Strawberry Crest High School has come a long way since last season. Though, they currently have a losing record (2-3) the team has been competitive in every game. A big reason for the resurgence of the Chargers is sophomore quarterback Tristan Hyde. Hyde leads the state of Florida with 1,341 passing yards. I caught up Tristan on Tuesday and asked him some questions on this huge accomplishment and on how felt about the Chargers this season.

Question: How does it feel to lead the state of Florida in passing yardage?
Answer: It feels great to have that accomplishment. It is more of a team accomplishment though. I could not be getting all of these yards without my offensive line blocking and my wide-receivers making some great catches.

Q: Have any colleges offered you yet?
A: Not yet. Last year I fractured my elbow in a freak accident while throwing and it cost me the whole season. I am still kind of in awe on how well this season has unfolded and I am just realizing that I might have the ability to play on the next level. I am really starting to watch college football and look at school I might be interested in.

Q: What has helped you prepare for this season?
A: I have a private quarterback coach that has been huge in my development but I also attended numerous camps this offseason. The Big County Preps skills camp was a pretty amazing experience and allowed me to see how I matched up with the counties best players. Coach Bennett was amazing at that camp and helped give me a ton of confidence. I am also fortunate to have amazing coaches at Strawberry Crest.

Q: Are you excited to be playing Armwood this week?
A: Yes sir! Playing better teams only gets you better. I know Armwood is a great team and it will be a hard game but I think we can keep it very close. Playing Armwood is huge for the team because we can get national exposer. Senior like Karel Hamilton has nothing to lose and a ton to gain. We are very excited for this weekend.

Q: What are some things you need to improve upon?
A: Well I need to get stronger for sure. I plan on working very hard this offseason on becoming bigger, stronger and faster. I also, need to continue to get better at reading defenses which will come with experience. I plan on attending as many camps as possible to get my overall awareness for the quarterback position better.

Tristan is a true student athlete who maintains a 4.25 GPA in Strawberry Crest prestigious International Baccalaureate program. He took the SAT as a freshman and already has a score that would qualify academically at every college in the state. Strawberry Crest has a bright future with this bright young man at the helm.

– Aaron Peace