![\"Deuce](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TOS-L-anthony-deuce-woods-02.jpg\")
Deuce Woods took over the starting quarterback job at The First Academy when he was in eighth grade, and now the freshman has led the Royals to a No. 6 ranking in the state, according to MaxPreps. (Chris Hays\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\nIn the latest MaxPreps high school football rankings, The First Academy of Orlando finds itself sitting at No. 6 in the state. That means if the season ended today, the Royals would be part of the Florida High Schools Athletic Association\u2019s new Open Division playoffs, pitting the state\u2019s top eight teams in a five-week tournament to determine the state\u2019s overall champion.<\/p>\n
TFA coach Jeff Conaway says he\u2019s not sure what to think about being thrust into the Open 8 division. Qualifying for the top-eight tournament removes TFA from competition for the Class 2A state title. The Royals, if they remained the top seed in Class 2A, would be the favorite to win their first-ever football state championship.<\/p>\n
By qualifying for the new Open 8 format, the Royals would certainly be an underdog when put up against teams like 5A St. Thomas Aquinas, 6A Miami Columbus and 5A West Boca Raton, which are the top three teams in the most recent MaxPreps rankings, and all three schools have won multiple state titles within their classes.<\/p>\n
TFA moved up from No. 12 last week, even after losing to the state\u2019s No. 2-ranked team IMG Academy 42-27 on Friday night. Despite the loss, the Royals moved up six spots based on IMG bolstering their strength of schedule. IMG is not part of the FHSAA, so they are not eligible for the state playoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what I think about it. I haven\u2019t really thought about it, but here we are,\u201d Conaway said. \u201cI think I can get on either side of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Deuce Woods took over the starting quarterback job at The First Academy when he was in eighth grade, and now the freshman has led the Royals to a No. 6 ranking in the state, according to MaxPreps. (Chris Hays\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
He does, however, know how his players would react if they qualified for the Open 8.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think they would be thrilled. That is a huge honor,\u201d Conaway said. \u201cWhen you start talking about the seven other top teams in Florida that you would play against, just to be in the conversation is a huge accomplishment, especially for us, a 2A school that hasn\u2019t been doing this for very long at all at this level.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo yes, we would be excited and honored. The programs that are being mentioned in the top eight in Florida are some of the best programs in all of the country, so that\u2019s something we would definitely be excited about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conaway said he can understand how teams look at the state playoff situations and how dominance by particular programs have led the FHSAA to consider alternate ways to even the playing field within each classification.<\/p>\n
![\"Versatile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TOS-L-jdeion-jackson-10-02.jpg\")
Versatile sophomore tight end Jdeion Jackson, who also plays defensive end, has been a key factor for The First Academy this season. (Chris Hays\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
Like, for instance, St. Thomas Aquinas of Fort Lauderdale, is currently the No. 1 team in Florida. The Raiders have won seven consecutive state titles within their classification, which has been classes 7A, 3M and 5A during that time span.<\/p>\n
\u201cState\u2019s lean toward an open division because there have been programs that have been dominating a classification,\u201d Conaway said. \u201cI think you have to determine is it good for a 1A, 2A, 3A school, that has never won a state championship, to be put in that situation (Open 8)?<\/p>\n
\u201cI would imagine, if you are a school, public or private, that has never won a state championship, those schools are probably going to lean toward staying in the classification that they are in.\u201d<\/p>\n
If a school qualifies for the Open 8, there is no opting out, which was confirmed by FHSAA executive director Craig Damon on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have never won a state title and you are in the Open Division, I would think that there would be an opportunity for them to say, \u2018Hey we\u2019re not gonna accept this offer. We\u2019re gonna stay in our classification,\u2019 \u201d Conway said, speaking of other schools. \u201cBut that\u2019s not in the verbiage as I understand it.\u201d<\/p>\n
And, it\u2019s not necessarily how TFA views the overall picture.<\/p>\n
Conway says he\u2019s on the fence about whether he likes the idea of being thrust into a playoff format with the state\u2019s heavyweights, but TFA would love to be one of those heavyweights. Conaway was hired from Arkansas three seasons ago to come in and build a powerhouse football program, and an open division playoff scenario would certainly align with TFA\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know exactly where I stand on it, honestly, based on my team and my selfish desires,\u201d Conaway said. \u201cNeither are bad options. If we don\u2019t make the top eight, it\u2019s not a bad option to go try to win a 2A state championship. If we do make the top 8, that\u2019s not a bad option either. Let\u2019s go see where we stand among the best in Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps it thrusts TFA into the state limelight a bit faster than anticipated, but the present is upon the Royals, so Conaway and his team will trudge forward accordingly, although he also says the competition isn\u2019t everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ultimate goal for us is to develop champions spiritually, academically, socially and athletically,\u201d Conaway said. \u201cSo, if we are doing our No. 1 job, to a very high standard, then yeah, I think the byproduct of that is that we are going to eventually be able to play for a state title and the way that the Open Division is set up \u2026 who knows? We may eventually be able to play for an Open Division title.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know which happens first. Who knows? We\u2019ll find out in about five or six weeks. We\u2019re either in it or we\u2019re not. We\u2019ll have a chance to go play for a 2A state title or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"DeLand](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/TOS-L-gardner-nordmanA.jpg\")
DeLand quarterback Gardner Nordman has guided the Bulldogs to the state’s No. 13 ranking this week according to MaxPreps. (Chris Hays\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n
The way of thinking for many coaches, including DeLand coach Rick Darlington, whose team is currently ranked No. 13 in the state and No. 1 in the Sentinel\u2019s Super 16 Coaches Poll<\/a>, is that they might like to remain within their class so that their players have a better opportunity to play for a state championship.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not fair to teams like us, Edgewater and Jones, who have never won a state title. And think about how close Jones and Edgewater have been. So now, to finally have that team that can win it, and you get thrown in there with St. Thomas and Chaminade and American Heritage and Venice and Lakeland,\u201d Darlington said prior to the start of the season.<\/p>\n Jones coach Elijah Williams, whose Tigers are ranked No. 21 this week, has the same sentiments.<\/p>\n \u201cOur fan base wants a state title, because we ain\u2019t never won one. So they don\u2019t care about that,\u201d Williams. \u201cI believe you ain\u2019t no state champion if you ain\u2019t playing Broward or Dade County teams. There\u2019s always some Miami team. To win state (within class) you gotta go through a lot of good teams.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s rewarding to be in the top eight in Florida, but at the end of the day, you want to win a state championship.\u201d<\/p>\n