5 Takeaways from Week 2 of Central Florida high school football

TFA stuns Edgewater; nationally ranked Cocoa crushes Mainland and more

Cocoa's Jayvan Boggs makes the catch for second quarter touchdown during a game with Mainland at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. / Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

The second week of Central Florida high school football action didn’t disappoint as area teams produced some highlight-reel performances in big-time games.

Downtown Orlando featured one of the biggest showdowns for Labor Day weekend – The First Academy at Edgewater – and Volusia County showcased a battle of state champs – Cocoa at Daytona Beach Mainland. And that was just the start of it.

Here are our 5 takeaways from regular-season Week 2 action involving Central Florida teams:

The First Academy stuns Edgewater to remain undefeated

If anyone had any questions about how strong The First Academy would be this season, the Royals definitely answered them on Friday night.

The beneficiary of at least 30 transfers for the 2024 season, TFA (2-0) solidified itself as a legitimate Class 1A state title contender with a shocking 28-24 victory against Edgewater, a Class 5A school. It was the second big road win for the Royals, who beat Lipscomb, 28-23, last week. Lipscomb is a Tennessee power.

The latest win for TFA, however, was special. The Royals snapped Edgewater’s 28-game regular-season win streak dating to the 2021 season.

Leesburg transfer Salomon Georges, who led the Yellow Jackets to the state playoffs last season, came up big again for TFA. He threw two TD passes, including the game-winning 65-yarder to Demetrice McCray, with just 1 minute, 9 seconds left. McCray caught a 28-yard TD pass in the first half.

The Royals rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to win it, getting a TD run from Ryon Smith and a TD catch from McCray.

“My thoughts on our big comeback is us trusting each other as a team, and play how we play,” George said. “We faced adversity and we knew it going into the game and things were going to happen throughout the game.

“We just kept trusting each other and playing for each other like a unit,” Georges said. “We were the underdogs going into it so we prepared very well – from the coaches to the players. The defense kept stopping them and gave us opportunities to score and we did that to finish the game.”

Edgewater (1-0) now must face an improved Wekiva team in a make-up game on Tuesday, Sept. 3. TFA will host Port St. Lucie Treasure Coast on Sept. 6.

Cocoa blasts Daytona Beach Mainland in battle of champs

There is no doubt that Cocoa belongs in the national championship conversation after overpowering Daytona Beach Mainland, 51-0, in a showdown of 2023 state champs.

The two-time defending Class 2S state champ Tigers (2-0) overcame a slow start by erupting for 21 second-quarter points to take a 31-0 halftime lead and the rout was on. It was the second straight loss for the reigning Class 3S state champ Mainland (0-2), which lost a number of star players and its head coach from last season.

Cocoa's Latrison Lane (4) attempts to avoid Mainland's (6) during a game at Daytona Stadium in Daytona Beach, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. / Nigel Cook/News-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Missouri commit Jayvon Boggs scored four TDs for Cocoa, including one rushing. He caught TD passes of 39, 28 and 7 yards.

Statistically, Cocoa has scored a whopping 93 points in two games, allowing only 10.

Cocoa faces its stiffest test, yet, on Sept. 6 when it travels to play IMG Academy in Bradenton. Mainland visits Flagler Palm Coast the same day.

Spruce Creek goes to 2-0 with another blowout win over Eustis

The Hawks have become Volusia County’s team to watch with Mainland’s 0-2 start to the season. Spruce Creek kept right on rolling with a 52-0 rout of Eustis.

Spruce Creek has outscored its first two opponents, 102-0. The Hawks host St. Johns Creekside (0-2) on Sept. 6.

Winter Park welcomes former Seminole coach Eric Lodge back to Central Florida

Longtime Metro Conference power Winter Park welcomed back former Seminole High head coach Eric Lodge to Central Florida on Thursday night with a hard-fought 19-14 victory against Berkeley (S.C.). Lodge led Seminole to a state title in 2020, recording a 32-5 record in three seasons, before departing for Berkeley in 2023.

The Wildcats, however, proved to be too much for Berkeley as Grant Conner and former Bishop Moore star Gabe Diaz hooked up for two TD passes. Jordon Jackson had a 75-yard pick-6 to round out the scoring for Winter Park (1-0), which hosts Lake Nona on Sept. 13.

Jones crushes Timber Creek behind 4 TD passes from Miami commit Dereon Coleman

The Tigers are coming off consecutive state semifinal appearances but they look ready for more this season.

Dereon Coleman, who selected Miami (FL) over Oklahoma, Ole Miss and UCF, threw four TD passes in Jones big win over Timber Creek on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. / Dereon Coleman/X

Miami commit Dereon Coleman threw for more than 170 yards and four TDs as Jones made short work of Timber Creek, 48-3. The Tigers led 35-3 at halftime.

UF commit Vernell “Trey” Brown III caught two TD passes and running back Jaquail Smith scampered for more than 160 yards and two TDs for Jones. Defensively, Reggie Harris, Christian Robbins and Demetre Pryor recorded interceptions for the Tigers, who visit Evans on Saturday, Sept. 7, in another all-Orlando showdown.

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