Week 7, Football Preview: TFA faces another test vs. ranked Georgia team

The First Academy (Orlando) has been clearing many hurdles.

The first was creating a cohesive unit after gathering a ton of new faces — adding 30-plus transfers — during the offseason. That hurdle was leapt with ease, as the Royals quickly came together to form a bond on and off the football field.

Another hurdle was an ongoing FHSAA investigation into alleged improprieties. On Wednesday, they cleared it when an FHSAA appeals committee overturned a suspension of five TFA players, allowing them to participate because they sat out one game.

The biggest on-field hurdle has been the Royals’ Week 2 test at Edgewater, which was ranked No. 2 in the Sentinel’s Super 16 Coaches Poll at the time. TFA was No. 7.

The Royals shocked the Eagles with a fourth-quarter comeback to win 28-24.

TFA (6-0) is now No. 3 and the next hurdle rolls into town Friday night. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (4-2), a boarding school ranked No. 15 in Georgia by Maxpreps, plays at TFA, which is No. 15 in Florida. Rabun Gap’s losses are close calls against undefeated boarding schools: Tennessee No. 1 Chattanooga Baylor (6-0), 21-14; and New Jersey No. 2 Hun School of Princeton (5-0), 37-31.

TFA coach Jeff Conaway said his team faces a tall task.

“They are a very large football team, in more ways than one. They’ve got some really impressive size up front on their offensive line and defensive line. You can immediately tell they are impressive for a reason,” Conaway said. “They match that with a lot of talent at the skill positions and when you watch the film and you look for ways to slow them down. … it becomes a bit of a concern.”

Conaway said his players have done well with the recent controversy and adversity surrounding the program.

“The guys have been through a lot and handed it very well,” he said. “After a while it becomes exhausting, but they have impressed me.”

He expects the same against Rabun Gap.

“We’ve played a lot of really good teams and we have passed those tests, maybe won some games we should not have won,” Conaway said. “We’ve been tested from a size perspective, from a speed perspective. You never really know until the game starts, but I feel like we’ve done everything we can do to be prepared.”

The Royals boast one of the top passing attacks in the state. Quarterback Salomon Georges Jr. has thrown for 1,370 yards and 13 touchdowns. Receivers Demetrice McCray (574 yards) and Evan James (507) are his top targets.

Also Friday night, Super 16 No. 11 Oviedo (4-1) travels to Hagerty (4-2) to renew its annual crosstown rivalry, which has been lopsided in favor of the visitor. The Lions won last year 48-14, and have a seven-game winning streak against the Huskies.

On Tuesday this week, four teams cleaned up their schedules by making up Week 1 rainouts: No. 4 Dr. Phillips (6-0) had a 34-7 win over Lake Nona (3-3) and No. 16 Evans (4-2) handed No. 8 West Orange (5-1) a 39-13 loss. In a game scheduled for Tuesday, No. 5 Edgewater (4-2) defeated No. 12 Winter Park (3-3), 49-16.

On Monday, Mount Dora Christian moved to 7-0 with a 51-0 win over Duval Charter.

In recognition of the Jewish Rosh Hashanah holiday, most Orange County teams are idle this weekend.

Week 7 games

(rankings are from Sentinel Super 16)

Monday

No. 15 Ocoee 48, West Port 8

Oak Ridge 47, Orlando University 26

Mount Dora Christian 51, Duval Charter 0

Umatilla 55, Interlachen 48

Zarephath Academy 36, West Oaks Academy 0

Tuesday

No 5 Edgewater 49, No. 12 Winter Park 16

No. 4 Dr. Phillips 34, Lake Nona 7

No. 16 Evans 39, No. 8 West Orange 13

Lake Buena Vista 28, Cypress Creek 13

Today

Leesburg (4-1) at Ponte Vedra (3-2), 6

Friday

Titusville (2-3) at No. 2 Seminole (5-0)

Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Ga.) (4-2) at No. 3 The First Academy (6-0)

North Miami Beach (2-3) at No. 6 Lake Mary (3-2)

Orlando Christian Prep (2-4) at No. 9 Bishop Moore (4-1)

Tampa Jesuit (2-2) at No. 10 Orange City University (5-1)

No. 11 Oviedo (4-1) at Hagerty (4-2)

No. 13 DeLand (4-2) at Mainland (1-5)

Lake Brantley (2-4) at Tohopekaliga (3-2)

Lake Howell (1-4) at Lyman (1-4)

South Sumter (2-4) at Lake Minneola (2-3), 7:30

Foundation Academy (2-3) at Eustis (0-5)

Celebration (1-4) at Liberty (2-4)

St. Cloud (2-4) at Gateway (3-3)

Matanzas (3-3) at Mount Dora (4-1)

Lake Region (0-5-1) at Poinciana (3-2), 7:30

Winter Springs (4-1) at Space Coast (5-2)

Ocala Forest (1-4, 1-0) at South Lake (2-3, 1-0)

Pine Ridge (0-4, 0-0) at Deltona (1-4, 0-0)

Cocoa Beach (2-3) at Master’s Academy (5-1), 7:30

Trinity Prep (0-5) at Cornerstone Charter (5-2)

Sevens River Christian (3-3) at Faith Christian (3-3)

Windermere Prep (2-3) at First Academy-Leesburg (2-4)

Orangewood Christian (3-4) at Legacy Charter (1-5)

Christ’s Church (5-0) at Mount Dora Christian (7-0), 7:30

Umatilla (3-3) at Tavares (4-1)

Father Lopez (0-4) at Deltona Trinity (1-5)

Saturday

Hudson (2-4) at Ocoee (4-2), noon

Open Friday : Apopka, Boone, CFCA, Colonial, Dr. Phillips, East Ridge, East River, Evans, Foundation Academy, Freedom, Harmony, Horizon, Innovation, Jones, Lake Highland Prep, Lake Nona, Oak Ridge, Olympia, Kissimmee Osceola, Timber Creek, University (Orlando), Wekiva, West Oaks Academy, West Orange, Windermere.