Hagerty QB helps tame Tohopekaliga

Fresh off a record-setting junior season, Hagerty High quarterback Anthony Benzija said he and his team gained another big confidence boost by scoring a 38-12 spring football win against Tohopekaliga on Thursday night.

It was one of the first spring games played in the Orlando area with many more to come over the next two weeks.

“We’ve been working hard since fall and came out and just did what we did,” Benzija said afterward. “It’s a big thing for our confidence. It’s one thing to do it at practice, so to do it in a game is a big thing. We’re ready for the fall season.”

The 6-4, 205-pound rising senior passed for 4 touchdowns, two going to receiver Ian Miller.

Benzija is coming off a junior season in which he broke several school records, previously owned by former quarterback (and current NFL tight end) Jeff Driskel. Benzija thew for 1,898 yards and 18 touchdowns in a 6-4 season for the Huskies.

He completed 59.4% of his throws, a shiny mark at the high school level. He is setting the bar even higher for his senior season.

“I want to be accurate, completing at least 70% of my passes,” Benzija said.

On Wednesday, he announced via social media that Stetson University tendered his first college offer. Benzija hopes it’s the first of many, but his biggest focus is on winning games.

“I want [the team] to be district champions, win every game … and keep doing what we’re doing,” he said.

On the other side of the field, Tohopekaliga played its first home spring game in three years with new head coach Anthony Paradiso.

The score notwithstanding, the Tigers’ run defense looked sharp, forcing the Huskies to rely mostly on Benzija’s passing.

Another bright spot for the Lions was Churandy Duval, who had several big runs that included a second-quarter touchdown.

“It’s the first points we’ve scored in three springs, and the first defense we’ve played in three springs so it’s a pretty good success,” Paradiso said. “We’re young. We’ve had 12 days of practice. To see the team out here competing for the fans is a positive thing. We’ll just continue to build on it.”

Paradiso is the fourth head coach in four years for a program that slumped last season. The Tigers were 2-8, including a 44-0 loss to Hagerty, after winning seasons in 2019 and 2020.

After establishing a winning program at Lake Nona, Paradiso is hopeful that he can do the same for Tohopekaliga.

“I just want to impact kids, and build it just like we built it at Lake Nona,” he said.