Orlando Jones (Fla.) football to face Santa Margarita Catholic (Calif.) in 2026
Orlando Jones (Fla.) football team will be taking their show on the road across the country to the state of California.
According to a report by the Orlando Sentinel’s Chris Hays, the Fighting Tigers will travel cross country to take on 2025 CIF Open Division champion Santa Margarita Catholic(Calif.), the country’s No. 7 ranked team according to the final Rivals National 2025 High School Football Composite Rankings. Per the report, the matchup is slated to be the season opener for both programs, which would point to the weekend of Aug. 21-22 as when the clash between the two teams would take place.
The Eagles in Year 1 under alum head coach Carson Palmer ended with a 12-3 record and finished as the No. 1 ranked in the final 2025 California High School Football Massey Rankings.
Jones is coming off a 2025 high school football season which saw the program reach the state championship game for the third time under the watch of head football coach Elijah Williams, with 2019 and 2024 being the other years the Tigers reached the FHSAA final.
The Tigers have yet to win a state championship under Williams and it might be a little harder in 2026 to accomplish the feat with the graduations of Miami quarterback signee Dereon Coleman, Nebraska enrollee Larry Miles and Colorado signee Xavier Payne.
Orlando Jones ended this past season with a 12-3 record and finished ranked No. 22 in the state according to the final 2025 Florida High School Football Massey Rankings.
More about Jones High School
Jones High School, located in Orlando, Florida, is a respected public school known for its strong academics, competitive athletics, and vibrant extracurricular programs. Offering a range of AP and honors courses, the school prepares students for higher education and future careers. Jones’ athletic teams are successful, frequently achieving regional and state recognition. Emphasizing leadership, community involvement, and personal growth, the school ensures students are well-rounded and ready for future challenges.
How to Follow Florida High School Football
For Florida high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the Sunshine State, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the Florida high school football excitement across the state.
Nebraska coach Hoiberg says part of reason he swiped at fan’s phone is because of pacemaker
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska coach Fred Hoiberg said Friday there were circumstances surrounding his altercation with a court-storming Iowa fan that people viewing viral social media videos might not fully understand.
The videos showed Hoiberg making a swiping motion at a person pointing a camera toward him during the handshake line after his ninth-ranked Cornhuskers lost 57-52 to the Hawkeyes on Wednesday night. In doing so, Hoiberg accidentally struck a member of Iowa’s staff.
Hoiberg said he fully relies on a pacemaker. He said his reaction stemmed from awareness that close contact with cell phones can interfere with the heart device.
“I am 100% reliant on a pacemaker,” Hoiberg said. “I’ll never forget a conversation with my doctor. A cell phone can put it off. If anything ever happens, I’m done. I will not survive if something ever happens to a pacemaker. I’m very cognizant of that, so when somebody rushes up on me with a cell phone, of course I’m going to react.”
Hoiberg said the probability of anything happening was unlikely, but the chance of him developing heart block in his first open heart surgery was also slim.
He recounted the situation and explained that while he doesn’t have a problem with court storms, he’s against putting players and coaches in danger.
“It was a heated moment,” Hoiberg said. “I was going through the handshake line congratulating Iowa coaches on a hard-fought win, and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this kid rushes up on me, and I reacted to it. I think anybody in my position, after a game like that, would’ve reacted in a similar way.”
The seventh-year Nebraska coach said he apologized to the Iowa staff member whom he struck both in the moment and in the days following. The staff member was understanding and said he would’ve done the same, Hoiberg said.
Iowa released a statement apologizing for the lack of security.
“We apologize for this incident and will conduct a review of our procedures and security measures to determine what adjustments may be needed to further strengthen our protocols and help prevent similar incidents in the future,” the statement reads.
Hoiberg said he appreciated Iowa’s statement and that it’s a learning opportunity.
Nebraska hosts Penn State on Saturday.
Ontario bars to open early for men’s gold-medal hockey game
Bars and restaurants across Ontario will be able to welcome Olympic hockey fans with a breakfast beer or caesar starting at 6 a.m. ET Sunday for the gold medal men’s game.
The Canadian team beat Finland in a nail-biter of a semifinal game Friday, coming back from 2-0 to win 3-2 with just 35 seconds left.
It puts them in the gold medal game 8 a.m. ET Sunday against either the United States or Slovakia.
Premier Doug Ford says the province will be allowing bars and restaurants to sell alcohol starting at 6 a.m. ET.
A spokesperson says the government is authorizing the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario to temporarily extend the hours of liquor sales, as it can do for events of national significance.
Ford’s government had also directed school boards to let students watch Thursday afternoon’s gold medal women’s hockey game, which ended in a 2-1 win for the United States.
Why Kelsey Mitchell and Indiana Fever Coach Stephanie White have ‘had a bond’
The arrival of Stephanie White as Indiana Fever coach gave All-WNBA guard Kelsey Mitchell what she calls her "a ha moment."
Mitchell joined the "Between the Lines" podcast with WNBA legend Lisa Leslie, saying White's approach differed from those she had experienced in her previous seven seasons with the Fever.
"She really believed in me. I felt it. I could sense it," the 30-year-old said.
"That was the first time I got dealt a hand with a coach … that believed in my abilities, and it made me feel like I had superpowers. That's what you really need."
Mitchell said White's criticism is constructive and instructive.
"It felt like she really cared. That's hard to do in a pro career," Mitchell said. "Me and Steph have had a bond ever since."
Mitchell averaged 20.2 points per game on 39.4% 3-point shooting, earning first-team All-WNBA honors.
Kelsey Mitchell on Indiana Fever's injury issues
The Fever went through a lot of pain in 2025, with Caitlin Clark, Sophie Cunningham, Aari McDonald and Syndey Colson suffering season-ending injuries. Colson's ACL tear on Aug. 7 in a blowout loss to Phoenix hit hard.
"It was demoralizing," Mitchell said of the postgame scene. We were all just flooded with tears. ... We didn't know why were crying."
It also provided a turning point.
The Fever regrouped with a blowout win over Chicago, and they played well enough to reach the playoffs. They wound up taking eventual league champ Las Vegas to overtime in a decisive Game 5 in the semifinals.
Mitchell missed the overtime of that final game with leg cramps.
"Our entire dynamic shifted. Who we became as people. Who we became as players, as a team. We took a bad moment and we turned it," Mitchell said. "We learned so much about what we could accomplish. That's what made it fun."
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White made star Kelsey Mitchell confident