By Roger Williams

Boone High School football coach Andy Johnson captured the 2025 Dave Powers Crying Towel before a packed room of passionate high school football fans at Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster on Monday, Aug. 11.  

New Apopka Football Coach Marcus Neeson made an admirable Crying Towel debut that was well received by the audience and panel of judges. Coach Neeson was cheered on by an impressive turnout of vocal Apopka supporters, including AHS Principal Lyle Heinz, former Blue Darter and FSU football great Sammie Smith, Grace Peery, wife of the late John Peery, Apopka sports icon; Athletic Director Aaron Crawford and former Apopka Vice Mayor and businessman Bill Arrowsmith to name a few.  

Veteran Bishop Moore head coach Matt Hedrick and new Edgewater head coach Patrick Browning rounded out the panel of coaches.  

The format of the evening was for the coaches to provide a preview of the upcoming season, which kicks off on Friday, Aug. 15, across Florida, in front of a live audience at host Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster in Orlando. But in the time-honored football tradition of coaches wisely keeping the expectations of fans and media in check, the presentations are pessimistic; often absurdly, but amusingly gloomy.  

Coach Johnson had the guests rolling in the aisles with his bleak predictions of the upcoming Boone Braves season and with a recorded endorsement of his Crying Towel candidacy by a President Donald Trump AI generated impersonator.  

In terms of bleak forecasts, Apopka Coach Neeson had a lot of material to work with, considering the reported defection of 28 players who were being counted on for 2025, plus the exceptionally difficult schedule his team is saddled with this season.  

All good natured “pessimism” aside, Coach Neeson also made sure to make it clear that he has all confidence in the players Apopka has in the program now and his pride and enthusiasm about his new role as leader of the Blue Darter football program.  

Coach Browning also made an impressive Crying Towel introduction, and Coach Headrick was cheered on by a strong contingent of Bishop Moore fans and alumni.  

The 2025 Crying Towel Champion was selected by an impressive panel of celebrity judges including FM 94.9/AM 950 General Manager Carolyn Cassidy; WESH-2 TV Sports Director Daren Stoltzfus; Despina McLaughlin, respected high school sport reporter formerly with Spectrum Sports and Brighthouse Network; former Blue Darter great Sammie Smith and central Florida businessman and former UCF assistant basketball coach, Russ Salerno.  

The program can be heard Saturday, Aug. 16 on the Talkin’ Old School with Roger Franklin Williams radio program and podcast on FM 94.9/AM 950 THE ANSWER and THE ANSWER ORLANDO App. It will also be posted at www.talkinoldschool.podbean.com and The ANSWER ORLANDO website.