Armwood football team riding undefeated season

Sean Barie reports.

SEFFNER, Fla. - The Armwood High School football team isn't just playing for another state title or even an undefeated season anymore, because the Hawks are playing for their family.

"It feels great to be with my family," said senior running back Girard Pringle. "They fought hard to break up the family, but we just wanted to be with each other for Thanksgiving."

Few, if any, know more about this family’s history than Armwood head coach Evan Davis, who helped the Hawks win their first state title as a player 21 years ago.

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"It laid the blue prints for us for all the success for the next 20 years," Davis said.

Now, in his eighth season as the Hawks head coach, Davis has his team practicing during Thanksgiving week, continuing what once seemed like an annual tradition after the Hawks played in six state title games over an 11-year span.

"I feel like I'm trying to carry that standard forward for this program. Not to let it die out like so many other programs around the state," said Davis.

This program, however, is alive and well in 2024 with a perfect (12-0) record, so far, this season.

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"We put a great team together. We all have the same mindset, and we're determined," Pringle said.

If the 12 wins from 12 games wasn’t impressive enough, the Hawks have also shutout the other team six times this season while outscoring their opponents by a combined 440 points.

"It feels great when you leave a game and come to school the next day knowing you blew out a team, and they didn't score on us," said senior safety Olontae Dean.

By all standards, 2024 has been a dominant season for the Hawks.

"It feels good, but it won't mean anything if we're 12-1 on Saturday," said Davis.

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Now, with the Hawks just three wins away from the program’s fourth state title, the standard that once defined the Armwood football team has returned to the stadium that borders I-4.

"Our players just believe, and they don't stop fighting," said Davis.

That standard has the Hawks ready to take the next step on their playoff journey as they host Osceola on Friday night in the state quarterfinals.

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