PALM BEACH GARDENS – Omar Haugabook came to Glades Central this past offseason with a specific mission.
The Raiders first-year head coach, former quarterback, and 2004 alum has taken his alma mater to a new level. It comes with winning, discipline, fundamentals, and respect for all.
The motto for Glades Central this year is The Rebuild. It makes a lot of sense, given the fact that the past two seasons did not go the way the Raiders would have liked, as evidenced by the program’s 4-15 combined record in 2022 and 2023.
With that said, Haugabook has led Glades Central to a 6-0 record to date. The wins have come against Seminole Ridge (Week 1; 34-31 overtime road victory), Martin County (Week 2; 20-14 road victory), Palm Beach Lakes (Week 3; 41-13 home victory), Moore Haven (Week 4; 43-6 home victory), Dwyer (Week 5; 33-7 road victory), and Clewiston (Week 6; 42-0 homecoming win).
Any detractors can point to Glades Central’s level of competition as to why it’s successful right now. The combined record of the six aforementioned opponents is 9-28 (.321 winning percentage), which means that Glades Central has played the easy part of its regular season schedule.
Those same detractors must also note that the next four games for Glades Central are all against teams with winning records. Here are those records to date:
•Sebring (4-2); Glades Central’s opponent on the road tonight (Oct. 18; 7:30 p.m. kickoff) in Week 9
•King’s Academy (7-0); Glades Central’s opponent at home next week (Thursday, Oct. 24; 6:30 p.m. kickoff) in Week 10
•Pahokee (4-2); Glades Central’s crosstown opponent at home for the Muck Bowl (Friday, Nov. 1; 6:30 p.m. kickoff) in Week 11
•Bishop Verot (Fort Myers) (4-2); Glades Central’s opponent on the road (Nov. 7; 7 p.m. kickoff) for the District 10-2A title)
Glades Central’s next four opponents have a combined record of 19-6 (.760 winning percentage), which means that it will be battle tested going into the Class 2A playoffs next month. The reason why the Raiders will make the postseason is because of where they are ranked right now by the FHSAA.
In the latest state rankings, Glades Central is rated at No. 87 overall. This overall rating helps the Raiders a lot, as you can see right below with the Class 2A region they are in now.
NOTE: The following is where the potential playoff teams would be seeded at if the season ended today.
CLASS 2A – REGION 3: PLAYOFF SEEDS 1-8
No. 1 seed: Cardinal Mooney (Sarasota); No. 19 overall
No. 2 seed: Bishop Verot (Fort Myers); No. 40 overall
No. 3 seed: King’s Academy (West Palm Beach); No. 65 overall
No. 4 seed: Glades Central (Belle Glade); No. 87 overall
No. 5 seed: Calvary Christian Academy (Fort Lauderdale); No. 102 overall
No. 6 seed: Tarpon Springs; No. 143 overall
No. 7 seed: Lakewood (St. Petersburg); No. 204
overall
No. 8 seed: Somerset Academy Canyons (Boynton Beach); No. 258 overall
JUST OUTSIDE THE PLAYOFFS
No. 9: Inlet Grove (Riviera Beach); No. 276 overall
THE OTHERS
No. 10: North Broward Prep (Coconut Creek); No. 360 overall
No. 11: Clewiston; No. 369 overall
Glades Central has a relatively balanced team on both sides of the ball. It all starts in the trenches, where the likes of senior offensive linemen Sadler Soles (32 pancakes in six games played), Jerry Alcindor, and McKinley Holman, as well as junior offensive lineman Javarii Luckas (Power 4 offers from Miami and Penn State).
The offense has averaged 22 points per game, with the entire team scoring 31 total touchdowns to date:
•20 rushing touchdowns
•7 receiving touchdowns
•2 kickoff returns for touchdowns on special teams
•1 fumble recovery for a touchdown
•1 interception return for a touchdown
The defense has recorded the following statistics:
•360 total tackles; 60 tackles per game
•39 quarterback hurries
•11 sacks
•10 forced fumbles
•9 interceptions
•8 fumble recoveries
The special teams had recorded the following statistics:
•31 kickoffs for 1,596 yards (51.5-yard average); 5 touchbacks
•11 punts for 467 yards (42.5-yard average); 3 punts inside the 20-yards line
•11 kickoff returns for 432 yards; 3 punt returns for 49 yards; 481 total return yards
All in all, we have the makings of a well-rounded and well-coached Raiders team that is primed to make a potentially deep run in this year’s Class 2A playoffs.
Success for Glades Central brings a special level of excitement to the city of Belle Glade, the Muck as a whole, the entire Lake Okeechobee area, Palm Beach County, South Florida, and to the entire state of Florida at Glades Central. This has been proven with its illustrious history, which includes six state championships and a bevy of current and former NFL players who have come from this great program.
But first and right now, the task at hand is Sebring.
We will see how it goes down tonight in the heart of Highlands County.
PHOTO CREDITS: Alex Peterman
Muck City Media Enterprises 
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