Austin Lyon began covering high school sports at the age of 15 as a correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel. He has also worked in radio and television, including handling play-by-play for numerous football and basketball state championship broadcasts. Lyon spent the last five years working for Friday Night Football, a program dedicated to covering Central Florida high school football. He served as the play-by-play voice and post-game show host for radio broadcasts and hosted FNF-TV, a weekly 30 minute television show. He has lived in Orlando since he was 8 years old and is a proud graduate of Bishop Moore and UCF (despite that, he cheers for Florida State).
Each week, our Asher Wildman -- aka "The Wildman" -- visits a different game, searching for the best high school football fans in Central Florida? Do you think you have what it takes? Do you want to be on TV and show off your fan spirit? If so, email wildman@varsitygridiron.com. Watch Orlando Sentinel Varsity Sports every Sunday at noon (WRDQ-Ch. 27) and midnight (WFTV-Ch. 9) to see where the Wildman is this week.
If you think anything like I do, you weren’t all that surprised to see Apopka score 65 points in Friday night’s victory over Wekiva.
After all, the Blue Darters have had one of the area’s most explosive offenses ever since Rick Darlington was named the head coach at Apopka in 1999.
So I was surprised to discover that the 65 point performance was the highest in Apopka football history.
The Blue Darters have scored over 60 twice – They beat DeLand 63-15 against DeLand in 1984 when Chip Gierke was Apopka’s head coach, and
Darlington’s 2001 state championship team scored 63 against Cypress Creek.
This year’s team has 243 points in six games (40.5 ppg) and is on pace to shatter the school record for most points scored in the regular season.
Lighting up the scoreboard is also nothing new to South Sumter, which is just behind Apopka with 231 points in six games after Friday’s 65-29 win over
MountDora.
That’s now five consecutive seasons that the Raiders have scored 60 or more points in at least one game.
Here are some other notable numbers to come out of Friday night’s action:
St. Cloud crawled out of a 20-0 hole to come from behind and beat Tavares 36-32. The Bulldogs are now 4-1 and more importantly, 2-0 in Class 3A, District 7.
That’s a remarkable turnaround when you consider
St. Cloud’s recent history.
The Bulldogs record in their first five games over the last four years is 4-16. If you take just the last two years,
St. Cloud is 1-9 in its first five games….
Evans scored 42 points in its victory over University – that’s the most the Trojans have put up in almost six years, when, ironically, Evans scored 47 against University in the 2002 regular season finale.
From 2002 to 2007, Seminole scored 40 or more points just twice, and one of those performances came last season against Hagerty, which was a first-year varsity program.
Contrast that with this year’s team, which has already scored 40 or more three times. The latest output came in a dominating 48-8 victory against
Oviedo.
Finally, a shout out to Freedom’s defense. The Patriots D has not given up a point in two games, and Freedom has gone three straight games not allowing its opponents to get into double figures.
The Patriots defense yielded double figures in 23 straight games before stopping the streak against Cypress Creek in week four.
If you think anything like I do, you weren’t all that surprised to see Apopka score 65 points in Friday night’s victory over Wekiva.
After all, the Blue Darters have had one of the area’s most explosive offenses ever since Rick Darlington was named the head coach at Apopka in 1999.
So I was surprised to discover that the 65 point performancewas the highest in Apopka football history.
The Blue Darters have scored over 60 twice – They beat DeLand 63-15 against DeLand in 1984 when Chip Gierke was Apopka’s head coach, and
Darlington’s 2001 state championship team scored 63 against Cypress Creek.
This year’s team has 243 points in six games (40.5 ppg) andis on pace to shatter the school record for most points scored in the regularseason.
Lighting up the scoreboard is also nothing new to South Sumter, which is just behind Apopka with 231 points in six games after Friday’s 65-29 win over
Mount Dora.
That’s now five consecutive seasons that the Raiders have scored 60 or more points in at least one game.
Here are some other notable numbers to come out of Friday night’s action:
St. Cloud crawled out of a 20-0 hole to come from behind and beat Tavares 36-32. The Bulldogs are now 4-1 and more importantly, 2-0 in Class 3A, District 7.
That’s a remarkable turnaround when you consider
St. Cloud’s recent history.
The Bulldogs record in their first five games over the last four years is 4-16. If you take just the last two years,
St. Cloud is 1-9 in its first five games….
Evans scored 42 points in its victory over University – that’s the most the Trojans have put up in almost six years, when, ironically, Evans scored 47 against University in the 2002 regular season finale...
From 2002 to 2007, Seminole scored 40 or more points just twice, and one of those performances came last season against Hagerty, which was a first-year varsity program.
Contrast that with this year’s team, which has already scored 40 or more three times. The latest output came in a dominating 48-8 victory against
Oviedo...
Finally, a shout out to Freedom’s defense. The Patriots D has not given up a point in two games, and Freedom has gone three straight games not allowing its opponents to get into double figures.
The Patriots defense yielded double figures in 23 straight games before stopping the streak against Cypress Creek in week four.
Austin Lyon can be reached at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Seabreeze at DeLand – The regular season losing streak for DeLand is now at 15 games, but it has to come to an end at some point right? This game seems like the perfect opportunity. Seabreeze has struggled offensively since starting quarterback Matt Thompson went down with an injury, and I think the Bulldogs will be able to run the ball successfully…Austin’s Pick: DeLand
Colonial at Freedom – This is the first game this season in which the Grenadiers are a decided underdog and it should be interesting to see how they respond. I realize Freedom is 2-2 and Colonial is 3-0, but the Patriots have some really talented players. The Grenadiers are playing solid defense, giving up less than 10 points per game…Austin’s Pick: Colonial
Bishop Moore at
Melbourne Central Catholic – The Hornets are coming off a shocking loss to
St. Cloud after three great performances to open the season. MCC almost beat Bishop Moore last season, and the Hustler Bees are more talented this year. Here’s hoping this pick will provide some motivation to my alma mater…Austin’s Pick: MCC
Evans at
Oak Ridge – Neither of these teams has shown much consistency on offense so far this season, so count on this game to be both low scoring and close. The Trojans have given up at least 25 points in every game this season – here’s hoping they find a way to stop the Pioneers…Austin’s Pick: Evans
Mainland at Nease – Despite the loss of Philip Bailey to Spruce Creek, the Bucs defense has been good this season, allowing only 13 points in the last three games. Mainland had success on offense last week once Greg Ross entered the lineup and a healthy Ross should be trouble for a Nease team that has played a soft schedule so far…Austin’s Pick: Mainland
Seabreeze at DeLand – Lost in DeLand's early season struggles is the face that the Bulldogs have a pretty good defense. Seabreeze's struggling offense is a problem. However, I think the Sandcrabs will get their offense in gear this week.…Charles' Pick: Seabreeze
Colonial at Freedom – Last season Colonial allowed nearly five touchdowns per game on average. The Grenadiers are much better this year but on the flip side, their offense has not been as good. Omar Diaz will need a big game for Colonial to win. I think Freedom has too many weapons. The Patriots better than they've shown to date and I believe they'll prove it Friday…Charles' Pick: Freedom
Bishop Moore at
Melbourne Central Catholic – Bishop Moore hasn't lost two games by the season's midway point in five years. The Hornets should likely be considered underdogs in this game but I think they pull it out. Key players like Robbie Anthony missed last week but should return for this rivalry game…Charles' Pick: Bishop Moore
Evans at
Oak Ridge – I disagree with Austin as I think this game will not be low scoring, but I do agree it will be close. Not that I expect a shootout, but I do expect a score in the 20's with the Pioneers scoring late to win. Expect this game to be close with Oak Ridge's duo of backs leading the way. Charles' Pick: Oak Ridge
Mainland at Nease – Nease may not be the same team they were over the last few years, but I'm not sure Mainland has maximized on its potential yet. Even in a big win against Pine Ridge, the Bucs relied on special teams and defense to kick start their scoring. The return of Greg Ross should help the offense's consistency, but one of Mainland's running backs must emerge as a go-to threat…Charles' Pick: Nease
LakeMary will be without arguably its best offensive and best defensive player when it opens district play against
Oviedo this Friday.
Rams starting quarterback Matt Flynn sustained a broken collarbone in last week’s 31-19 victory over Hagerty, and defensive lineman Demi Thompson is still recovering from ligament damage to one of his fingers.
Flynn had thrown three touchdown passes midway through the third quarter last week when he was hurt while being tackled. Flynn broke his collarbone in three places, but stayed in the game and threw one pass before coming out. He is likely done for the remainder of the season.
In two games, Flynn had thrown for 516 yards and four touchdowns.
C.J. Stephens finished the game for the Rams, but this week Nate Rollins is expected to get the start. Rollins was the back-up quarterback last year.
LakeMary was already without Thompson, a pre-season All Central-Florida selection at defensive end. Thompson had surgery on his finger prior to the Rams week one game against Boone, but re-injured that finger against the Braves and was forced to undergo an additional surgery to repair damage.
Week Four Games:
Colonial at University
Lake Brantley at Winter Springs
Olympia at East Ridge
Austin Lyon's picks: Agree with Austin? Enter the contest by e-mailing him at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Colonial at University –
I expect this game to be very competitive, even
though last year's 19-point difference was as close as the game has
been in the last six years. The Grenadiers have the most explosive
offensive player on the field in Omar Diaz, and Colonial's defense is
much improved over the unit that allowed over 30 points per game last
season Austin's Pick: Colonial
Lake Brantley at Winter Springs – Brantley has owned Winter Springs the last three
years, winning three in a row and not allowing the Bears to score a
point in the last two meetings. But after watching Al-Terek McBurse run
against Timber Creek last week, I can't pick against him Austin's Pick: Winter Springs
Olympia at East Ridge – Knights have owned this rivalry in recent years and
I expect that to continue behind an improved defense and an explosive
backfield that includes speedster Jeremy Wright Austin's Pick: East Ridge
Charles King's picks: Agree with Charles? Enter the contest by e-mailing him at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Colonial at University –
Austin believes Omar Diaz is the most explosive
player in this game, and he may be right. But don't overlook Kelvin
Hardin. University's playmaker has 243 rushing yards in two games.
University may not be favored in this game, but the Cougars are at home
and I like them to keep the boot. Charles' Pick: University
Lake Brantley at Winter Springs – Somehow I let myself
end up with all underdog picks, so if you go with my picks, you like
trying to defy the odds. Sure the Patriots have shut out the Bears in
the last two years but let's be real here...McBurse is the best back in
Central Florida right now and Lake Brantley's defense is much younger
than a year ago. That being said, somehow I picked Lake Brantley. Did
you expect me to make a case for them? OK, I will. Let's call it a
psychological advantage.
Charles' Pick: Lake Brantley
Olympia at East Ridge – Even when Olympia has
turned in good seasons, like last year, the Titans can't get into the
playoffs because of this game. You can sugar coat it all you want but
the loser of this game will most likely NOT make the playoffs. That's a
lot of pressure for a week four game.
East Ridge will enter this game as the favorite, and they should but
Olympia's one advantage is that they've had two weeks to prepare for
this game.
Charles' Pick: Olympia
Buddy Collings is a senior sports writer for the Orlando Sentinel. He has covered high school sports since the 1970s, when you had to get fouled to manage a 3-point play in basketball. Collings graduated from Melbourne High and the University of Florida, then worked for the Gainesville Sun for 12 years before coming to the Sentinel in 1998. In college he began tracking Florida high school sports record and later published record books. For more than 20 years he has been a clearing house for state records. He is married with three children. You can e-mail Buddy by clicking here.
Austin Lyon began covering high school sports at the age of 15 as a correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel. He has also worked in radio and television, including handling play-by-play for numerous football and basketball state championship broadcasts. He was teh play-by-play voice for Friday Night Football, a weekly high school game of the week in Central Florida. He has lived in Orlando since he was 8 and is a graduate of Bishop Moore and UCF.
Joe Williams is the dean of sports in
LakeCounty. In November, he’ll celebrate his 30th anniversary at the paper, and all those years were spent writing about athletes, coaches and sports in
Lake. A native of
Long Island,
N.Y., Williams delivered papers as a boy for Newsday and the Long Island Press. He moved the New Port Richey, where he became a sports writer at the New Port Richey Press the summer he graduated from high school. In his prime, Williams was a feared softball player. He’s a proud father of four and still breaking stories for us. You can e-mail Joe by clicking here.
Ty Ensor hasn't been a football coach all his life. It just seems that way. Ensor, a former football and baseball player at Baker High School (Class of '91), was a high school football coach in Central Florida from 1999-2007. Most of his experience is on the offensive side of the ball, and he served as a position coach Cypress Creek and Apopka, as co-offensive coordinator at Dr. Phillips, as offensive coordinator and Osceola. He was also Apopka's head coach from 2003-05. He is married with twin sons.
Charles King is the producer of the weekly Orlando Sentinel Varsity Sports television show. Before that, he created and ran his own high school football Web site, FridayNightFootball.net, from 2002-07. He also developed, produced and co-hosted Friday Night Football, a radio show that broadcast a high school game every week and followed up with a post-game show. The show broadcast more than 90 games, including six state championships. In 2004 he created and produced FNF-TV, a half-hour weekly TV show dedicated to high school football in Central Florida. You can e-mail Charles by clicking here.
Chip
Humble has more than 15 years of experience connecting athletes with coaches and
colleges. He is director of scouting for Collegiate Sports of America PrepStar
and co-founder of Next Level, a non-profit group that assists athletes in
securing scholarships to college. He is also chairman of the Central Florida
All-Star Game. Humble was born in Ohio, is a
graduate of Florida Southern and lives in Lake Mary.
He can be reached at chumble@csaprepstar.com
Austin Lyon began covering high school sports at the age of 15 as a correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel. He has also worked in radio and television, including handling play-by-play for numerous football and basketball state championship broadcasts. Lyon spent the last five years working for Friday Night Football, a program dedicated to covering Central Florida high school football. He served as the play-by-play voice and post-game show host for radio broadcasts and hosted FNF-TV, a weekly 30 minute television show. He has lived in Orlando since he was 8 years old and is a proud graduate of Bishop Moore and UCF (despite that, he cheers for Florida State).
Who are the top players in Central Florida? Check out our new player statistics page. New stats are posted each week on VarsityGridiron.
If you think anything like I do, you weren’t all that surprised to see Apopka score 65 points in Friday night’s victory over Wekiva.
Charles King's picks: Agree more with Charles' picks? Enter the contest by e-mailing him at 
Austin Lyon began covering high school sports at the age of 15 as a correspondent for the Orlando Sentinel. He has also worked in radio and television, including handling play-by-play for numerous football and basketball state championship broadcasts. He was teh play-by-play voice for Friday Night Football, a weekly high school game of the week in Central Florida. He has lived in Orlando since he was 8 and is a graduate of Bishop Moore and UCF.
Joe Williams is the dean of sports in
Ty Ensor hasn't been a football coach all his life. It just seems that way. Ensor, a former football and baseball player at Baker High School (Class of '91), was a high school football coach in Central Florida from 1999-2007. Most of his experience is on the offensive side of the ball, and he served as a position coach Cypress Creek and Apopka, as co-offensive coordinator at Dr. Phillips, as offensive coordinator and Osceola. He was also Apopka's head coach from 2003-05. He is married with twin sons. 