USA TODAY Florida Network reporters Jon Santucci and Nick Wilson discuss the biggest topics following the 11th week of the high school football season.
- The First Academy football team was banned from the 2025 playoffs for recruiting violations.
- Lawyers for a group of players sought an emergency court order to reverse the two-year postseason ban.
- A judge initially granted the injunction, but did not sign the order after a motion from the FHSAA.
Darren Heitner and Paul Aloise Jr., attorneys representing a group of TFA football players, initially sought an emergency temporary injunction on Oct. 28 to reverse the program’s two-year postseason ban.
Orange County Judge Margaret H. Schreiber granted an emergency temporary injunction to lift the Royals’ postseason ban on Nov. 5, but did not sign the order following a presentation by FHSAA attorneys.
“Attorneys for the FHSAA filed a motion to dismiss, reduce, or transfer to proper venue, and as a result, the judge did not sign or record the order she orally pronounced on the record, and instead filed an order directing expeditious filing of briefs by both sides, which will likely render our motion for an injunction moot, given that the deadline for the FHSAA to make playoff decisions is 12:00 p.m. (Nov. 6),” he wrote. Aloise in a statement to the USA Today Florida network.
The Florida High School Athletic Association will announce the playoff brackets at noon on Nov. 6.
First Academy received a two-year postseason ban and other sanctions from the FHSAA on Nov. 1, 2024, for allowing 10 student-athletes to participate in football activities before enrolling at the school, as well as for recruiting violations. The Royals didn’t make the playoffs last year.
Darren Heitner and Aloise sent a letter to FHSAA Executive Director Craig Damon on behalf of the players on October 23, demanding that he rescind the ban in writing within 24 hours.
“My clients seek the immediate reversal of these sanctions to allow their participation in the 2025 postseason, failing which we will pursue all available legal remedies, including an emergency injunction in state or federal court to enjoin enforcement of the ban and a civil action for damages arising from the FHSAA’s arbitrary and capricious conduct,” Heitner and Aloise wrote to FHSAA CEO Craig Damon. “The sanctions imposed against The First Academy are egregious, arbitrary, and inconsistent with the FHSAA’s own precedents in handling similar violations at other member schools.”
The FHSAA confirmed to USA TODAY Florida Network on Oct. 24 that it received the letter and sent it to its legal counsel. Leonard Ireland Jr., general counsel for the FHSAA, responded Oct. 28, saying Damon cannot alter or amend First Academy’s sanctions.
“The issues you raise regarding the First Academy football program were decided on appeal by the FHSAA Board of Directors,” Ireland wrote. “In accordance with the FHSAA bylaws, that decision is final.”
First Academy went 5-5 this season and was ranked No. 13 in the USA TODAY Florida Network Super 25 final.
The Royals primarily played a domestic schedule and did not play any District 6-1A opponents. First Academy was ranked No. 10 in Class 1A and No. 4 in Region 2-1A in the Week 11 FHSAA power rankings.