The 2026 high school season is off and running!
In a fun Week 0 clash, the Monarch Knights defeated the Spanish River Sharks by a score of 35-22. The Sharks jumped out to an early lead in this game, but thanks to a high-powered offense and some key defensive stops, the Knights stormed back to win the game.
There is plenty to dive into from this game, so without further ado, it is time to get this game recap started!
Bryan Bynes and Chris Cortinas Emerge
Trying to pinpoint specific players in a winning effort is always a tough task, but for the Monarch Knights, they likely do not get this victory without the contributions from Bryan Bynes and Chris Cortinas.
Both players were instrumental in the team’s 2nd half passing attack. Cortinas, a recent Charlotte commit, was a force in multiple ways. His speed and shiftiness were upper-tier, with his best play of the night coming on a screen pass-turned touchdown. Cortinas was slippery in the open field, turning short gains into big ones on a consistent basis.
Bynes, a fellow 2027 wideout, was just as lethal as a pass catcher. He won vertically, as his twisting touchdown grab was one of the more impressive overall catches from this game. He, like Cortinas, was slippery and shifty in the open field. And outside of his receiving work, Bynes showed a ton of promise as an explosive play waiting to happen on kick returns.
Monarch barely had to use Sanjae Fisher and Conroy Whyte II, two other players with great skillsets and potential within this Monarch offense. If Bynes and Cortinas can consistently play like this in 2026, Monarch’s offense could be extremely dangerous on a week-by-week basis.
Derek Goulbourne Shines
On the Spanish River side of things, Derek Goulbourne showed that he deserves plenty of respect by his name. On top of that, he showed the talent of a player ready for a breakout 2026 campaign.
The Army commit had multiple touchdowns and a wide array of catches throughout the game against Monarch. He won through contact and made players miss in open space. Goulbourne’s route running was crisp, and he was more than willing to stick his nose into things as a blocker. The wideout was impressive in almost every aspect of the game, and for large chunks of it, was the engine for the Sharks on the offensive side of the ball.
I am sky high on what Goulbourne can do this year, especially if his Week 0 performance against Monarch is the starting point. Alongside another great player in Jayden Elder (more on him shortly), Goulbourne is in a great spot to show the wider Florida area what he is all about.
Offensive and Defensive Talent Shine Through
Both teams had plenty of players who flashed talent and tremendous upside on Thursday night. Here are my thoughts on those players for both Spanish River and Monarch!
Spanish River
- Zachary Stelus, DL: Just as I spoke about in my game preview, Stelus impacted the game against the run and as a pass rusher. He notched one full sack, played a huge role in forcing another one later in the game, and also notched a tackle for loss later in the game. Stelus’s mix of burst, hand usage, and strength is extremely hard to counter when he is at his best. The success the defensive lineman was having earlier in the game was a big reason Monarch leaned heavily on their quick game in the 2nd half. Using Week 0 as a starting point, I am very excited for Stelus’s 2026 season.
- Jayden Elder, WR: It was not a blowup game, but Jayden Elder was great when called upon against Monarch. On top of a chunk play on a reverse, Elder came inches away from scoring a touchdown after throwing a defender to the ground. His speed is impressive, and his ability to accelerate is some of the best I have seen. There were plenty of plays left on the field that could have given the wideout a bigger game, especially on deep throws down the field. I still expect him to have a great 2026 campaign, especially if his game becomes as multifaceted as it looked on Thursday.
- Micah Smalls, RB: The recipient of the first touchdown of the game, Smalls has the burst and quickness to be a factor out of the backfield for the Sharks. I want to see how he keeps progressing as a player, but I am very intrigued about what he could add to the explosiveness of Spanish River’s offense.
- JD Johnson, DE: One of the best overall players from this game, JD Johnson was a force off the edge for Spanish River. He notched multiple sacks, forced multiple fumbles, and was very good against the run game. Johnson won with quickness, showed powerful hands, and displayed a great level of understanding of what to do on any given play. I was not familiar with Johnson’s overall game before, but I am now very intrigued to watch what he does over the rest of this season.
- Jason Mock, LB: A versatile piece for the Spanish River defense, I liked what Mock showed against Monarch. The LB notched a sack late in the game and was in the backfield on multiple other passing plays. He made some nice plays against the run, displaying a willingness to fill gaps and play with a good level of toughness. Against teams that want to run the football and try to out-physical Spanish River, I think Mock will be a good player for the Sharks to have.
- Xavier Jimenez, DB: One of the newer players in the secondary, Jimenez made a leaping pass breakup in the red zone in the first half of this game. As this unit meshes together, I am intrigued to see how Jimenez grows as a player. He has the talent to be one of the better players on the unit.
- Ky’Shawn Byrd, DB: Byrd had a great interception in this game against Monarch, and I am excited to see more from him. He has the size, speed, and range to make his presence felt on the field. Wherever Spanish River looks to use him, I think that Byrd will have a great chance to succeed. He is definitely a player to watch going forward.
- Dylan Prieto, LB: Prieto’s instincts and athleticism were on full display, as he notched two interceptions against Monarch. If he can find success as a run defender while also continuing to make strides in coverage, he should be in store for a fun 2026 campaign.
Monarch
- Gabriele Scarsini, LB: Operating mainly as a linebacker, Scarsini made some LOUD hits during Monarch’s game against Spanish River. His instincts were on full display, as well as his athleticism in space. If he can continue to play well in space, while also building upon the upside he showed as an edge rusher, Scarsini will emerge as one of the Knights’ best players on this side of the ball.
- Keyshawn Paschall, RB: A ridiculously fun player, Paschall had the best play of the entire game for his second touchdown of the night. Taking the handoff, the running back broke four tackles and evaded the entire Spanish River defense for a huge score. Paschall runs with power, burst, and elusiveness. He has great power, and when he needs to, the running back will lower the shoulder to get yardage. Paschall was awesome in the spring, and he was awesome to begin Week 0. I cannot wait for the rest of his season.
- Sanjae Fisher, WR: Even with Chris Cortinas and Bryan Bynes going off, Sanjae Fisher still made his mark in Week 0. On a deep ball, Fisher made a ridiculous adjustment on a diving catch to get a chunk gain for the offense. Fisher has the speed, hands, and route running to be a force for Monarch when called upon. And in key situations, the wideout has a knack for making absurd catches in traffic or in a contested manner. He is set to be a very fun and key piece to the Knights’ 2026 offense.
- Conroy Whyte II, WR: A spring standout for Monarch, Whyte II got off to a hot start in Week 0. I was not only impressed by the wideout’s hands, but his open-field ability was just as good as Bynes and Cortinas. He was elusive, quick, and had the burst to get upfield when needed. Only a 2028 prospect, Whyte II has an impressive ceiling and the ability to produce for his team in the present. I am keeping plenty of tabs on Whyte II, and truthfully, this entire Monarch passing attack.
- Jeremiah Milcent, QB: He had some early-game struggles, but Jeremiah Milcent did more than enough to help his team win. The quarterback was accurate, on-time, and understood when to deliver his throws. There was plenty of quick game action, but he did not hesitate to deliver his throws to his explosive weapons. Most importantly, Milcent showed some great touch and accuracy when asked to deliver the ball down the field. With more game reps, consistency will come for Milcent. And considering the upside he showed in the spring, he could see his stock rise considerably over the course of 2026.
- Jeremiah Stanley, DB: Outside of the offense, Stanley was one of the main reasons Monarch won this football game. Notching multiple interceptions and providing great coverage, I was highly impressed with the defensive back’s overall skill set. Facing the likes of Jayden Elder all night, it was not a foregone conclusion that Stanley would succeed. With this battle under his belt, I think the defensive back will only grow as a player, and that is a great sign for Monarch.
