06/11/2025
BSN: PUTTING A STAMP ON EVERY FHSAA TEAMS REGULAR SEASON AND WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW FOR NOVEMBER AS PLAYOFF BRACKETS ARE SET TO BE RELEASED THURSDAY:
THIS IS A LONG READ INVOLVING ONLY THE TEAMS THAT PLAY IN THE FHSAA, WHOSE REGULAR SEASON ENDED TUESDAY NIGHT. BSN DID AN EXTENSIVE LOOK AND PREVIEW OF THE SSAA TEAMS PRIOR TO THEIR PLAYOFF GAMES.
By: Alan Zlotorzynski / Brevard Sports Network
If you’re looking to describe the 2025 Brevard County high school football regular season, try this on for size:
If I told you in July that Cocoa would have more turnovers than touchdowns through five weeks and are still a good bet to practice on Thanksgiving, you’d tell us we were crazy.
If I told you that Eau Gallie would lose their QB1 in Week 1 while trying to replace nearly all of their defensive starters from last year and still go unbeaten in county play and win their third straight district championship, yep put him in a straight jacket.
And if I told you that freshmen, and sophomores would outplay many of the county’s top projected seniors, you’d comment that BSN is certifiably nuts.
At the very least you would’ve looked at us sideways, laughed a little, and questioned our credibility as an outlet. But that and a whole lot more is exactly what happened in 2025 in Brevard County high school football from Weeks 1 through 11.
2025 wasn’t predictable. It was chaotic. It wasn’t chalk. It was earned. It wasn’t the season we expected; it ended up being the season we needed.
There are a plethora of reasons for it. Injuries to key players, talent spread around the county and differences in scheduling philosophies by head coaches to name a few but in 2025 we saw a brand of football that left you wondering after the lights went off if you just saw what you just watched.
We saw programs rise from doubt. We saw others struggle to carry the weight of expectation. We saw coaching masterclasses, injury setbacks, and young cores grow up before our eyes on Friday nights.
This was the year where belief was louder than hype.
Where experience didn’t always beat youth, and the teams who adjusted, adapted, and refused to fold, thrived.
Ranking? Pffffft. What rankings? On any given Friday night in Brevard County, the team you swore was No. 1 or No.2 or No.3 could get punched in the mouth by the team everybody else had sitting at No. 5, 6 or No. 7.
This wasn’t a “top-heavy” year.
This wasn’t chalk. This was fistfight football every week.
The margin between best and next wasn’t miles, it was one drive, one stop, one mistake, one kicker with ice in his veins.
The county didn’t crown one storyline, it crowned many:
This season was real, and it wasn’t always pretty. In fact, it was downright ugly on some Friday nights but it was passionate, loud, emotional, raw, and unforgettable.
And now? Now the lights don’t just shine, they judge.
It’s November. The masks are off. The margins are gone. Everybody’s film is public. Nobody’s sneaking up on anybody.
If you’re still here, you earned it. If you want to stay? You better play the best football of your season and it starts on your back-lot practice field because that’s where game plans will be forged into Friday night wins.
In Brevard County, we don’t talk about getting to November. We talk about surviving it, and the path to practicing on Thanksgiving, as Cocoa has for 18 straight years or reaching the Final Four as Eau Gallie and Cocoa both did last season, ALL OF IT STARTS NOW…..
THE STAMP: EAU GALLIE, FROM START TO FINISH, THE TOP TEAM IN BREVARD
Even in a season that felt close every Friday night, one thing is now an undisputed fact, from the first snap under the hot and muggy Friday Night Lights back on August 15 until the final whistle sounded on a cool Tuesday night at the O-Dome, the Eau Gallie Commodores have been Brevard County’s best team.
This next part is in no way a slight to Merritt Island head coach Tyler Murray, who is a great head coach and did a terrific job with the Mustangs but if we had a vote for the FACA District 12 Coach of the Year, it would go to Chris Sands.
Now, to be fair, the vote among the coaches took place before Eau Gallie’s 48–22 win over Merritt Island Tuesday night. But it did not take place before Eau Gallie lost their starting quarterback, arguably the county’s preseason best, in the first quarter of the first game of the season and it didn’t take place before the Commodores developed a unit on defense that had to replace 10 starters.
And still, Eau Gallie finished 7–3, won their third straight district championship, and earned at least the No. 2 seed in 3A-Region 2.
It wasn’t always pretty for Eau Gallie this season but pretty went out the door the moment Joseph Allen limped off the field at the Citrus Bowl in Week 1.
So wins like the 16-12 slugfest with Heritage or the 14-point fourth quarter comeback vs. Titusville had to happen in order for this team to get better, learn and grow.
The Commodores didn’t accomplish this season with smoke and mirrors. They went 3–0 in district play, taking down two district rival playoff teams in Merritt Island and Titusville. They defeated Cocoa at Richard “Dick” Blake Stadium, snapping the Tigers’ 27-game, nearly six-year winning streak over Brevard County teams.
Two of their three losses came to Vero Beach (FHSAA No. 1) and The First Academy (MaxPreps No. 21) by a combined 14 points.
Their strength of schedule ends with Eau Gallie having faced 10 teams who were a combined 53–45 (.540), so it certainly wasn’t easy sledding.
Yes, they possess a player who will surely be the BSN Overall County Player of the Year in Oregon commit Xavier Lherisse, but he is only one of eleven allowed on the field at one time.
What Lherisse and his outstanding supporting cast of teammates understood was that they would have to adapt and overcome, and they did exactly that — like district champions do.
That’s also coaching — getting players to believe….Believe that you might not catch 60 balls like the preseason script said. Believe that you might not score the 15 touchdowns everyone expected. Believe that your role might change, your touches might drop, and the spotlight might shift.
And still — you buy in. Every player accepted that if the goal was to win, the role didn’t matter — the ex*****on did.
And they executed.
Sure, there were plenty of great moments from the X-Factors (Lherisse and X’Zavier Corbin) and others but this district championship wasn’t carried by one star or one highlight, this was earned by a roster and a coaching staff that were forced to adapt on the fly, something even college and NFL programs struggle to do when plans fall apart.
Eau Gallie did it. They didn’t flinch. They’re still standing. And they’re not done yet.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW:
Eau Gallie has a real shot to win the region, having already beaten Merritt Island and Titusville.
If they reach the regional final, the only likely obstacle between them and a return to the Final Four is 9–1 Bishop Moore, the region’s No. 1 seed — and Eau Gallie has won three straight against the Hornets.
However, it’s still too early to say whether the Commodores can reach the state title game.
Trying to project that without seeing the 3A gauntlet of Miami Central, Miami Northwestern, Jacksonville Raines, or Sarasota Booker would be reckless.
But one thing is undeniable: Everyone thought they were done when QB1 went down. Everyone questioned the defense early.
They adapted. They reloaded. They refused to fold. They won.
So would it surprise anyone if this is the year they punch through the regional wall and take the next step — the one that leads to a 3A state championship appearance?
It wouldn’t surprise us.
Congratulations to Eau Gallie on a thrilling, resilient, and earned regular season.
And here’s hoping we see you deep into November — and at Pitbull Stadium in early December.
THE STAMP: COCOA REACHES DOWN AND BECOMES COCOA AT THE PERFECT TIME:
Let’s be very clear, the road to 5–4 was indeed a bumpy one for Cocoa to start the season, more turnovers than touchdowns, an offense searching for identity and a dark side defense with some holes.
But if you expected the back-to-back-to-back 2A state champions to quit or throw in the Gatorade towel then you don’t know head coach Ryan Schneider or his staff or the heart of the Tigers program and its players.
After the early stumbles, the Tigers got healthy, got aligned, and finished like Cocoa finishes.
They ended the regular season by outscoring The Villages, Astronaut, and Rockledge — 101 to 9 — to win yet another district championship and reach the playoffs for the 23rd consecutive season.
The offense found rhythm. The turnovers, penalties, assignments, and misfires that plagued September tightened in October.
The young pieces grew up in real time under Friday night pressure and the Darkside Defense started to look like the Darkside again.
Coaching decisions with personnel moves on the field played a big part in the Tigers resurgence and now Cocoa will host a first round playoff game.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW:
Cocoa should move to a No. 3 seed in the final rankings, setting up a first-round matchup at home with Santa Fe or Newberry. The Tigers have wins over The Villages and Bradford (Kickoff Classic), and with the way they are playing, they have to feel good about practicing on Thanksgiving for a 19th straight season.
Teams will look and see 5-4 but you better believe no one in 2A will celebrate if they draw them in the bracket, and while this feels weird to even write, Cocoa is the team no one wants to play — but for different reasons this season.
This team now looks: healthier. Cleaner. Meaner. More confident and most importantly, more Cocoa.
If you thought they were done in September, you forgot the rule: Never bury Cocoa before Thanksgiving because they’ll most likely be playing on Black Friday again in 2025.
THE STAMP: 3A DISTRICT 10 — MERRITT ISLAND AND TITUSVILLE COULD BE HEADING FOR A CLASSIC ON NOVEMBER 14, REGARDLESS IF THEY MEET BOTH ARE HEADING FOR THE PLAYOFFS:
This district didn’t produce records. It produced toughness. Three teams from Brevard heading to FHSAA playoffs is not easy to do in one region alone. Give it a year or two and Palm Bay will make it four.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: MERRITT ISLAND
The most explosive offense in the county. Thirty-five points per game, a quarterback in Kevin Verpaele who can bail any play out of trouble — and who will forget the comeback in Jacksonville, which is the stuff legendary Mustang football lore is made of. But for head coach Tyler Murray, it’ll come down to one thing: can they clean up the run defense? If they can, they’ll win playoff games — plural.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: TITUSVILLE
Titusville took one of the biggest steps forward in the county as the season wound down. The Terriers won three of their last four as they learned how to punch back, how to play with belief, and how to close.
They led in nearly every loss in the fourth quarter this season and stood nose-to-nose with the county’s best — and never folded.
Matt Diesel didn’t just coach a team; he accelerated a culture. Now the question is simple: can they close the games in November against possible district and county rivals that they couldn’t close in October?
If they can, they’ll be playing for a trip to the Final Four in 3A. If they can’t, their season will end — but we’re betting they’ll bring a different approach into the final 12 minutes of a game in mid-November than the one we saw in September and early October.
THE STAMP PALM BAY: MAYS MOVES PROGRAM IN YEAR ONE:
One of the youngest rosters in the district grew up fast. The Pirates are an offseason or two away from joining their counterparts and making it four teams from Brevard in the playoffs from 3A-2.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: PALM BAY
Palm Bay finished with just two wins, but don’t let that number fool you into believing this season wasn’t a success. It was.
First-year head coach Kevin Mays came in with one goal: rebuild the culture, the character, and the identity of Palm Bay Pirates football and that mission was accomplished.
The record doesn’t tell the story. The way they played does. The way they competed does. The way they showed up every week does.
This was about laying the foundation and they did. You can build wins on that. And they will.
Palm Bay is back to being Palm Bay in how they work and that matters more than any scoreboard in year one.
THE STAMP: VIERA & MELBOURNE
You want blue-collar football?
You want community programs who don’t flinch? You want rivalry games that feel personal? Welcome to Melbourne and Viera and a promising future for both that starts not next August but on November 14.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: VIERA
Viera finished the regular season 6–4 and flexed their muscle over Brevard rival Melbourne.
The defense forced mistakes and got after the quarterback. The Hawks didn’t just win games — they learned how to control situations.
Their linebackers, led by one of the best in the county in James Olson — “The Tackling Machine” — set the tone. Olson finished with 119 tackles, 18 for loss.
Leaders and rising standouts like senior Sal Orlando and sophomores James Harp and Brian Veal were also major contributors. Harp was among the county leaders in sacks with 10, and that trio combined for 23 total sacks and 39 tackles for loss.
On offense, the Hawks were led by dual-threat quarterback Eric Nelson. With playmakers like Shawn Hartman and Jonah Woodruff who could turn short gains into long ones — and a physical but slippery running back in Duke Butler — Viera showed both balance and explosiveness.
They are close. Viera nearly beat district champion Osceola and if they clean up offensive turnovers, they can be a problem in 6A-2 this November.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: MELBOURNE
Melbourne is the team you need to keep your eyes on over the next few years. They played a schedule in 2025 built for growth — one that allowed their young stars to shine while restoring a winning culture.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season 6–4 and got better every single week. The evidence was clear in October against an Osceola team that had controlled the series in recent years — but this year, Melbourne was within eight.
The Bulldogs tackled their weaknesses head-on and enter the postseason with identity and resilience — which is more dangerous than talent alone.
And the talent is absolutely there. Freshman RB Tyreese Jefferson set a school freshman record with 14 rushing TDs.
Sophomore QB CJ Hall threw for 18 touchdowns and senior LBs Tyler Gagen & Daniel Negron combined for 210 tackles and are the tone-setters and anchors of a tough Bulldogs defense that turns offenses over, 25 total this season.
Whatever happens in the playoffs, first-year head coach Jeff Pannucci can proudly say this season was mission accomplished. If this core stays together, Melbourne will win a lot of games over the next three years.
And yes — that means games in November.
ROCKLEDGE & HERITAGE
THE STAMP:
Two teams that played arguably the most exciting Kickoff Classic this season against each other had seasons where both took hits and both are still standing.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW ROCKLEDGE
Rockledge played one of the toughest schedules in the state. A young roster faced veteran giants and didn’t fold, they adapted.
They got stronger. They found roles. They stopped bleeding plays. And when the page turned to district play? They nearly won another district title.
It says something when a 3–7 team will reach the playoffs. It says that if you played a schedule that was the opposite of one of the hardest, you might be 7–3 — but did you come out of it as prepared as this young group might be after facing the likes of state-ranked No. 1, state-ranked No. 4, state-ranked No. 17, and a resurgent Cocoa team?
Only their first-round playoff matchup will tell that tale, but the fact they are heading to the playoffs is a testament to what this team survived in 2025.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW — HERITAGE
Heritage will have to wait until the final FHSAA rankings come out to see if last week’s come-from-behind win over Melbourne Central Catholic is enough to push them into the eighth and final playoff spot in 5A-4.
But whether they get in or not, that win told us everything about who this team is.
A week earlier, the Panthers lost the district championship in the final seconds — the kind of loss that breaks teams, that makes some groups fold, that has players checking out and coaches searching for who’s still bought in.
Heritage did the opposite. They showed back up. They fought.
They trailed by 10 late against MCC but still found a way to flip the game, flip the energy, and flip the outcome. They didn’t wait for someone else to save them — they snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
That’s culture. That’s leadership. That’s belief when everything in the moment tells you to quit.
Whether the numbers fall their way Thursday or not, the Panthers already answered the only question that really matters this time of year:
Do you still want to play football in November? Heritage does. And that alone makes them dangerous.
WHAT WE KNOW:
In short, both Rockledge and Heritage have scars from this season, but they didn’t stare at them wondering when they would heal. The Raiders and Panthers turned them into structure. Both are still alive, and that says everything.
MCC STILL STANDING AND READY FOR PLAYOFFS:
The Hustlers are another team that played one of the toughest schedules in the state. MCC didn’t just have a hard schedule, they walked through a gauntlet. The Hustlers faced opponents who finished the regular season at a combined 60–27, an absurd .690 strength of schedule.
MCC’s schedule was the second toughest in all of 1A behind only TFA in the last FHSAA rankings.
They took hits. They lost two quarterbacks. They had injuries at key spots every single week.
But they never folded. They stayed standing. They made no excuses. They lined up again and again and played whoever was in front of them.
And after all of it, they won a district championship and extended their season. That tells you everything you need to know about the heart, the pride, and the fabric of this team.
They had what Coach Tillman calls F.A.I.T.H. — Fortitude, Accountability, Integrity, and Trust — all of which make a Hustler at MCC.
Now? You can throw the record out the window. The playoffs reset everything, and MCC is very likely staring at a first-round matchup at home against a familiar opponent they already beat this year: Orlando Christian Prep.
They’ve been hardened by fire.
They’ve survived the weight of a schedule built to break teams.
The Hustlers are still standing.
And that makes them a problem in November.
THE STAMP: ASTRONAUT AND COCOA BEACH
Astronaut and Cocoa Beach didn’t finish the season the way either had hoped, but both programs are led by great head coaches in Logan Hallock and Ted Kimmey, who both know what it takes to fix what went wrong. And it wasn’t really about what went “wrong” — it was about growing and overcoming adversity.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: ASTRONAUT
Astronaut finished the regular season 5–5, and once again this season will be the first team out of the 2A-2 playoff picture. The War Eagles are close, and they’ll keep their young players who will continue to develop.
Next year, this could very easily be that No. 5 or No. 6 seed that gets them back into the postseason, which is exactly where this program is heading.
Hallock has instilled an identity in the War Eagles program. They have a culture that is now established, and that’s the key.
The foundation is set. The system matches who they are.
The coaches and players believe in it.
Astronaut is positioning itself to go from competitive to dangerous in the years to come.
This was another step-forward season, and it matters.
WHAT WE THINK WE KNOW: COCOA BEACH
Injuries and numbers hurt the Minutemen this season, but they return a good quarterback in Remy Vigne, as well as their top two leading rushers, their top two receivers, and their second-leading tackler.
There is a foundation for Coach Kimmey to continue building on, and if there is a coach who can turn Cocoa Beach into a seven or eight win football team, it’s Ted Kimmey.
THE FINAL WORD
Now the lights don’t just shine, they judge. This is November football in Brevard County.
No more hiding behind records.
No more “we’re young.”
No more “we’re figuring it out.”
No more excuses. Everybody has film. Everybody knows tendencies. Everybody knows who you trust when it’s 4th-and-2 and the season is on the line.
This month is for the teams who finish. The ones who tighten the chinstraps instead of tightening up. The ones who hit harder in the fourth than they did in the first.
If you’re still practicing this week, you earned your seat at the table. But seats don’t mean anything now.
From this point forward, every snap is the resume . Every drive is the reputation. Every Friday night — a potential legacy test.
The playoffs aren’t where stories end. They’re where they start and then become myth.
So buckle up the chinstraps.
Because everything we just lived through, the rivalry nights, the injuries, the breakout student-athletes, the heartbreak, the noise, the noise, the noise — all of it was just the prologue. The real season starts now.
GOOD LUCK
This post is sponsored by thecruisecoach.com ate
