Two of the top quarterbacks in Central Florida went at it Friday night at Bishop Moore.
Jackson Stecher of Lake Brantley led the Patriots against Blake McCullough, two of the top 10 players in the Sentinel’s 2028 Central Florida Super60, in one of a number of Kickoff Classic preseason games across the region.
The prolific passers made it an aerial show in the first half, and Bishop Moore, ranked No. 6 in the Sentinel’s Preseason Super 16 Coaches Poll, led No. 15 Lake Brantley 21-14 at the half. Both teams played mostly backup players in the second half, and the host Hornets won going away 38-21.
At No. 3 Edgewater, perennial power Armwood of Seffner visited, and the two teams slugged it out to a 14-14 tie through three quarters. But Edgewater quarterback Joe Aicher went down with a horrific injury on the first play of the fourth quarter, and the game was halted.
Edgewater coach Patrick Brown said Saturday morning, “The initial scans are good. They are going to do more tests due to the bone sensitivity. He is in good spirits.”
Aicher was injured while running the ball on a second-and-34-play. As he was being tackled by an Armwood player and on his way to the ground, he was hit by two more Armwood players. He did not move for several seconds as medical personnel rushed on the field. Aicher eventually rolled over with the help of doctors and trainers. He was able to move his arms and legs and talk. He complained of soreness in his neck.
Pictures: Bishop Moore vs. Lake Brantley Preseason Football
Attendants kept him motionless and his neck steady as they awaited the rapid response unit. He was eventually moved to a stretcher and taken away by ambulance, about 35 minutes after the injury. The two teams agreed to stop the contest and the game ended in a 14-14 tie.
“There’s no way we can continue after this,” Browning said after the game. “I just hope he’s OK. I’m usually not a person who has a hard time formulating words for a situation, but right now I’m a little bit speechless. It hurts.”
Doctors (right) and team trainers (in red) attend to Edgewater quarterback Joe Aicher after he was injured during Friday night’s Kickoff Classic game against Armwood. Edgewater coach Patrick Browning (red hat) looks on. The game was called after the injury, ending in a 14-14 tie. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
No. 3 Edgewater 14, Armwood 14
Edgewater, which trailed 14-7 at halftime, got a 20-yard touchdown run from quarterback Cruz James in the first quarter. That was set up by an interception by the Eagles Brandon Thompson.
Edgewater finally kicked up some offensive momentum in the third quarter, thanks largely by four Armwood penalties and a 35-yard pass play from James to Dylan Troutman. JT Hammonds scored on a 1-yard run.
The Eagles threatened again toward the end of the third quarter. A James pass to Que Lewis for 20 yards moved the Eagles to the Armwood 23-yard line. But back-to-back penalties sent the Eagles back to the 47 as the quarter ended.
Aicher was hurt on the next play.
Medical personnel take Edgewater quarterback Joe Aicher off the field after he was injured during Friday night’s Kickoff Classic game against Armwood. Aicher was moving his arms and legs and was talking, but was complaining of neck pain. The game was called after the injury, ending in a 14-14 tie. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel)
No. 6 Bishop Moore 38, No. 15 Lake Brantley 21
McCullough finished with 127 yards and three touchdowns on 8-for-11 passing. He completed throws to Lucas Bower, running back Donovan Ferrufino and Magnus Talma for the scores.
“I thought we did a good job,” Bishop Moore coach Matt Hedrick said. “A little sloppy at times. It was good for us defensively to play against that offense and that quarterback. We had some breakdowns, but otherwise I thought we made it pretty difficult on them.”
Stecher finished with 193 yards on 14-for-23 passing. He rushed for the game’s opening touchdown and found Braylon Woodson for a 61-yard score.
“I was really proud of the way the guys competed, especially with our 1s in the first half,” Lake Brantley coach Garrett Kruczek said. “We were with them for most of the half. A lot of things that we can correct, but it was really good to see the guys compete.”
Lake Brantley quarterback Jackson Stecher (9) throws past Bishop Moore defender Deion Plummer (99) during the Lake Brantley High School at Bishop Moore Catholic High School preseason varsity football game in Orlando on Friday, August 14, 2026. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
Miami Central 28, No. 2 Jones 17
Miami Central took advantage of a pair of Jones turnovers inside the 20-yard line and the Jones offense struggled, but the Tigers defense was stellar, with multiple sacks and three interceptions, two by Ke’sean Williams and a pick-6 TD by Sharad Haire.
Offensively for Jones, Benji Johnson caught a touchdown pass from Peyton Carroll and Spencer Bartholomew kicked a 47-yard field goal.
No. 5 Evans at Wakulla, canceled
Inclement weather wiped this game out.
No. 7 The First Academy 38, Kathleen 0
TFA showed off its freshman talent in a big way in rolling to a victory in which the Royals scored all 38 points in the first half. TFA pulled starters after the running clock kicked in.
Freshman Brycen Robb had a pair of touchdown runs, freshman Hyquez Russell had one and freshman quarterback Deuce Woods threw a touchdown pass to sophomore Ruben Williams. Freshman Prince Stephens had an interception.
Bishop Moore, Edgewater, Seminole, West Orange games in the book | Football Live Report
Mainland 27, No. 8 Osceola 9
Osceola struggled against Mainland, one of the state favorites in Class 6A. The Kowboys managed one touchdown by Zylin Garrett on a 4-yard run. The Bucs held Osceola to only 94 rushing yards.
No. 9 West Orange 38, Apopka 18
The Warriors built a 35-12 halftime lead behind a strong performance from their junior quarterback, AJ Chung. He finished the night with 141 yards passing, completing 14-of-23 passes for one touchdown.
Yuto Kawamura-Johnson caught the TD pass and also had a 78-yard kickoff return TD. Jayden Ammons rushed for two short touchdowns in the win, and Kayden Lovett had a 50-yard fumble return for a TD.
Apopka’s Jaylen Laster had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Quarterback Hunter McNenney had a short TD run and 114 yards passing in the first half for the Blue Darters.
No. 10 Oviedo 42, University (Orange City) 0
Johnnie Cobbs rushed for 125 yards and two touchdowns and Sebastian Galeano ran and passed for a touchdown. Jordan Donahoo caught a TD pass and Landon Browdy added a rushing TD.
On defense for Oviedo, Davin Scott had six tackles and a sack and Evan Sorkness had nine tackles.
No. 11 Seminole 10, No. 13 Lake Nona 7
The Seminole defense forced eight turnovers. Standout corner RJ Hampton had two interceptions, a blocked punt and five tackles. Jojo Watson had an interception and a 75-yard blocked field goal return for a touchdown.
No. 16 Dr. Phillips 34, Boone 16
Running back Justin Felton Jr. ran for four touchdowns, Demarco “Chop” Henderson had five tackles for loss and Kyron Rolle had three sacks for the Panthers.
CFCA 61, Discovery 0
Freshman quarterback Gavin Pritzkau threw six touchdown passes for Central Florida Christian Academy. Deshaun Jones and Melvin Mack caught two apiece, and Hudson Lambert and Samuel Denison each had one.
Thursday’s scores
Buchholz 26, No. 4 Lake Mary 17
No.14 Winter Park 28, Spruce Creek 7
Friday’s Super 16 Scores
Miami Central 28, No. 2 Jones 17
No. 3 Edgewater 14, Armwood 14
No. 5 Evans at Wakulla (cancelled)
No. 6 Bishop Moore 38, No. 15 Lake Brantley 21
No. 7 The First Academy 38, Kathleen 0
Mainland 27, No. 8 Osceola 9
No. 9 West Orange 38, Apopka 18
No. 10 Oviedo 42, University (Orange City) 0
No. 11 Seminole 10, No. 13 Lake Nona 7
Viera 35, No. 12 South Lake 15
No. 16 Dr. Phillips 34, Boone 16
Friday’s Other Scores
River Ridge 42, Celebration 0
CFCA 61, Discovery 0
Tiber Creek 48, Colonial 0
Cypress Creek 3, Liberty 0
East Ridge 35, St. Cloud 6
Cornerstone Christian 38, Faith Christian 32
Foundation Academy 45, Master’s Academy 20
Gateway 42, University (Orlando) 14
Harmony 46, Freedom 0
Hagerty 48, Lyman 6
Horizon 15, Winter Springs 10
South Marion at Lake Buena Vista (scrimmage)
Lake Howell 38, Deltona 0
Lake Minneola 25, Leesburg 7
Cambridge Christian 53, West Oaks 12
Pasco 35, Mount Dora 28
Mount Dora Christian 27, Oak Hall 6
Oak Ridge 19, Tenoroc 0
Ocoee 29, Olympia 0
Orangewood Christian 35, All Saints 0
Pine Ridge at Nova Lakes
Poinciana 37, Palm Bay 13
Umatilla 48, Taylor 0
Wekiva 14, Tavares 13
Windermere 14, Father Lopez 0
Windermere 7, NFEI 0
No scores reported
Astronaut at East River
North Miami Beach at Eustis
Note: correspondents Philip Rossman-Reich, Jean Racine, Chris Martucci and J. Daniel Pearson contributed to this report.