Three things to know
1
You might need a scorecard for this season, considering all the players that changed schools this offseason. No one had more turnover than Wiregrass Ranch, which lost almost as many players as it gained. It picked up a handful of Wharton players, a few from Gaither and may have strengthened itself in the process. Wesley Chapel landed a few key transfers that will be starters in 2026, and Cypress Creek even picked up a few new players, with neither school losing too much.
“It’s just crazy,” said Wiregrass Ranch coach Mark Kantor. “But it’s the world we live in.”
2
For the second straight year, the three Wesley Chapel area schools will open the season with new quarterbacks, but this time they are all transfers. Former Gaither starter Ryan Browning traded schools with last year’s Wiregrass Ranch starter Daniel Terry and will head up the Bulls offense, while Levi Pavlikovic — who started his career at Cypress Creek — moves over from Freedom and will run Wesley Chapel’s offense. At Cypress Creek, former Seffner Christian player Raiden Dutt, a junior, is under center.
3
All three Wesley Chapel area schools will play in the same district for the first time. The Bulls, Coyotes and Wildcats join Land O’Lakes, Sunlake and Wharton in Class 5A, District 7 in what should be a competitive league race to the postseason.
The Skinny
Wiregrass Ranch
The Bulls are still the team to beat locally and in 5A-7, and coach Mark Kantor’s squad doesn’t have many weaknesses. If a running back can emerge from the committee Kantor plans on employing, the Bulls could have one of their best offenses ever. Defensively, transfers helped shore up the one expected weak spot, the secondary, which is now a strength. Even the offensive line, with multiple-year starters Daniel Merisio, Kam Saechao and Zack Lesure — all seniors — is bigger and better than year’s past. Last year, the Bulls started 0-4 and finished 5-6, and Kantor says those who returned are still smarting from a 42-41 overtime loss in the playoffs.
“I think on paper this team can be as good as our 11-2 squad from a few years ago,” Kantor said. “That doesn’t mean that if they don’t execute and do things, we could be a 4-6 or 5-5 squad. So it’s going to be up to the players.”
Cypress Creek
After 0-10 and 1-9 seasons, coach Mike Johnson wasn’t sure he would still have a job this season. But he got a vote of confidence from the principal, replaced most of his assistant coaches and is enthused about this coming season. The defense, with Deuce McAllister leading the way at linebacker, has shown some promise. The addition of Dutt is big for the offense, which lost just about everyone, giving the Coyotes a dual threat signal caller. Cannon Harrington assumes the starting job at running back — he’s the thunder, Johnson says — and will be joined by another Seffner Christian transfer in Jonathan Williams, the homerun hitter according to the coach.
“We’ve got to get back to being balanced like we were in those two seasons (2022-23, when the Coyotes went 16-5),” Johnson said. “We threw for 2,300 and ran for 1,100. We’ve got to get back to that style of football.”
Wesley Chapel
The offense never got going last year, but the defense posted four shutouts as the Wildcats finished 6-5 with a playoff loss to Lakeland. This season, the offense may catch up to the defense, as a couple of key transfers have bolstered the unit and the offensive line shapes up as one of the biggest program units in recent memory, with an opportunity to go 280-pounds at each position. “We’re putting a lot of trust and belief in our o-line,” head coach Bruce Patterson said. A three-headed rotation at running back, led by Roman Turner and Even Kelly, and receivers Darian Borden, Bryce Fleming and Belleview transfer Noah Daye, who led the Rattlers in receptions last year, gives the offense some needed pop. Defensively, linebacker Gavin Barnes heads up a unit that could once again be one of the best in the county.
Players to Watch
Darian Borden, Sr., ATH, Wesley Chapel: Wildcat coach Bruce Patterson thinks only one player in the county, Zephyrhills Sanyiin Black, is better than Borden, and he’s not even fully conceding the top spot. Borden might be the only player in Tampa Bay that completed a pass, rushed for a touchdown, returned a kickoff, punt and interception for touchdowns and also had a sack and three interceptions in 2025. That’s pretty complete.
Ryan Browning, Jr., QB, Wiregrass Ranch: The Gaither transfer threw for 1,883 yards and 21 touchdowns last year, including a playoff win. He’ll fit right in with the Bulls, who have a bevy of skilled receivers to throw the ball to.
Kamoni Dotson, Sr., WR, Wiregrass Ranch: Dotson transferred from Gaither though he never played a game there. Where he did play, however, was Hernando, catching 66 passes for 1,024 yards and six scores.
Bryce Fleming, Sr., WR/DB, Wesley Chapel: Fleming is another one of the Swiss Army Knife Wildcats, able to be productive on both sides of the ball. As a receiver he’ll see more passes this season, and he’ll start at free safety as well.
Joseph Garcia, Sr., OL, Wesley Chapel: Garcia is part of one of the biggest lines the Wildcats have had, and the all-conference performer will lead the way for what is supposed to be a resurgent offense.
Jonah Gonzalez, Sr., WR, Wiregrass Ranch: He forms one of the top duos in Tampa Bay with Dotson, coming off a 38-catch, 690-yard, seven-touchdown season for the Bulls.
Rodney Jones, Sr., DB, Wiregrass Ranch: While he still hasn’t had that breakout season, the Wharton transfer does count USF among a handful of college offers he has received and could be primed for a big senior season.
Carson Kantor, Sr., DT, Wiregrass Ranch: The 6-3, 285-pounder will play alongside Johnnie Willis-Watson, giving the Bulls a formidable presence in the middle of the defensive.
Top newcomers/breakout players
Kingston Anderson, So., TE/DL Wesley Chapel: If the 6-3, 175-pound Anderson can be half as good as his big brother Kiyh was last season, the Wildcats have something.
Noah Daye, Jr., ATH, Wesley Chapel: Patterson is high on Daye, a Belleview transfer who does everything well and compares to teammate Borden.
Raiden Dutt, Jr., QB, Cypress Creek: The Coyotes haven’t had a dual threat under center in years. Dutt played defense for Seffner Christian last year, but Johnson is excited regardless.
Lekai Johnson, So., RB, Wiregrass Ranch: Part of a committee but could steal starting role.
Warren Lopez, Jr., WR, Cypress Creek: A mid-season transfer last season, Lopez had more than 100 yards receiving in the spring game and could emerge as the Coyotes top target.
King Morris, Sr., WR/FS, Wesley Chapel: One of Freedom’s top receivers last season, he should contribute.
Levi Pavlikovic, Jr., QB, Wesley Chapel: Threw for 1,052 yards and 11 touchdowns at Freedom, and is expected to be a significant upgrade for the Wildcats.
By the numbers
300: Wiregrass Ranch quarterback Ryan Browning is at a new school, but he’s pretty familiar with three of the teams in his new district. Last season at Gaither, he had his only two 300-yard games against Wesley Chapel and Wharton, with eight total touchdowns, and added two more touchdowns in limited action against Cypress Creek.
75: Rebuilding is hard. Cypress Creek had a great team in 2023, but lost 26 seniors from that team. Next year, it lost 24 seniors, and last year, 25 seniors. That’s 75 in three seasons. Oof.
3: Proof that winning doesn’t mean your players will stick around. In Wiregrass Ranch’s 42-41 playoff loss to end last season, three players who scored touchdowns in that game transferred in the offseason.