Apopka’s Pop Warner Blue Darter football program has enjoyed a strong season, with multiple teams moving through the mid-Florida championship playoffs. 

The 10U boys team went 4-3 this season, but last week they were dominant, winning their game 21-0. They move straight into the championship to face Oviedo, 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon at Oviedo High School. 

The 6U flag team played in a semifinal matchup against Lake Brantley and won. 

Coach Cedric Bryant’s 13U team has been a force to be reckoned with. They went undefeated at 9-0 this season and are in the championship after crushing Sanford 25-8 in their last matchup. They face Edgewater, which they beat 14-6 earlier in the season, at 11:30 a.m on Saturday morning in Oviedo. 

This will be the fifth straight championship game appearance for Bryant’s 13U team, splitting the last four evenly. Last year, they won it and made it to the regional finals but lost. Even with the loss, the team was ranked high enough to make it to nationals, and Bryant hopes to make it back there again. 

Alongside longtime coach Tony Shuler, he said he feels good about what’s to come in this important game, and hopefully more. The duo has coached together for the last five years, and Bryant loves the relationship he has with the kids that come through to play. 

“Coach TJ is the man—we’ve been coaching together for a while and I love it. He knows how to hype up the kids, man, and always knows the right direction for the team. It’s a special group.” 

He gave shout-outs to players like Kaden Fowler and Caden Lowery, who have worked hard and stayed dedicated to the game, playing for him the last five years.  

The 13U team aims for their second straight mid-Florida Championship. Coach Shuler let the boys know in an end of practice huddle that this was their time for glory. 

“This is our time to show everyone in the southeast what they’re dealing with,” he said. “We run it over here, the boys in blue.” 

See more photos below!