- December 20, 2024
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Week Five of the high school football season in West Orange and Southwest Orange County yet again brought interesting insights to the area's fans.
Here are Orange Observer Sports Editor Sam Albuquerque's top five observations from the action this past Friday, headlined by Dr. Phillips High joining The First Academy as the area's top contenders to bring a football state championship home later this fall.
Let's get into it.
No. 1: Dr. Phillips' win over Lake Mary signals state championship caliber
It was no secret that the Dr. Phillips offense — led by Middle Tennessee commit Stanley Anderson-Lofton at quarterback — was as potent as can be, the question coming into the season was if the defense would be that good too.
But as DP coach Rodney Wells told me in the spring, they'd get the defense right come fall, and boy did they ever.
Now, with both sides of the ball clicking, the Panthers looked like a state championship-caliber team in Week Five against Notre Dame commit QB Noah Grubbs and the Lake Mary Rams, winning 26-21 at home.
Putting this impressive win along with its road win at Apopka High and homecoming win over Ocoee High, this Panthers team has shown enough on both sides of the ball to convince me they're capable of making a deep playoff run.
No. 2: West Orange's undefeated start continues, sets up biggest test of the year
The Warriors of West Orange have gotten off to their best start since their undefeated regular season a decade ago. But after a comfortable road win over another area team, the Lake Buena Vista Vipers, in Week Five coach Geno Thompson and his team will face its biggest test of the 2024 season so far, the Apopka Blue Darters.
Week Six will see West Orange host Apopka in a Class 7A, District 5 matchup that could end up being the difference in who wins the district crown — with Apopka already beating Ocoee High and West Port High earlier this season, a win over West Orange clinches the title for the Blue Darters.
The big focus in this game will be if the Warriors' offense can continue to put up points against an Apopka defense that held Ocoee scoreless and DP to six points.
No. 3: Historic defensive night for TFA shows how good the Royals are
No one in the West Orange and Southwest Orange area has a resume as impressive as The First Academy Royals, and Week Five's win over then-undefeated Atlantic High just added to that argument.
That's before even getting into how the Royals won that game — their defense forced seven turnovers and the offense scored six rushing touchdowns, which is particularly impressive considering they've been extremely effective passing the ball this season.
Championship teams are forged through adversity and they're identified by the versatility with which they can win games. This win has once again shown just how good TFA is.
No. 4: Windermere does it again, wins fifth consecutive road game
Originally, Windermere High was scheduled to start the 2024 season with three games on the road. When it came out of those three games undefeated, I was already impressive.
But to dominate its next two games — that were supposed to be at home at the Wolverines' new on-campus stadium — on a neutral site is beyond incredible.
When you add in the disappointment and logistical difficulties that came with the delay in their new stadium opening to playing five consecutive regular-season games on the road, I truly do not have the words to describe how impressive of a job the entire Windermere program has done to fight through this adversity and come out the other side with an undefeated record.
With the stadium opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony expected to happen this week during its homecoming game against Lake Buena Vista High, all I can say is everyone involved with this football program deserves to enjoy this moment.
Hats off to coach Riki Smith and his players.
No. 5: Ocoee running back Jamarian Robinson has statement game
After a 255-yard, three-touchdown performance against Boone, Ocoee's senior running back Jamarian Robinson put West Orange and Southwest Orange on notice: There's a new back in town.
With a total of 569 rushing yards on 76 carries — an average of 7.5 yards a carry — and seven touchdowns on the season, the Wekiva High transfer has reached the halfway point of the 2024 season as one of the top running backs in the area.
And through conversations I've had with Ocoee coach Buck Gurley, I can tell you that this sort of production will most likely continue, as Gurley wants his offense to establish the run. Because of that, I expect Robinson's workload to continue on this trajectory, so keep an eye out for the Knights No. 4.
