State championships: Mission almost complete for Jones’ Dereon Coleman, Lake Mary’s Noah Grubbs

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Jones quarterback Dereon Coleman woke up from a bit of a nightmare on Wednesday morning.

It was a replay of a play he has been trying to forget since Friday the 13th of December, 2024. A fumble against American Heritage in the Class 4A state title game led to a Jones loss. He said it didn’t scare him, but gave him a reminder.

“It drove me a lot over these past several months and the year it’s been now, to get that off my brain, and I don’t think about it anymore,” Coleman said. “But then I had a dream about that one particular play this morning, and now I know what I need to do.

“I already know what I did and it brought back memories, so now I know I gotta finish the job and be even more ready.”

Coleman and Lake Mary quarterback Noah Grubbs have been on similar missions their entire senior seasons. The end is nearly here for the high school careers of the best two quarterbacks in the Orlando area. Never before have there been two elite Orlando-area quarterbacks sign with Power 4 programs in the same class. Coleman has signed with Miami and Grubbs with Notre Dame.

They ended their junior years with the same bad taste in their mouths. Grubbs and Lake Mary lost to Venice in last year’s Class 7A state championship game, 52-19. Coleman and Jones lost that nightmare of a game against Plantation American Heritage in the 4A state championship game, 40-31.

Photos: Dereon Coleman, Quarterback, Jones, 2026

They have each gargled through 14 opponents this season trying to wash out that taste, trying to get back to the state title game and redeem themselves. They made it.

Jones (13-2) will face Heritage (8-5) again in a 4A title rematch Saturday at 12:30 at FIU’s Pitbull Stadium in Miami, the scene of last year’s failure. Lake Mary (11-3) has the nightcap Saturday at 7:30. The Rams take on Vero Beach (14-0).

Grubbs and Lake Mary already had their revenge from last year’s title game loss, topping Venice in the semifinal round 31-26.

Photos: Noah Grubbs, Quarterback, Lake Mary, 2026

These two quarterbacks don’t feel as if their legacies hang in the balance of winning a state championship, but they want that ring.

Coleman, the Sentinel’s Offensive Player of the Year last year, wants his revenge, but that’s not what drives him. It’s so much more than that.

Against Heritage last year, he had played the game of his life, running for 110 yards and three touchdowns, putting the team on his shoulders. But then disaster struck. Jones had momentum and was eyeing the potential go-ahead touchdown late in the game, but Coleman fumbled at midfield and Heritage recovered, ending the Tigers’ hopes.

“It’s amazing, and we know in life we rarely get a chance to have a re-do. We’re just thankful to be blessed and put in this position to get a redo against that same team that took it all from us last year,” Coleman said.

“I know what we’re gonna do. We’re gonna go there and take care of business, and I just want to come out with a victory in our hands and set history for Jones High, first state championship for the football team,”

Grubbs said there is no added pressure to win Lake Mary’s first state football championship.

“Not really. Coaches have put us in the right position, and we’re gonna go out there and play football,” Grubbs said. “I feel great. We’ve had a great week of preparation.”

Grubbs played one of the worst games of his career in last year’s title game. He threw two interceptions and completed just 18 of 42 passes. He did throw for 241 yards and three touchdowns, but most of that came after Lake Mary had dug itself a 31-6 halftime hole.

“There were plenty of errors, but that happens to everyone,” Grubbs said. “We’ve proved to people who said after Week 1 through 4 that we wouldn’t be here practicing this week, and we are. We’re here to win this year.”

Both players have raised the bar at their schools, especially Grubbs, who has guided the Rams to places they had never reached.

“Before I got here the farthest they had made it was the third round of the playoffs,” Grubbs said. “So coming back to the state championship two years in a row, I feel like it raises the standard here to where the expectations should be.”

Grubbs has thrown for 11,189 yards and 140 touchdowns in his career. That’s good for No. 6 on the state’s all-time passing yardage list, and No. 3 on the all-time touchdown list. With four touchdown passes on Saturday night, he would move into No. 2 on the all-time touchdown list, passing Florida commit Will Griffin of Tampa Jesuit.

“It says a lot for me, but without the O-line and receivers I’ve had these past years, ever since my freshman year to now, they have been the true reason why I’ve been able to do what I’ve done,” Grubbs said.

It’s hard for both players to think about their high school careers coming to a close. No more Friday night lights at their home stadiums.

“It’s a lot, even knowing that this is my last high school practice at Jones, on this field,” Coleman said Wednesday. The team planned to leave for Miami on Thursday and have final preparations in South Florida. “I’ve been going through a lot of emotions. I’ve been here since freshman year, and I’ve just been thinking all about it and taking it all in at once. I’m gonna miss my boys here. I’m enjoying every single moment.”

Grubbs said many people told him to relish his high school days.

“Right now I’m just trying to take every day and cherish every moment that I have here and make the best of it,” Grubbs said. “Just growing up in Lake Mary, I’ve lived in the same house my whole life and growing up in this community and being with the Rams all the way through Pop Warner to now is definitely something I won’t forget.

Coleman has meant a lot to Jones High football, and especially to coach Elijah Williams, who thought about hanging up his coaching whistle until the QB arrived.

Coleman showed up with a Tiger tattoo on his arm before his sophomore season and Williams figured if the kid could have that much commitment, then so could he. Colman has thrown for 8,397 yards and 72 touchdowns in three seasons as Jones’ quarterback. He has thrown just two interceptions this season.

“Consistency. Anytime you have a kid who has been here four years at the quarterback position, it brings a great level of consistency,” Williams said. “It’s been like any other high school kid. You watch them mature. You watch their struggles. You watch everything that goes on with a teenager, their ups and downs.”

Lake Maryh coach Scott Perry has also enjoyed his ride with Grubbs, who has started every game at Lake Mary since the fifth game of his freshman season. Saturday will mark his 50th consecutive start.

“He’s definitely put us on the map as far as quarterback play,” Perry said. “He’s done a lot for Lake Mary football as a leader and as a team member. It’s been special. He’s really just a great kid to be around. He’s got a great sense of humor, has good character, a yes-sir, no-sir type kid. He’s looked up to by his peers, respected by his coaches, can’t ask for anything better.

The Matchups

Class 4A State Championship

Jones (13-2) vs. American Heritage (8-5)

Saturday, 12;30 p.m., Pitbull Stadium, Miami

About Heritage: The six-time state champ Patriots have played the most difficult schedule in the state, according to FHSAA rankings, losing to powerhouse teams like Chaminade-Madonna, St. Thomas Aquinas and Edna Carr of Louisiana. Senior QB Leon Strawder transferred to Heritage from Miami Northwestern after the second game of the season. He has thrown for 2,052 yards and 19 touchdowns in 10 games. Top receivers are Georgia Tech signee Jeffar Jean-Noel and FSU signee Brandon Bennett. The Patriots also have state interception leader Terrance Johnson (10 picks).

Class 7A State Championship

Lake Mary (11-3) vs. Vero Beach (14-0)

Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Pitbull Stadium, Miami

About Vero Beach: With star sophomore quarterback Champ Monds injured most of the season, the Indians have relied on senior Efrem White, who has been superb. The FSU signee has thrown for 2,502 yards and 31 touchdowns and rushed for 978 yards and 21 touchdowns. He has Iowa signee Xavier Stinson among his targets. Defensively, FSU signee Jordan Crutchfield is at corner, and linebacker Maqarie Philip leads the team in tackles. The Indians won a state title in 1981.

Chris Hays can be found on X.com@OS_ChrisHays.

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