WATCH REPLAY ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Heritage Shuts Out Palm Bay 35-0 in Kickoff Classic Action Friday Night

By  //  August 17, 2019

THE SPACE COAST DAILY – FRIDAY NIGHT LOCKER ROOM TEAM IS BREVARD'S #1 SPORTS SOURCE

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: The Friday Night Locker Room’s Orville Susong and Steve Wilson bring you the Heritage High at Palm Bay Pirates Kickoff Classic.

KICKOFF CLASSIC SCOREBOARD

• Merritt Island 36, Melbourne 31: WATCH REPLAY ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV
• Heritage 35, Palm Bay 0: WATCH REPLAY ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV
• Centennial 27, Astronaut 0
• Cocoa 37, Bayside 7
• Pine Ridge 40, Cocoa Beach 6
• Fort Pierce Westwood 20, Eau Gallie 14
• Melbourne Central Catholic 14, Holy Trinity 13 
• Rockledge 44, Palm Beach Lakes 0 
• Satellite 21, St. Joseph Academy 14
• Trinity Prep @ Space Coast
• Titusville @ Windermere
• Viera 35, Liberty 0

WATCH REPLAY ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV! Merritt Island Defeats Melbourne 36-31 in Kickoff Classic ShootoutRelated Story:
WATCH REPLAY ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV! Merritt Island Defeats Melbourne 36-31 in Kickoff Classic Shootout
The Friday Night Locker Room team of Orville Susong and Steve Wilson will bring you all the action LIVE as the Palm Bay Pirates host the Heritage Panthers in Kickoff Classic action. Pregame starts at 6:45 p.m. and kickoff is at 7 p.m. Mike Erdman Automotive will once again present the Space Coast Daily – Friday Night prep sports coverage on Space Coast Daily TV. SEE THE TEAM PROFILES BELOW

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Welcome to the Space Coast Daily/Friday Night Locker preview edition of Brevard County high school football for the 2019 season.

This is the 25th season of high school football coverage for the principals of Space Coast Daily and the Friday Night Locker Room – brought you by Erdman Automotive.

The 2019 season is filled with talented student-athletes all across Brevard County and many are being sought after some of the best college football teams across the country.

With many decisions to be made by numerous athletes on where to pursue their college dreams, the Space Coast Daily – Friday Night Locker Room team is your go-to source for the latest announcements and commitments made by the athletes.

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Brevard High Schools Continue Fall Camps In Preparation For 2019 Football SeasonRelated Story:
SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Brevard High Schools Continue Fall Camps In Preparation For 2019 Football Season

Last year, nine Brevard County teams received bids to the postseason, which is the highest number of Brevard County teams to make the playoffs in one season.

This season, local teams are looking for another record year. Teams are not only looking to make the playoffs but win championships.

With high school football season upon us, excitement for football can be felt across Brevard County as teams prepare for 2019, season which gets underway August 16 with the Kickoff Classics.

This year’s coverage on Space Coast Daily TV will feature a dynamic broadcast lineup that was the first official media entity to bring prep football play-by-play coverage on radio and TV to Brevard County.

Space Coast Sports Hall of Famers Steve Wilson and Orville Susong of the Friday Night Locker Room will once again bring you all the live action from the broadcast booth.

In addition, Chris Bonanno, Jordan Rocco, Matt O’Hern and Zach Clark will anchor play-by-play broadcasts this season.

The broadcast teams have a total of more than 100 years of covering high school football in Brevard.

These Live broadcasts will feature cutting edge coverage on Space Coast Daily TV, featuring player interviews, replays, highlights, pre-game and post-game analysis and much more.

SEE THE COCOA TIGERS PREVIEW BELOW

BEST IN THE BUSINESS: This is the 25th season of high school football coverage for the principals of Space Coast Daily and the Friday Night Locker Room. Space Coast Sports Hall of Famers Steve Wilson and Orville Susong of the Friday Night Locker Room will once again bring you all the live action from the broadcast booth. In addition, Chris Bonanno, Jordan Rocco, Matt O’Hern and Zach Clark, Giles Malone and Tom Palermo will anchor play-by-play broadcasts this season. All the action is brought to you by Erdman Automotive.
Mike Erdman Automotive will once again present the Space Coast Daily – Friday Night prep sports coverage on Space Coast Daily TV.

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Heritage High School (Palm Bay, Florida) boasts one of the most successful prep football programs in Brevard over the last several seasons – and they’ll look to continue their winning ways in 2019. Senior offensive tackle/defensive end Aaron Kelly spoke to Space Coast Daily’s Chris Bonanno about the program and the upcoming season.

HERITAGE PANTHERS

– 2018 Record: 9-3
– Head Coach: Mark Ainsley (6th year)

2019 Schedule:

August 23 – @ Clearwater
August 30 – vs. Harmony
Sept. 6 – @ First Coast (Jacksonville)
Sept. 13 – vs. Gateway
Sept. 20 – vs. Cocoa
Sept. 27 – @ Lake Gibson (Lakeland)
Oct. 11. @ Bayside
Oct. 18 – vs. Auburndale
Oct. 25 – vs. Astronaut
Nov. 1 – @ Space Coast

– 2019 Outlook – 

Chris: The 2018 edition of the Panthers felt a lot like your typical strong Heritage teams of the last several years: a tough, fast defense that combined with a strong running game and an elusive quarterback in senior Nigel Scott.
The Panthers finished the year overall at 9-3, which included a playoff win over then-district foe Eau Gallie and a very strong performance in defeat against powerhouse Miami Northwestern in the second round.

The 2019 Panthers’ first order of business will be to replace Scott who was a big play waiting to happen for Heritage last season. Replacing him adequately could be the key to another big year.

The Panthers have a mostly new set of district opposition too and the good news is that they should be considered the favorite in a district that includes four teams who had losing records a year ago in Bayside, Kissimmee Gateway, Lake Gibson and Auburndale.

Zach: Coach Mark Ainsley is now the longest-tenured head coach in Brevard County with the retirement of Dan Burke at Palm Bay.

With all of the talk on Cocoa, Viera and Rockledge last year, the Panthers put together a 9-3 record and a second-round playoff appearance that ended in a loss to Miami Northwestern 31-19, who went on to win the Class 6A State Title.

Keep an eye on running back Tay Farmer (junior) this year. Farmer accounted for 1,017 rushing yards and averaged over 7-yards a carry in 2018 as a sophomore. He also averaged 101-yards a game. Replacing quarterback Nigel Scott will be a challenge early on for the Panthers after he amassed over 2,000 yards on the ground and through the air last season.

This year, Coach Ainsley will have a manageable schedule and will welcome the Cocoa Tigers on Sept. 20

Heritage Panthers could be a dark horse in Brevard County, come playoff time.

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: The Palm Bay Pirates football program has a new head coach as Dwayne Byrd takes over after Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame coach Dan Burke retired recently. Byrd, along with four Pirate players, spoke to Space Coast Daily’s Chris Bonanno about the upcoming season. 

PALM BAY PIRATES

– 2018 Record: 4-6
– Head Coach: Dwayne Byrd (1st year)

2019 Schedule:

August 23 – vs. Melbourne
August 30 – vs. Treasure Coast
Sept. 6 – vs. Harmony
Sept. 13 – vs. Merritt Island
Sept. 20 – @ Astronaut
Sept. 27 – @ Eau Gallie
Oct. 4 – vs. Westwood
Oct. 18 – @ Rockledge
Oct. 25 – vs. Atlantic
Nov. 1 – @ Bayside

– 2019 Outlook – 

Chris: New head coach Dwayne Byrd takes over after Space Coast Sports Hall of Famer Dan Burke resigned in the spring. Byrd will look to put his stamp on the program early with some changes that include a wide open offensive attack.

Helping with the offense will be MCC transfer LaAnthony Valentine, who ran for over 1,000 yards a season ago at MCC, where Byrd served as offensive coordinator.

The opportunity exists for the Pirates to get off to a fast start, with four straight home games to kick off the season.

Zach: It’s not easy to take over a program that was led by Hall of Fame coach Dan Burke for over 20 years. However, it is now Coach Dwayne Byrd’s team and he is looking to bring a fresh set of eyes to one of the most storied programs in Brevard County.

Running back LaAnthony Valentine, brother of South Carolina running back Lavonte Valentine, is now a Palm Bay Pirate and will lead the Pirates on offense this season.

Palm Bay has always been known for its resilient defense. Last year, that was tested a lot and had mixed results. Look for Coach Byrd to re-establish the Palm Bay defense and help make it a lockdown defense once again.

WATCH: Cocoa Tigers Four-Star All-Purpose Back Caziah Holmes Commits to Penn StateRelated Story:
WATCH: Cocoa Tigers Four-Star All-Purpose Back Caziah Holmes Commits to Penn State

SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Cocoa Football Standout Richie Leonard Chooses Florida GatorsRelated Story:
SPACE COAST DAILY TV: Cocoa Football Standout Richie Leonard Chooses Florida Gators

WATCH: Viera QB Bryce Norton and Cocoa QB Diego Arroyo Join Jordan Rocco in an Exclusive InterviewRelated Story:
WATCH: Viera QB Bryce Norton and Cocoa QB Diego Arroyo Join Jordan Rocco in an Exclusive Interview

2019 Space Coast Daily, Friday Night Locker Room Prep Football PreviewRelated Story:
2019 Space Coast Daily, Friday Night Locker Room Prep Football Preview