Football

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports reporter

(FILE PHOTOS by Cheryl Clanton)

Prep football begins everywhere throughout the state of Florida with preseason kickoff classics and Hernando County’s five teams will be in action this week. The county returns a lot of talent that gets a bit underlooked because of the minimal amount of schools within the county. We take a look at the top prep football players in Hernando County heading into the 2019 season. 

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports writer 

The regular season for prep football in Hernando County is fast approaching and before the real thing happens, teams will play in kickoff classic games. All five of Hernando County’s clubs will be in action this week and it will be the first look coaches will get at their starters and backups. We take a closer look at both of the preseason matchups on tap for Thursday and Friday nights. 

Thursday, August 15th

Article and Photography by Cheryl Clanton

Free food. Live DJ. Free football camp. NFL players. You couldn't go wrong last Saturday July 13, 2019 at Ernie Wever Youth Park in Brooksville, FL.  NFL Tyrone Goodson, HYL coach Fabian Burnett Sr. and the USA Football organization desired to give back to the Hernando County sporting community through a free fundamental football camp.   The camp featured special guests - NFL Darren Hambrick and Bill Saffore with VertiMax (a sports training equipment company). 

Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN

First year Weeki Wachee head coach Chris Cook realizes he has some work ahead, but the summer months have given him some time to make significant headway. 
“Coming up here, I knew it was going to be a little bit of a challenge,” Cook said. “I knew the numbers were low, and I knew there were some things the administration wanted to change as far as the culture of the team.”

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports staff writer 

BROOKSVILLE- It didn’t take Central long to find who would become their next head football coach after the resignation of John Warren. 

Central athletic director Al Sorrentino in a text message to the Hernando Sun said the school has appointed Rob Walden as the program’s next football coach. He follows Warren, who stepped away to accept a teaching position in Texas, per Sorrentino. 

Article and Photography by ALICE MARY HERDEN

By Andy Villamarzo 

Hernando Sun sports writer 

WEEKI WACHEE- Spring prep football has been done for quite a bit in Hernando County and teams are well into their summer workouts and 7-on-7 passing leagues. But there’s another vacancy that has opened up in the county. 

John Warren has resigned as head coach at Central High School, per a text message sent out by athletic director Al Sorrentino Friday evening to the Hernando Sun. Warren and the Bears were coming off a 0-10 season in 2018, with the club coming off a good spring. 

Article and Photography by CHERYL CLANTON and ALICE MARY HERDEN

The last weeks in May are crucial for all of Hernando County football coaches. These games are vital to see how well their team can perform and combine offense/defense strategies. They are also calculating who can fill the spots of graduating seniors.

Weeki Wachee Hornets

For Weeki Wachee, the Hornets recently have been introduced to new head coach Chris Cook, formerly the Offensive Coordinator from Moore Haven Middle High School.

By Andy Villamarzo 
Hernando Sun sports writer

Getting signed onto an NFL roster is something that less than one percent of high school players end up doing. For former Weeki Wachee offensive lineman Marcus Applefield, signing with an NFL team became a reality last weekend. 

On Thursday, Jan 10 and Friday, Jan 11, Saint Leo University held a series of focus groups to begin the process of bringing a football program back to the school. This is the latest step by University President Jeffrey Senese to grow Saint Leo’s attendance. These focus groups are not a guarantee that the school will bring a football program, but are more set as a groundwork to test the feasibility of re-fielding a team.