Coaches embrace new FHSAA league playoffs | Independent Football

The FHSAA unveils its new Independent Football League this season, and the overwhelming consensus among Orlando-area coaches is positive. The league has two divisions (A and B), based on student enrollment counts, and both brackets have North and South regions with eight teams in each. That adds up to 32 teams getting to experience postseason play. The North and South region winners will play league championship games at The Villages on Dec. 4. The A Division has schools with more than 900 students. The B Division has smaller schools with less than 859 students. Unlike the FHSAA state championship classifications, the Independent League has no districts and no mandatory opponents. Schools are free to design their schedules. The playoff participants will be selected based on MaxPreps’ final regular season rankings. Mount Dora Christian coach Kolby Tackett was a big proponent of the change and he is happy to be back with the state’s governing body. “I think they did a good job listening to the needs,” Tackett said of the FHSAA. “We’re really excited about it because we’re back under the FHSAA umbrella, which ultimately is what we wanted to be. That was the easy motivator for us.” In the 2025 rankings Mount Dora Christian was the highest-ranked team among those now in the Pool B list. Windermere, which is on a 20-game winning streak, was the highest-ranked school among those now on the Pool A list. Tackett’s team returns the area’s top returning rusher from a year ago in Isaac Farling, who ran for 1,721 yards and 27 touchdowns. Windermere coach Riki Smith also embraces the move. “I think it’s part of the growth process, maturation process here at Windermere High. We’re playing a really tough schedule,” Smith said. “Adversity is coming. Hard is coming. So, just embrace the moment and we’re gonna attack it one day at a time and the goal is to qualify for the postseason.” Coaches whose teams made the switch from the Sunshine State Athletic Association back to the FHSAA this year have noted that the new format is very much like the formula the SSAA invented. A difference is that all SSAA teams made their playoffs. Umatilla coach Eric Samuels, in his fourth year at his alma mater, guided the Bulldogs to an 11-0 record last season before losing in the SSAA playoffs. “To me it seems just like the SSAA. We still get a chance to make our own schedule, still get a chance to play for a championship and there’s no district, so I’m excited,” Samuels said. “The last three years all we heard was, ‘You’re not playing anybody,’ or ‘You’re playing in that other league,’ but now there’s no excuse, we’re back in the FHSAA and we’re ready to compete.” Umatilla had the No. 3 ranking last year among teams now in Pool A. Innovation was No. 2. “We’re gonna come out and compete every week and what happens, happens, but I’m excited. I do think we’ve got a pretty good shot to make a deep run, even with our young team,” Samuels said. Ralph King steps in as head coach at Cypress Creek to see if he can do something about turning things around for a program that has lost 31 consecutive games. He is the fifth coach in five years for the Bears. “My job is to set a foundation. My job is to set trust. My job is to basically have a spring season right here at the beginning in preseason and focus on the fundamentals and focus on building a football-stable culture here at Cypress Creek,” King said. “I have to be a face for the kids to be there. Not just say, ‘I’m here for you guys.'” King, who was working at Gateway High as a social studies teacher and formerly coached at St. Cloud among a number of stops, was hired for the position in July, so he’s hit the ground running. “It’s very simple. I’m another face in five and it’s very hard to trust that when you have had five coaches come in here and say they are going to build a program, and then go off, for whatever reason, and look for something else,” King said. “The most important thing is that they have to trust in me that I am going to stay here and build a stable program. “It’s not monumental. It’s slowly building a foundation. These kids deserve to win a game. They are 0-for-30 for the last three years.” Outside the FHSAA’s new independent league, Cornerstone Charter, Faith Christian and Legacy Charter play in the SSAA. And number of Orlando area teams play 8-man football in the SSAA. That includes Orlando Christian Prep which dropped out of the state championship series after losing a number of players. The Warriors switched to play 8-man and are scrambling to schedule games. POOL A NORTH Colonial Grenadiers Coach: Austin Rocheleau (3rd year, 5-15). 2025: 2-8 as independent. Cypress Creek Bears Coach: Ralph King (1st year as a head coach). 2025: 0-10, independent. Freedom Patriots Coach: Brandon Pennington (2nd year, 3-7; career 17-24, 5 seasons). 2025: 3-7, missed 7A playoffs. Innovation Bulls Coach: Leroy Kinard (3rd year, 13-8; career 128-54, 18 seasons). 2025: 8-2 as independent. Lake Buena Vista Vipers Coach: Shawn Holmes (1st year, career 0-21, 2 seasons). 2025: 4-6 as independent. Nova Lakes Rattlers Coach: Anthony Rivers (1st-year; career 13-18) 2025: First-year program Oak Ridge Pioneers Coach: Antony Smith (3rd year, 11-10; career 15-37, 5 seasons). 2025: 4-6, independent. Pine Ridge Panthers Coach: Alex Russell (2nd year, 2-8). 2025: 2-8, missed 4A playoffs. University Cougars Coach: Dave Carrington (2nd year, 2-8; career 27-42, 7 seasons). 2025: 2-8, independent. Umatilla Bulldogs Coach: Eric Samuel (4th year, 19-18) 2025: 11-1, in SSAA. Windermere Wolverines Coach: Riki Smith (5th year, 25-12) 2025: 10-0, independent. POOL B NORTH Geneva School Knights  Coach: Dave Langdon (4th year, 12-24; career, 105-148, 23 seasons). 2025: 2-10 in SSAA. Mount Dora Christian Bulldogs Coach: Kolby Tackett (7th year; 49-20; career 71-31). 2025: 12-2, SSAA runner-up. Master’s Academy Eagles Coach: Bailey Grainer (4th year, 15-16; career 26-25). 2025: 6-7, in SSAA. Trinity Prep Coach: Brian Kells ( 4th year, 7-23; career 62-69, 13 seasons). 2025: 5-6, SSAA. POOL B SOUTH Central Florida Christian Academy Eagles Coach: Kevin Blackman (4th year, 12-13). 2025: 9-1 in SSAA. Foundation Academy Lions Coach: Daniel ‘DJ’ White (2nd year, 10-3). 2025: 10-3 in SSAA. Lake Highland Prep Highlanders Coach: Ben Bullock (10th year, 55-29; career 76-40, 13 seasons). 2025: 7-3, in SSAA. Orangewood Christian Rams Coach: Jermel Jones (1st year; career 47-47, 10 seasons). 2025: 6-5, in SSAA. Windermere Prep Coach: James Hamilton (3rd year, 10-10). 2025: 8-3, in SSAA. SSAA 11-man Cornerstone Charter Ducks Coach: Alan Lambert (7th year; 21-28). 2025: 6-5 in SSAA. Faith Christian Lions Coach: Robert ‘Mo’ Mahoney (2nd year, 1-10; career 6-21). 2025: 1-10 in SSAA. Legacy Charter Coach: Brandon Bristow (2nd year; career 0-9) 2025: 0-9 in SSAA Other independent West Oaks Flame  Coach: Victor Floyd (11th year, 37-64; career 67-115). 2025: 3-8 as independent Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.