As the month of May marches on, the spring season for Florida high school football is winding down. And just like the collegiate level, teams are wrapping things up with spring game showcases.
On Monday night, the American Heritage Stallions hosted the Benjamin Buccaneers. Outside of some big plays from Benjamin scattered throughout the game, the Stallions controlled the game for almost its entirety and won by a score of 24-14.
Right out of the gate, quarterback Marcus Stracke had the American Heritage offense rolling at a very high level. Totaling 198 yards passing and three touchdowns, Stracke paired his lightning-quick release with very solid accuracy. I loved how he attacked over the middle of the field, as he consistently gave his weapons a great chance to make plays after the catch. Stracke was not without fault in this game, but he showed his well-rounded skillset as a player and helped secure a lead for the Stallions that they would never surrender. He is a quarterback that I am very intrigued to watch over the course of the 2026 season.
From a pass catcher standpoint, Jonah Kasten led the charge, notching 75 and a touchdown on five catches. Kasten’s speed and burst as a ball carrier were top-notch, especially when he got into the open field. And on his touchdown catch, Kasten showed impressive spatial awareness and contact balance to get into the end zone. He is arguably Stracke’s main target, and their chemistry looks to be rolling heading into the regular season.
Outside of Kasten, Jonathan Cesar had a touchdown and 85 all-purpose yards. On the ground, running back Mitchell Joseph churned out consistent yardage all throughout the game. Joseph ran with power and burst, while also finding a way to make defenders miss in the open field. In the red zone, Joseph carried multiple defenders with him into the end zone for his touchdown. A younger player for the Stallions, he could be in store for a big 2026 season if he continues to run at a high level.
On the Benjamin side of things, the Buccaneers have a key player to thank for making this game close: Jayden Cosby-Mosley.
Rocking the #11 jersey, the versatile defender had multiple leaping pass deflections at the line of scrimmage. He knew exactly what he was seeing and showed great play awareness to give his team a shot to get the Stallions off the field. And to cap off his great day, Cosby Mosley jumped a route and rumbled all the way to the end zone for a pick six. I personally loved the play of the defensive athlete last season, and if today is any indication of what his 2026 season could look like, Cosby Mosley could rise to become one of the best players in Palm Beach County.
Just like the college level, the spring for high school football is all about laying a foundation for the upcoming season. For both American Heritage and Benjamin, there are plenty of things to be positive about, as well as things to improve and build upon. It will be fascinating to see how both the Stallions and Buccaneers grow in the fall, especially when compared to this game.
