Seminole wins in wake of assistant’s death
An overcast sky and the death of an assistant coach early in the day made for a somber start to senior night at Seminole High School.
Raymond Caraballo, 29, was fatally injured during a construction accident Friday morning. He coached linebackers and was the defensive set of eyes from the press box for Seminole each week.
A moment of silence was held on his behalf before Friday night’s football game. And following a dramatic 31-30 victory against Bishop Moore, coaches and players gathered at midfield for a ceremonial balloon release in Caraballo’s honor.
It was an emotional ending to a night also surrounded with uncertainty in regard to the team’s postseason hopes. The Seminoles went 8-2 in the regular season but await word on official playoff brackets, which will be announced by the Florida High School Athletic Association on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m.
Caraballo began as an assistant under Seminole head coach Don Stark during his six-year run at University in Orlando from 2009-14. A University grad and devout UCF supporter, Caraballo went on to coach for Jermel Jones at The Master’s Academy before teaming up again with Stark last fall.
“The guy had quit like four jobs over the years because they wouldn’t let him come to football practices on time,” Stark said with a smile. “He was a sharp guy, and he’d take a job at Target or Whole Foods but then they’d keep trying to promote him. He wanted to make sure he could get out of work at 1:30 or so to be able to come to practice.”
Stark, who was alerted of the news of Caraballo’s death around lunchtime Friday, relayed a message to his team before the start of the game. It centered around honoring people in the way you carry yourself throughout life on a daily basis.
“It brought us together closer as a family, more than we [already] were, to come out here and play for Coach Ray,” Seminole defensive lineman Tyrik Swain said.
The Seminoles rallied from a 21-13 halftime deficit by stuffing a two-point conversion attempt with 1:25 seconds to play.
Swain scooped up a fumble on the second play from scrimmage and scored on a short return. Stanley Wynn returned an interception more than 50 yards in the third quarter to jump-start Seminole’s scoring burst in the second half.
Hot-handed
A year after being caught up in a quarterback competition for much of the season, West Orange has kept the offense rolling this fall behind the arm of senior Elijah Stimmell.
Stimmell, who split time with current Dr. Phillips quarterback Brenden Cyr in 2017, finished 15 of 17 passing for 342 yards and six touchdowns Friday in a 61-13 win over Ocoee.
“They were battling last year, so we were always getting used to different arms and different speeds on throws,” said West Orange wide receiver Darrell Harding during the preseason. “Now we’ve just been working with one quarterback and should see a big change this season.”
Harding was on the end of seven receptions for 233 yards and four scores for the Warriors (7-3) in the win, the longest of which went for 85 yards.
For the barrel
Edgewater bounced back from its only loss of the season last week at Hagerty to win the annual Battle for the Barrel game over visiting Boone for the first time since 2015.
The Eagles scored 35 points off five Boone turnovers, including four mishaps in the first quarter, to roll to a 56-14 finish.
The win helped the Eagles (9-1) tie the series at eight games apiece since 2003. It also gives them nine wins in a season for the second straight year after going 0-10 in 2016.
Quarterback R.J. Harvey threw for three touchdowns and Isaiah Connelly rushed for two scores and 100 yards for Edgewater.
Last hurrah
Evans and Orlando University are in search of new football coaches after Greg Thompson and Derrick Warren coached their final games Friday.
Thompson, who retired from coaching track and field at Evans earlier in the year, announced his retirement from high school sports two weeks ago. Evans lost its finale 28-24 vs. Colonial to finish 1-9.
“I have truly enjoyed the time coaching the many sport teams over the past three decades,” Thompson said in an email to the Sentinel. “I will be working with administration to assist in my transition and making sure that the transition will be fast and seamless.”
Warren was relieved of his duties at University earlier in the week following consecutive two-win seasons. He was on the Cougars’ sideline for the final time in Friday’s 52-14 win over Cypress Creek.