Central Florida High School Football: 2024 Season Wrap-Up

Orlando, FL — Central Florida once again proved why it’s a hotbed for high school football. From Lake Mary’s big-stage pedigree to Jones’ speed and edge, to Lakeland and Osceola's power house play, from Edgewater’s physical identity to Cocoa’s ever-relentless standard on the Space Coast, the region delivered packed stadiums, headline performances, and playoff football deep into December.

Cocoa: a dynasty mindset on the Space Coast

Whether you label Cocoa as Space Coast or broader Central Florida, the Tigers keep setting the bar for sustained excellence. Their schedule is never soft, and they embrace that. Quarterback play, perimeter skill, and an attacking defense again gave them the look of a title-caliber team late in the season. The formula hasn’t changed: elite competition, fearless play-calling, and a locker room that expects to be in December. On the Space Coast—and very much part of the broader Central Florida gridiron story—the Cocoa Tigers brought their trademark blend of toughness, experience, and fearless attitude in 2024.

Program Identity: Cocoa continues to define postseason readiness with a schedule that frequently features elite competition. Their philosophy is simple: challenge yourself early so you’re battle-tested for the bracket taking it all as the 2A State Champions.

Osceola (Kissimmee)

Osceola finished the season as 6A State Runner-Up. A fixture of Central Florida football, Osceola leaned on its defensive DNA—fast, physical, assignment-sound—and a ground game designed for playoff weather. The Kowboys’ box play, tackling, and gap integrity kept scores manageable, while a ball-control offense shortened games and put pressure on opponents to be perfect. In a region loaded with elite quarterbacks, Osceola’s ability to muddy passing windows was a weekly storyline.

Lakeland

Lakeland ended the season with a heart-wrenching loss to state powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas 34-0.

Offensively, Lakeland operated with power and discipline. Their ground game was forged in physicality, wearing down defenses with a downhill running attack. Offensive linemen won early battles on the line, creating consistent creases, while the backfield pounded its way full-game.

Defensively, the Dreadnaughts played with a swagger earned from near state glory. They demanded proper execution from opponents, forcing mistakes through their aggressive front-seven and disciplined gap control. Turnovers and short-field situations became a theme.

Importantly, Lakeland combined familiar identity with strategic nuance—mixing in timely play-action and opportunistic blitzing schemes. Special teams also contributed, with field goal and punting units providing field-position consistency.

Lake Mary: the standard in Seminole County

The Lake Mary Rams spent another season playing like a program used to bright lights—fast, organized, and explosive on offense. The Rams finished the season as 7A State Runner-Up.

Junior QB Noah Grubbs (Notre Dame commit, 2026) looked every bit like an elite national prospect: anticipatory throws, power to hit deep shots outside the numbers, and the poise you expect from a quarterback who’s lived in big games since his underclassman years. Around him, Lake Mary spread the ball to a deep skill group and leaned on a defense that swarmed to the football and took pride in getting off the field on third down. The Rams’ path again ran through a loaded bracket, but their year-over-year consistency might be the most impressive part of the story.

Jones (Orlando): speed never goes out of style

No Central Florida wrap-up is complete without the Jones Tigers, 4A State Championship Runner-Up. They were, once again, one of the fastest teams you’d see on a Friday night—track speed at receiver and in the secondary, plus downhill backers who close windows fast. Jones’ non-district schedule hardened them early, and by November they looked like a team that had already played two seasons’ worth of big moments. Their staff also continued a quiet trend that deserves more attention: young players get better fast in that program.

Edgewater: built on defense and attitude

Edgewater played to its identity—run the ball, trust its front seven, and wear opponents down. The Eagles’ defense thrived on early-down wins, forcing long third downs and letting their pass rush hunt. Offensively, it was balanced enough to punish stacked boxes with timely shots over the top. Edgewater’s trademark: they tackle in space, and they’re brutally efficient in the red zone. It showed all season with an impressive 10-2 winning record. .

Seminole (Sanford): tough, physical, relentless

The Seminole DNA—defensive pressure and a punishing run game—showed up week after week and produced an impressive 10-2 record for the season. When they got the ground game rolling behind a physical OL, the ‘Noles turned contests into four-quarter attrition battles. Add in special-teams juice and a defense that creates negative plays, and you get a team nobody wants to see in a one-score game late.

The First Academy (Orlando)

The First Academy (TFA) continued to embody polished football. The Royals typically pair a smart, quick-hitting offense with a defense that rallies and tackles in space—exactly the formula you want once the private-school postseason tightens. Depth pieces stepped up, and TFA’s week-to-week consistency remained a calling card.

Oviedo, Boone, Dr. Phillips, Bishop Moore: the important middle

Central Florida’s depth is what separates the region from most of the state. Oviedo leaned on quarterback play and perimeter speed; Boone was rugged up front and disciplined; Dr. Phillips showed the kind of multi-phase improvement you expect from a program with history; Bishop Moore remained one of the area’s most organized outfits—clean operation, situational football, and sound special teams. Those are the teams that make every district race a weekly street fight.

Mainland (Daytona Beach): Volusia’s powerhouse presence

A short drive up I-4, Mainland continued to play like one of Florida’s best coached and most complete teams—physical run defense, smart quarterbacking, and receivers who win matchups. They’re a reminder that the “Central Florida” football footprint stretches further than county lines, and the Buccaneers keep making that case deep into the playoffs.

Coaches and players who moved the needle

• Noah Grubbs, QB, Lake Mary (Notre Dame commit, 2026): The headliner in the region—velocity, accuracy, command.

• Edgewater front seven: Consistently set early-down tone and let the game tilt in their favor.

• Jones skill players: As electric as any group in the state with yards-after-catch and return-game impact.

• Cocoa’s two-way toughness: Balanced roster where stars play like stars and role players execute.

• Staff shoutouts: Lake Mary’s offensive staff for week-to-week game plans, Jones for rapid player development, and Mainland for textbook situational football.

Three themes we’ll remember from 2024

1. Quarterback play defined ceilings. Programs with veteran QBs or blue-chip talents were better equipped to survive the gauntlet.

2. Defense still travels. Edgewater, Seminole, Mainland, Cocoa—when they needed stops in November, they got them.

3. Schedules matter. The teams that punched up early were the ones most ready for late rounds.

What it means for 2025

Central Florida will again be appointment viewing. Lake Mary returns elite QB play and big-game reps; Jones reloads at speed positions as well as anyone; Edgewater, The First Academy and Seminole bring back trench culture; Cocoa’s expectations haven’t budged in a decade; Mainland and Osceola remains strong contenders. Translation: there are multiple state-caliber outfits inside a one-hour drive.