Varsity Football: 2022 Season Preview – Conquerors Look For 3rd Straight Title and 10th Overall
Head Coach: Verlon Dorminey, 32nd season
Football is back! The 2022 FHSAA football preseason games occur on August 19, and the first regular-season games begin on August 26.
Jacksonville’s Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors are coming off two consecutive State championships, and they are looking to make it three in a row for the first time since a four-year run from 2013-2016 in Florida’s Class 3A. Two years ago, TCA won the title again in Class 3A, and in 2022, the Conquerors took their first-ever Class 2A crown. These two championships bring the all-time total to nine for TCA, including a trio from Trinity’s Class 1A run in the early 2000’s.
All nine championships have come under one head coach: Verlon Dorminey.
2021 in Review
The 2021 Conquerors finished at 6-4 in the regular season on their way to the Class 2A State Championship. The Conquerors started with wins in their first five games and in six of their first seven. The team then finished on a three-game snag with close losses to some of North Florida’s finest.
Week 10’s game was the last loss; TCA then stormed through the postseason with average winning scores of 38-18 to bring the total record to 10-4. Coach Dorminey knew the competition that his players previously struggled against but also knew his team would not let that stop them from going all the way. "We struggled in the middle, but it's not how you start; it's how you finish," said Coach Dorminey.
New FHSAA Classification
Now entering his 32nd season at the helm, Coach Dorminey will prepare his team to lead the way in the new FHSAA classification system. There are now four main classes based on enrollment for grades 9-12. Trinity finds itself in Class 1M. The ‘M’ stands for ‘Metro’. Other classes at this level include 1R (rural), 1S (suburban), and 1I (independent).
Trinity Christian will play in Class 1M’s Region 1, District 1, which also includes four more Jacksonville schools: Christ’s Church Academy, North Florida Educational Institute, Providence, and University Christian.
Trinity will face all four of those teams this season, which Coach Dorminey endorses. "I like having the required district opponents because it makes scheduling a lot easier knowing we will definitely play against them," he said.
With the new classifications, any two teams can play each other in the regular season. However, teams will not cross over to play M vs. S or similar matchups in the postseason or state series. 1M will have its own playoff system; 1S will have its own system; and so on. "Now, if we win in M only,” asks Coach Dorminey, “are we really a true state champion?"
Key Returning Players
Obviously, among the biggest cogs in the Conquerors’ machine are senior running back and ATH Treyaun Webb, junior running back Darnell Rogers, and sophomore quarterback Colin Hurley.
Webb (1,192 yards, 11 TD’s) and Rogers (1,299 yards, 13 TD’s) combined for 2,491 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground last year. The duo is healthy and ready to repeat and even improve on these dynamic totals. Webb, who racked up his numbers in 10 games last year, recently committed to the University of Florida, and Rogers is receiving tremendous attention from Division 1 schools around the country.
Hurley is among the nation’s top-rated quarterbacks in the Class of 2025. He threw for 2,146 yards and 24 touchdowns as a freshman last year after getting valuable experience in the postseason as the backup quarterback in eighth grade in 2020. He will have a new receiving corp this year as all of 2021’s top receivers have graduated.
Senior Seth Bialek will continue to kick field goals, and he will also become one of Hurley’s big new targets. Bialek converted 40 extra points and 12 field goals last season, and he caught a touchdown pass in the championship game, one of two total TD receptions last year. He scored 88 total points.
Junior London Smith moves into the slot position and will also catch passes from Hurley.
The men protecting the ball carriers include sophomore Tyler Cline, who is returning from leg injuries and plays any position on the offensive line, and senior Christian Markum at center.
Junior linebacker Cam Anderson was second on the team in tackles last season and among Florida’s leaders with 106, including 16.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.
Two-way players will include sophomore Walker Ashley at fullback and outside linebacker and seniors Malachi Young and Dorean Cleveland on both the offensive and defensive lines.
Key Additions
Joining the Conquerors for the first time and already showing their impact are sophomore Judd Terry and junior Brian Prince on the offensive line. New Conqueror defenders include junior Bryce Kazmierczak at middle linebacker and junior Lane Fouraker on the defensive line.
Junior Miles Burris returns to TCA after a year away. Burris is part of the receiving corp as are newcomers Kyle Bolston and Tyrone Summerall (both juniors).
Rivalry Games
All TCA football games are exciting, but Coach Dorminey said to keep an eye out for three intriguing games in particular: at Ed White on August 26 and home against both University Christian on October 14 and Providence on October 28.
Other big rivalries include Raines (September 2), Bolles (September 16), and Columbia (September 23). All three are home games for the Conquerors. See the full schedule via MaxPreps here.
Likely Region and Final Four Opponents
1M, Region 2 is home to two perennial state championship contenders in Orlando’s First Academy and Orlando Christian Prep, whom the Conquerors defeated in the last year’s 2A state semifinal game.
Coach Dorminey, though, said to keep close watch on Region 4: "Chaminade-Madonna is the #1-rated small school in the nation,” he said. “They have three D-1 wide receivers and 2 D-1 linemen, and their defense is loaded. They will definitely contend for the state championship."
Biggest Challenge for the Season
Coach Dorminey offered his thoughts on the biggest challenge he faces for the new season. “Getting all the pieces with new players, new roles for returning players, knowing it is a journey throughout the whole season,” he said. “Not everything may come together the first week like we saw last year.”
Trinity has many new faces who are learning to play together. Regardless of the regular-season results, though, come playoff time, the Conquerors will be ready to compete for another title.