RIVIERA BEACH – For the first time ever, the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has decided to expand the playoffs to all classifications.
This past season, the Florida Invitation Tournament (FIT) was specifically for the Rural classification. But for this season, Classes 1A through 7A are eligible as well.
There are three FIT classifications:
•Rural
•1A-3A
•4A-7A
In the FIT classification, there is a North bracket and a South bracket. And for our area, we have several teams that made the cut.
In these FIT 1A-3A playoffs, the only Palm Beach County team that qualified for the South bracket was Inlet Grove. This is a historic moment for the program, which last appeared in the postseason in 2022.
First-year head coach Remington Young has completed Inlet Grove transformation from nothing to more than something. He overcame the possibility of going 0-10 for the season or not having a season at all.
This means a lot, considering the fact that Inlet Grove went from five players to 25 players total for the regular season. Young and his crew went on to have a 5-4 final regular season record, good for ninth place overall in Class 2A-Region 3 – one spot short of qualifying for the FHSAA playoffs.
Here is how each game turned out for the Hurricanes:
Week 3: 30-0 home win over Somerset Academy Key on Sept. 4
Week 4: 14-0 home loss to Somerset Academy Canyons on Sept. 12
Week 5: 25-12 home win over Somerset Academy South Homestead on Sept. 19
Week 6: 28-6 road loss to King’s Academy on Sept. 26
Makeup Game: 62-0 home win over Palm Beach Christian Prep on Sept. 29
Week 7: 14-2 home win over ABF Academy on Oct. 2
Week 9: 12-8 road loss to Legacy on Oct. 16
Week 10: 39-6 road loss to Orlando Christian Prep on Oct. 24
Week 11: 12-6 road win over McLaughlin on Oct. 31
PLEASE NOTE: Inlet Grove lost both games in District 11-2A play to Somerset Academy Canyons in Week 4 and King’s Academy in Week 6. This is primarily why Inlet Grove did not qualify for the FHSAA Class 2A playoffs, but qualified for the FIT 1A-3A playoffs.
Inlet Grove senior quarterback RJ Hickox, who played in four games before an injury ended his high school football career, spoke on how Young rebuilt the program from the ground up and made it a playoff team this season.
“Honestly I think mentally we all came together as a team, and that’s where I think our success came from throughout the season,” said Hickox, who finished the season with 785 total yards and five touchdowns. “Coach Young is an amazing guy who made a lot of things happen for the whole team. He made it more than football for a lot of guys. It was all about family and trust. I knew this before I got injured, but my eyes opened even wider to the fact that little wins are still wins that will eventually lead to bigger wins. This is one of those big wins that can lead to an even bigger win.”
Inlet Grove earned the No. 5 seed and will be on the road against No. 4 seed Oasis (3-6) in Cape Coral on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. It is a regional semifinal game that is actually winnable for Young and crew.
Key players for Inlet Grove include:
•Senior athlete Demetry Hudson
•Senior running back Cornelius Terry
•Senior athlete Cinegar Smith
•Senior athlete Ty Alty
•Sophomore defensive back Chris Darealist
•Freshman wide receiver Dwayne Jones
“Making the playoffs for the FIT I believe is an accomplishment just being able to get exposure for guys,” Young said. “As a first year coach, I think that’s a pretty big deal. Now a lot of people will call the FIT a participation trophy bracket or a silver bracket, which to an extent I do agree. But when a player gets an opportunity to play an extra game when it wasn’t promised, I believe it’s a blessing. Win or lose, I’m able to show colleges film. But I also think the playoffs is a reflection of this team being rewarded with believing in their coach and also seeing hard work does pay off.”
Young has a message for those who have doubts about an individual or a team.
“Never count anyone out,” he said.
PHOTOGRAPHIC CREDIT: Provided photo
Muck City Media Enterprises 
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