FHSAA: No evidence TFA violated rules
The Florida High School Athletic Association notified The First Academy on Wednesday that it reviewed allegations of rules violations and found no evidence to penalize the Orlando private school.
The Sentinel reported April 8 that the FHSAA received complaints alleging wrongdoing by TFA, which has gained a slew of transfer players and scheduled games against big-school powers Edgewater and Seminole since its 6-4 football season ended in November.
FHSAA staff member Justin Harrison, who oversees eligibility and rules compliance, answered the Sentinel’s request for findings with a Wednesday email stating, “Our office has completed the review of the allegations and the requested information. We are not taking any action at this time based on the information submitted.”
Harrison said the case is closed unless new information is presented.
TFA offered a written email statement, signed by first-year football coach and athletic director Jeff Conaway, that read:
“We are thankful for and in agreement with the statement from the FHSAA which indicates that the allegations have been closed and they intend to take no action regarding the recruiting allegations related to our football and baseball programs.”
Multiple sources, including a number of Orlando area high school coaches, told the Sentinel that TFA’s football program has offered impermissible benefits to entice players to change schools this year.
“That’s not factual at all,” Conaway said in a February phone interview.
Players from Boone, Leesburg, Lake Minneola, Osceola and Timber Creek have announced decisions to transfer to TFA via social media posts.
Longtime Royals baseball coach Scott Grove left that job earlier this month and did so, he said, because the football program was violating FHSAA rules. Grove said 14 new football players had arrived, with plans to get to 25 additions.
Conaway, who brought state championship credentials from Arkansas when he was hired by TFA prior to the 2023 season, has said his coaches are not targeting recruits.
“I believe folks see that we have great facilities, we’re in a Biblical school environment and we have the opportunity to be a very good football team,” he said in February. “Players want to be a part of that.”
Speedsters
Boone junior football prospect Isaiah Mizell set three personal bests with victories in the 100 (10.49 wind-aided), 200 (21.51) and 400 (49.26) to lead the Braves to the Metro Conference East track and field championship. Mizell had 22 touchdown receptions as a junior.
Another speedy receiver prospect — Foundation Academy sophomore Christopher “CJ” Bronaugh — ran an area-leading and careerbest 100-meter dash time of 10.43 seconds to win at last week’s TFA Last Chance meet.
Edgewater’s boys 4×100 relay foursome clocked an area-leading 41.49 at the TFA meet.
The race to the state meets begins with district events starting next week.
Boys volleyball
Undefeated Winter Park (16-0) is the top seed for the Metro Conference East division tournament hosted by Freedom (16-4) Friday and Saturday.
The Wildcats turned back Apopka 32-30, 25-20, 25-20 on Tuesday.
Apopka (16-3) was coming off a come-from-behind win vs. Horizon in which Devon Bolling and Aidan Lowry combined for 40 kills for the Blue Darters.
Softball
Florida’s list of unbeaten softball teams is down to three — all in the same classification. Class 4A Eustis (16-1) dropped off that list last week when 7A Lake Mary (10-11) scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to top the Panthers 2-1.
Class 6A Melbourne improved to 23-0 with a 7-0 win vs. Lake Brantley on Tuesday night. Two other 6A teams — Valrico Bloomingdale (21-0) and Wiregrass Ranch (19-0) — were unscathed going into Wednesday.
Tennis
Lake Nona’s tennis teams continued their dominance by winning every singles and doubles match they played in the 4A District 9 tournament. The Lions were 17-0 in boys regular-season dual matches and 16-0 on the girls side.
Region quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, followed by Thursday region finals next week that determine state tourney berths.
Water polo
Undefeated Sanford Seminole and West Orange both rolled through girls water polo district and region play to reach this weekend’s FHSAA final four.
The path to the state tournament at Belen Jesuit in Miami was more challenging for the Dr. Phillips and Seminole boys.
DP was down 6-1 early in its region final vs. Boca Raton but managed to pull out a 17-16 victory. Panthers coach Leo Ramirez noted that his young 2023 team lost by 10 goals to the Bobcats a year ago but this time kept their composure and turned the game around with a team effort.
That came after DP rallied to edge West Orange 13-12 in a semifinal.
Seminole’s boys were down 8-5 in their region final against Lake Mary before rallying to tie the score with 1:16 remaining. They drew a penalty shot with 38 seconds to go and converted for a 10-9 win against Winter Park.
“Our guys made some great defensive stops down the line to ultimately lead us to the win,” Seminole coach Ryan Ackerson said. “Maybe the loudest game I’ve ever been a part of as a player or coach. The fans for each team did a great job creating an incredible atmosphere.”
Here are the state pairings:
Girls Friday semifinals
No. 1 Seminole (2 9 -0 ) vs. No. 4 Miami Country Day (1 3 -8 ), 3 :3 0 p.m.
No. 2 Gulliver Prep (2 0 -3 ) vs. No. 3 West Orange (24-5), 5 p.m.
Final,Saturday,1:30 p.m.
Boys Friday semifinals
No. 1 Dr. Phillips (2 8 -2 ) vs. No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas (1 6 -1 2 ), 6 :3 0 p.m.
No. 2 Gulliver Prep (2 0 -4 ) vs. No. 3 Seminole (2 1 -8 ), 8 p.m.
Final,Saturday,3:30 p.m.
Boys lacrosse
Olympia (14-4) claimed its first district title since 2013 by beating Lake Nona 9-7 in the 2A-7 final.
Wednesday district finals included Lake Brantley (12-6) at reigning state champ Lake Mary (18-1) in 2A-4 and Bishop Moore (15-3) at Lake Highland Prep (12-2) in 1A-5.
West Orange (12-5) is the 2A-4 champ and Winter Park (10-6) won 2A-6.
Girls lacrosse
Lake Highland Prep (15-3), ranked No. 1 in 1A and on a 10-game winning streak, hosts Bishop Moore (10-5) in today’s 7 p.m. District 7 championship game.
Lake Mary (14-5) defeated Oviedo 14-7 in Tuesday’s 2A District 4 final.
Winter Park (12-6) was at 2A No. 1 Hagerty (17-3) in Wednesday’s 2A-5 final.
Thursday matchups include
West Orange (12-2) at East Ridge (13-3) at 6:30 p.m. for the 2A-6 championship.
Flag football
Neveah Washington scored on a 3-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter to break a scoreless tie and give Timber Creek a 7-0 win vs. East River in the 2A District 7 title game. Kyla Tometi sealed the deal with an interception on the final possession.
The Wolves (12-1) are home vs. Lake Howell (7-3) in today’s region quarterfinal round.
Jones and Gateway played 1A quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Here are Thursday’s area pairings:
2A Region 2
No. 8 seed Lake Howell at 1 Timber Creek, 7 p.m.
5 East River at 4 Winter Park, 7 7 DeLand at 2 Boone, 7
6 New Smyrna Beach at 3 Spruce Creek, 6
2A Region 3
8 Haines City at 1 Dr. Phillips, 7 5 Apopka at 4 Horizon, 7 7 Strawberry Crest at 2 Newsome, 7
6 Armwood at 3 Ocoee, 7
2A Region 4
8 Vero Beach at 1 Fort Pierce Central, 5
5 St. Cloud at 4 Palm Beach Gardens, 7
7 Freedom at 2 Martin County, 7 6 Celebration at 3 Harmony, 7