Jay, Central football ready for life in new FHSAA Independent League

Both Jay and Central will compete in a new FHSAA football venture this fall.

The Royals and Jaguars will compete in the Independent League, which is full of public and private schools seeking a more competitive option than the FHSAA state series, which determines state champions in each classification.

Both Jay and Central had joined the Sunshine State Athletic Association Atlantic League in January, but both returned to the association to play in the Atlantic B south division, which is for schools with 859 students and below.

So many small town schools initially opted to join the SSAA before joining the Independent League that the FHSAA merged the Rural classification and 1A in late January.

“With us being a new program we felt like the opportunities in the Independent League were the best for us and the direction that we wanted to go,” Central head coach Joe Surratt said.

The top eight teams in the league’s North and South Division, respectively, according to MaxPreps will advance to a regional playoff culminating in a championship on Dec. 4 at The Villages Charter School.

“It was kind of nerve wracking because we make a decision that was best for Jay every year,” Jay head coach Brian Watson said. “We were worried that if there wasn’t going to be a set playoffs this year because we had a senior team…so there was a little nervousness of getting into the independent league because there was so much uncertainty of what the playoffs were going to entail but it’s worked out to where we’re going to have a full playoffs.”

Below is what to expect from Jay and Central this fall.

2025 record: 6-5

Head coach: Brian Watson (5th season)

Last year, Watson wanted the Royals to be a physical football team. Jay continued along that path this offseason, and the fifth-year head coach said he’s seen few team like this.

The Royals boys weightlifting team had a successful spring, winning their first Region 1-1A title in school history. Other multisport athletes committed to the weight room too, which should pay dividends this fall.

“Everybody this offseason has just bought into the weight room,” Watson said. “Sometimes we have multisport athletes and sometimes that’s a struggle to get them to commit to the weight room. But this is probably one of the strongest teams Jay’s had since I’ve been here.”

Jay brings back tons of experience this fall, entering 2026 with 16 seniors on the roster and nine returning starters on both sides of the ball. Some of seniors have been starting since their sophomore year, while others grew up a lot last fall as juniors in their first varsity action.

After struggling to finish games early in the season, the Royals won five straight games and earned a surprise Rural state playoff appearance, losing to state runner-up Blountstown in the Rural regional semifinals.

“Later in the season we found out how to win a game in the fourth quarter,” Watson said. “And that momentum carried us the rest of the way.”

Jay expects to be run heavy on offense, led by senior Jaymes Youngblood, a returning PNJ all-area running back, and senior Milton transfer Austin Eichman. Senior Jaylen Youngblood returns as the starting quarterback and will be able to keep teams honest with a pair of solid receivers in seniors Bryson Morris and Tanner Mandell.

There’s strength up front too, with senior Chase Dooley, a two-time 1A boys weightlifting state champion, and junior Garrett Ashworth on the offensive and defensive line. Seniors Rylan Williams and Mandell will slot in at defensive end. Jaymes Youngblood, Eichman and seniors Blane Ledbetter and Cam Pierce slot in at linebacker, while Morris and senior Landon Stewart return in the secondary.

With so much experience, the coaching staff has been focusing on keeping their heads on straight going into the season. If the Royals want to make a postseason run, they can’t start slow like they did a year ago.

“We can’t be complacent,” Watson said. “We just got to keep raising the bar and reminding them of expectations. We’re going into a new league and we don’t want to not get into the playoffs by slipping up early in the season."

2025 record: 4-7

Head coach: Joe Surratt (3rd season)

Surratt isn’t shying away from expectations in the Jaguars third ever season.

Central’s seniors this fall were part of the junior varsity team that started the program in 2023 and have gotten experience every season. Now they’re the top dogs and ready to take another step forward.

“I expect and I believe that they expect a lot of success to be honest,” Surratt said.

The Jaguars had a lot of firsts last season. They had their first winning streak and hosted their first playoff game, which they won against Wewahitchka in the opening round of the Rural Florida Invitational Tournament.

That was the last in a three-game winning streak, which showed Surratt his group learned how to build throughout a season.

“They understand what it takes from start to finish,” Surratt said. “And it’s a something that our program is learning and I’m hoping that this year with our offseason and the summer workouts and the amount of time and effort they put in, hopefully we’ll kind of get that together and start off stronger.”

Senior Carson Baxley returns as the starting quarterback and senior Carson Ellison is a potential playmaker at receiver. Johnny Johnson is a three-year starter up front and senior Jayden Allen is another disruptor at right guard and defensive end. There are other players to build around on defense too like senior safety Garrett Gandy and senior linebacker Cade Scott.

All of those players have seen the program where it was three years ago turn into one with interest both inside and outside the school. Central students get excited for Friday nights and the school will be getting a new fieldhouse that will hold locker rooms and weight rooms by next spring.

“Even in school last year, it’s all about football now,” Scott said. “It’s awesome.”

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Jay, Central football ready for life in new FHSAA Independent League