemen

Jonathan Robinson, Lake Buena Vista

Evan Reinhart, Horizon

James Phillips, Foundation

Reed Ramsier, TFA

Theo Fernandes, Windermere

DEFENSE

Defensive linemen

Maurice Jones Jr., Dr. Phillips

Srlondo Whiley, TFA

Stephen Ford, Foundation

Josiah Butler, West Orange

Linebackers

Willems Noel, Windermere

Reece French, Foundation

Jake Threadgill, Legacy Charter

Defensive backs

Maliki Wright, Dr. Phillips

Erik Denico, Lake Buena Vista

Danny Odem III, TFA

Julien Michel, Dr. Phillips

SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker, punter

Santiago Suarez, TFA

UTILITY

Steven Grecco, Foundation

Mason Mathis, CFCA

Octavio Ulloa, Windermere