Taking a look at the New Football Teams in the Last 25 Years
There are 28 new high school football teams in Hillsborough, Pasco, and Pinellas Counties in the last 25 years. Let’s take a look at each school’s first 5 years, their overall records, and playoff records. BCP is currently researching Polk County football team records and will update this article once complete.
Since there is a significant difference in the winning percentages in the first 5 years of larger classification new public high school football teams (35.1%) compared to smaller classification new private high school football teams (47.1%), the data has been separated for public and private teams below for comparison.
First 5 Years for New Public High School Football Teams in last 25 Years
| Teams | 1st Year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | W/L | Pct |
| Alonso | 2001 | 1-9 | 2-8 | 8-3 | 2-8 | 4-7 | 17-35 | 32.7% |
| Anclote | 2009 | 0-10 | 3-7 | 4-6 | 6-5 | – | 13-28 | 31.7% |
| Durant | 1995 | 0-10 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 3-7 | 5-5 | 16-34 | 32.0% |
| Fivay | 2010 | 1-4 | 7-4 | 6-4 | – | – | 14-12 | 53.8% |
| Freedom | 2002 | 0-5 | 1-9 | 4-6 | 6-4 | 6-5 | 17-29 | 37.0% |
| Lennard | 2007 | 1-9 | 4-6 | 3-6 | 5-5 | 2-8 | 15-34 | 30.6% |
| Middleton | 2002 | 3-2 | 5-5 | 8-4 | 7-4 | 4-6 | 27-21 | 56.3% |
| Mitchell | 2001 | 1-9 | 4-7 | 3-8 | 7-3 | 5-5 | 20-32 | 38.5% |
| Newsome | 2003 | 1-9 | 4-6 | 4-6 | 7-3 | 5-5 | 21-29 | 42.0% |
| PHU | 1997 | 4-6 | 3-7 | 3-7 | 3-7 | 1-9 | 14-36 | 28.0% |
| River Ridge | 1991 | 0-10 | 3-7 | 3-7 | 6-5 | 7-4 | 19-33 | 36.6% |
| Riverview | 1998 | 0-9 | 5-5 | 8-4 | 8-3 | 6-5 | 27-26 | 50.9% |
| Sickles | 1997 | 1-8 | 3-6 | 0-10 | 2-8 | 3-7 | 9-39 | 18.9% |
| Spoto | 2007 | 3-7 | 4-7 | 8-3 | 6-4 | 6-4 | 27-25 | 51.9% |
| Steinbrenner | 2009 | 0-6 | 5-5 | 7-3 | 5-5 | – | 17-19 | 47.2% |
| Strawberry Crest | 2009 | 1-5 | 5-5 | 2-8 | 4-6 | – | 12-24 | 33.3% |
| Sunlake | 2007 | 0-10 | 1-9 | 4-6 | 9-1 | 10-2 | 24-28 | 46.2% |
| Wharton | 1997 | 1-9 | 1-9 | 2-8 | 2-8 | 4-6 | 10-40 | 20.0% |
| Wesley Chapel | 1999 | 2-8 | 5-5 | 10-1 | 8-3 | 10-1 | 35-18 | 66.0% |
| Wiregrass Ranch | 2007 | 1-9 | 1-9 | 5-5 | 6-5 | 0-10 | 13-38 | 25.5% |
| Totals | 367-680 | 35.1% |
Top 3 Winning PCTs in first 5 years: 1) Wesley Chapel 66.0% 2) Middleton 56.3%, 3) Fivay 53.8%
Nearly half (9 of 20) teams had 33.3% or less Winning PCTs in first 5 years with Sickles 18.9% being the lowest.
Overall and Playoff Records for New Public High School Football Teams in last 25 Years
| Teams | Pct Overall | W/L Overall | Playoff Apps | Playoff W/L | District Titles |
| Alonso | 44.9% | 57-70 | 6 | 1-6 | 1 |
| Anclote | 31.7% | 13-28 | 1 | 0-1 | 0 |
| Durant | 53.7% | 102-88 | 5 | 5-5 | 4 |
| Fivay | 53.8% | 14-12 | 1 | 0-1 | 0 |
| Freedom | 35.8% | 38-68 | 2 | 0-2 | 0 |
| Lennard | 25.4% | 15-44 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Middleton | 43.5% | 47-61 | 2 | 2-2 | 1 |
| Mitchell | 48.4% | 59-63 | 3 | 0-3 | 0 |
| Newsome | 55.7% | 59-47 | 4 | 3-4 | 3 |
| PHU | 37.0% | 60-102 | 2 | 1-2 | 0 |
| River Ridge | 34.4% | 77-147 | 3 | 0-3 | 0 |
| Riverview | 44.2% | 68-86 | 3 | 2-3 | 1 |
| Sickles | 39.3% | 64-99 | 3 | 0-3 | 0 |
| Spoto | 48.4% | 30-32 | 1 | 0-1 | 0 |
| Steinbrenner | 47.2% | 17-19 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Strawberry Crest | 33.3% | 12-24 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Sunlake | 51.6% | 32-30 | 1 | 1-1 | 1 |
| Wharton | 46.5% | 80-92 | 6 | 6-6 | 2 |
| Wesley Chapel | 52.4% | 75-68 | 4 | 0-4 | 3 |
| Wiregrass Ranch | 21.3% | 13-48 | 1 | 0-1 | 1 |
| Totals | 43.1% | 932-1228 |
Top 3 Overall Winning PCTs: 1) Newsome 55.7%, 2) Fivay 53.8%, 3) Durant 53.7%
Forty percent (8 of 20) have overall Winning PCTs less than 40% with Wiregrass Ranch 21.3% being the lowest.
Best Season was by Wharton (13-2), 2002 State Runner-up.
First 5 Years for New Private High School Football Teams in last 25 Years
| Teams | 1st Year | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | W/L | Pct |
| Bishop McLaughlin | 2005 | 2-7 | 5-5 | 1-8 | 6-4 | 3-7 | 17-31 | 35.4% |
| Calvary Christian | 2003 | 3-5 | 4-4 | 4-6 | 6-4 | 4-6 | 21-25 | 45.7% |
| Cambridge Christian | 2003 | 4-5 | 6-4 | 5-5 | 6-4 | 6-4 | 27-22 | 55.1% |
| Canterbury | 2005 | 1-6 | 4-2 | 3-5 | 5-5 | 9-1 | 22-19 | 53.7% |
| Carrollwood Day | 2008 | 4-7 | 9-2 | 8-2 | 6-4 | 10-2 | 37-17 | 68.5% |
| IRC | 1993 | 0-10 | 1-9 | 2-7 | 4-6 | 3-5 | 10-37 | 21.3% |
| Keswick Christian | 1998 | 5-5 | 2-8 | 5-5 | 10-2 | 4-7 | 26-27 | 49.1% |
| Seffner Christian | 2010 | 2-7 | 6-4 | 5-5 | – | – | 13-16 | 44.8% |
| Totals | 173-194 | 47.1% |
Top 3 Winning PCTs within first 5 years: 1) Carrollwood Day 68.5% 2) Cambridge Christian 55.1% 3) Canterbury 53.7%
6 of 8 teams have Winning PCTs greater than 44% within first 5 years.
Overall and Playoff Records for New Private High School Football Teams in last 25 Years
| Teams | Pct Overall | W/L Overall | Playoff Apps | Playoff W/L | District Titles |
| Bishop McLaughlin | 42.3% | 33-45 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Calvary Christian | 41.7% | 40-56 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Cambridge Christian | 49.5% | 49-50 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Canterbury | 58.9% | 43-30 | 1 | 1-1 | 1 |
| Carrollwood Day | 68.5% | 37-17 | 1 | 1-1 | 1 |
| IRC | 43.5% | 87-113 | 5 | 1-5 | 0 |
| Keswick Christian | 43.9% | 69-88 | 7 | 2-7 | 3 |
| Seffner Christian | 44.8% | 13-16 | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Totals | 47.2% | 371-415 |
Top 3 Overall Winning PCTs: 1) Carrollwood Day 68.5% 2) Canterbury 58.9% and 3) Cambridge Christian 49.5%
Best Season was by Keswick Christian (11-1), 2007 District Champs
By Don Haggard