Around the county in 30 days
A daily spring preview of every football program in the county.
Carrollwood Day School
Coach: Lane McLaughlin (second season, 10-3. Note: This is the program's first season of 11-man football)
Last season: 10-3 (Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial Schools champion)
District: Independent
Key losses: WR David Walker
Who's back: RB/DB Darrius Bing, DE/OL Mak Djulebegodic, QB Billy Embody,
RB/LB Matt Monteilh, DB/TE Chris Tufts.
What's new: Just about everything. The program is making the jump from six-man to 11-man football with a bang. It had great success last fall, returns most of its team, is building a stadium and will be joined in the fall by quarterback/receiver/defensive back Jon Gruden II (also known as "Deuce"), the son of Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden. The Patriots will compete in an eight-team conference comprised of independent programs at the 1B level that will hold a championship game. CDS currently has 24 players, but keep an eye on Embody. He passed for 33 touchdowns last season, and it will be interesting to see how he transitions to the 11-man game. Bing is another exciting young player.
Audible: "The school is catching fire. We're getting ready. Kids are showing up. We're anxious to get on the field … the big field." — McLaughlin
Did you know?: Before coming to CDS, McLaughlin was an assistant at Jefferson for eight seasons. During his stint there, the Dragons twice reached the state final.
Spring game
May 22
at Canterbury
2008 schedule
Sept. 5 vs. Leesburg
First Academy
Sept. 12 vs. Sarasota
Out-of-Door Academy
Sept. 19 at Moore Haven
Sept. 26 at Hernando Christian
Oct. 3 vs. Mount Dora Bible
Oct. 10 at
Bradenton
St. Stephen's Episcopal
Oct. 24 at
Bradenton Christian
Oct. 31 vs.
Bishop McLaughlin
Nov. 7 at
Canterbury
Keith Niebuhr, Times staff writer
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