By STEVE JACKSON
Nobody has lost yet. Nobody has won yet. Officially, that will remain the same after the Kickoff Classics for five South Shore high school football teams this Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. All games are actually practice games or exhibition games with none of the scores or stats listed officially in the record books. These are exciting games, nonetheless, with all teams opening the official 2025 football season next Friday, Aug. 22.
The East Bay Indians bring the best record from last season as well as a new head coach, DeAndra Simmons. Coach Simmons replaces the retired head coach, Mike Gottman, who compiled winning records in each of his four excellent seasons with the Indians in 5A District 8, going 33-12. After several summer workouts, Coach Simmons gets to see his players in action against a competitive squad. Coach Claybo Varnum brings a Durant Cougar team that finished 7-4 last season and is always a tough foe. Following the Durant test, the Indians open the actual season on the road at Strawberry Crest High on Aug. 22.
The next best record from last season in the South Shore 5 was registered by the Lennard Longhorns at 6-4, winning their first six games before tumbling in a disappointing season-ending losing streak. This year, KB Belton, head coach of the Longhorns, is determined to avoid the same sort of slump. Coach Belton is blessed to have quarterback senior Jacob Mobley returning after a late season injury last year. Mobley has beefed up to 6-2 and 195 pounds and is expected to be the offensive cog for Lennard. The Horns travel to Freedom High School in Tampa for the Friday night, Aug. 15, exhibition game at 7:30 p.m. The Patriots, going 3-6 last season, are a 4A District 8 squad that Lennard should handle. Pasco High visits Ruskin for the first official game of the year, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m., for a slightly sterner test, although Pasco High in Dade City was a dreadful 0-10 last year.
Spoto High, under its head coach, Keith Chattin, shook off the doldrums last year to a surprising 6-5 mark and made the playoffs, but Spoto was swamped by the Lakeland Dreadnaughts.
This season the 5A District 8 Spartans open the Kickoff Classic versus Gaither High, 7-5 last season, playing in 5A District 7. Coach Chattin then opens the official season on Aug. 22 against Polk County’s Davenport High, a 6A District 6 high school that posted a 6-5 mark last year. Spoto is expecting some big plays from wide receiver senior Jesse Harden, but last year’s expected returning quarterback, Nathan Richardson, is not listed on this season’s roster.
On Friday evening The Riverview Sharks, under Tony Rodriquez, the team’s head coach, host Pinellas Park, a 5A District 9 school that finished 7-4 last season. The Sharks then greet the oldest high school in the county, Hillsbrough High, for its first official game at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 22. The Terriers are coached by longtime veteran Earl Garcia Jr. Riverview is in 6A District 7 and went 3-7 last year.
Sumner High is the remaining school in the South Shore 5, playing a full varsity schedule this season. The Stingrays are covered this week and every week by Francis Fedor. See article and photos in The Observer News print edition and in The Observer News.net digital version.