Unfinished Business Will Drive Dr. Phillips

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When the 2024 football season began, there were several Class 7A programs that were mentioned as having a chance to reach Miami in December.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With much of the spotlight falling on Lake Mary and Sanford Seminole, which many who follow the game, felt had the best chance to perhaps lineup against state favorite Venice – at Pitbull Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the attention was spent early on looking at the favorites, there was a team that started to make some noise in southwest Orange County.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Orlando Dr. Phillips Panthers and veteran head coach <strong>Rodney Wells</strong> broke out of the gate fast with six straight wins, including a victory against Lake Mary.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even after a loss to Orlando Edgewater there was a feeling that this program still had the chance to prove those “experts” wrong.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Down the stretch, this team would come up with wins against Kissimmee Celebration, Winter Garden West Orange and Clermont East Ridge to end the regular season 9-1 before heading into the state playoffs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Wins against Jupiter and Vero Beach would set up the rematch with Lake Mary, but the second time didn't prove to be a charm for this team as the dream of reaching the state final fell short.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even though they would win 12 of the 14 games played, that loss did sting, but at the same time, it motivated this rising senior (2026) class.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That class hit this off-season with a feeling that they had some unfinished business.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of those 2026 prospects to watch:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jayden “J.B.” Bukhannon, DT, 6-1, 215 – 3.4 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17854421/655b972302bc3812a00fb1f4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17854421/655b972302bc3812a00fb1f4</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1251766' first='Darius' last='Edwards'], DE, 6-2, 230 – 3.1 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/17816987/Darius-Edwards" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/17816987/Darius-Edwards</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zhytrez Ervin, WR, 5-5, 125.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19658035/653e81d95ef62406985a9661" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19658035/653e81d95ef62406985a9661</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>McHenry Fortilien, CB, 5-11, 165 – 2.8 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <u>https://www.hudl.com/profile/17926382/Mchenry-Fortilien</u></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Maurice “M.J.” Jones, OLB/TE, 6-3, 205 – 2.7 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18561730/65b7b6353453980900294f34" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/18561730/65b7b6353453980900294f34</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sebastian Massa, LS, 6-0, 195.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/19581884/Sebastian-Massa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/19581884/Sebastian-Massa</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1258724' first='Zion' last='Matthews'], RB, 5-9, 195.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/18663622/Zion-Matthews" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/18663622/Zion-Matthews</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christopher “C.J.” Singleton, OL, 6-1, 304.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/18350942/Christopher-Singleton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/18350942/Christopher-Singleton</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Robert “R.J.” Stamm, OL, 6-5, 260 – 4.0 GPA.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17762471/65221715d45eb60778a35537" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17762471/65221715d45eb60778a35537</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STRONG UNDERCLASS KEEPS THE PANTHERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As talented as the rising senior class will be, there are also some underclassmen who have the chance to be special in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2027</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Demarco “Chop” Henderson, DT, 5-9, 155.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/19713654/Demarco-Henderson-lll" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/19713654/Demarco-Henderson-lll</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Xayvion Mincey, DB/WR, 5-5, 125.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/20363236/Xayvion-Mincey" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/20363236/Xayvion-Mincey</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Christian Pope, S/WR, 5-11, 175.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/21725872/Christian-Pope" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/21725872/Christian-Pope</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Rayshaud “Ray” Taylor, DB, 6-0, 170.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22856818/Rashaud-Ray-Taylor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/22856818/Rashaud-Ray-Taylor</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CLASS OF 2028</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Zacchaeus Kyler, DB/WR, 5-9, 140.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22920192/Zacchaeus-Kyler" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/22920192/Zacchaeus-Kyler</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Kaeden Ryan, DB/WR, 5-10, 145.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22919157/Kaeden-Ryan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/22919157/Kaeden-Ryan</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Tien Williams, QB.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>TAPE: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/22814828/Tien-Williams" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.hudl.com/profile/22814828/Tien-Williams</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>AWAITING VIDEO</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quashawn Benjmain, RB/LB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lil'Raylin Harrison, RB/LB</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Timothy Towns, WR/DB, 5-10, 140</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chris Webber, WR/DB, 5-11, 185</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Statewide Coverage Daily.</strong> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/florida/"><strong>https://prepredzone.com/florida/</strong></a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>You Can Contact Larry Blustein with prospect or team information at: </strong>Floridakids1@aol.com.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>COACHES, PLAYERS: Do You Have A Subscription? Contact us for a savings code so you can see what everyone has been talking about!</strong> <a href="mailto:Floridakids1@aol.com">Floridakids1@aol.com</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->