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The First Academy's playoff bid falls short as judge rules in favor of FHSAA ban

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo14 hours agoAndy_Villamarzo
The First Academy Royals Football
The First Academy Royals (Fla.) head into 2025 as one of Florida's top high school football programs; Courtesy of The First Academy Football

The First Academy, Florida’s No. 22 ranked team according to the Massey Ratings, looks like will not be eligible to make the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) playoffs after all.

According to a court hearing, Orange County Judge Margaret H. Schreiber ruled to dissolve the Royals’ temporary emergency injunction, which per Jon Santucci of USA Today’s report effectively keeps the program’s FHSAA postseason ban intact and will not take part in the Class 1A playoffs.

With The First Academy’s ban remaining in place, Indian Rocks Christian School retains the No. 8 seed and will face No. 1 seeded Clearwater Central Catholic this Friday night in the Class 1A, Region 2 playoffs.

“Congratulations to Indian Rocks Christian. They did what they needed to do during the regular season and we’ll get ready to play them in the playoffs,” Clearwater Central Catholic head coach Chris Harvey said Monday afternoon to Rivals.

Attorney Paul Aloise Jr., one of two lawyers that is representing a group of Royals players, filed for an emergency temporary injunction in an attempt to reverse the program’s two-year playoff ban that was imposed on The First Academy by the FHSAA.

Last week Schreiber temporarily lifted the playoff ban imposed by the FHSAA on The First Academy, which technically made the Royals, who are listed as the No. 3 seed in Class 1A, Region 2, eligible for the postseason.

The First Academy finishes the season with a 5-5 record after defeating last year’s Class 5A runnerup Lakeland, 35-28 at Bryant Stadium, recently.

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