ODA football program wins state championship

SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) - It is a time for celebration for the Out-of-Door Academy Thunder football program. The team has won the 2023 SSAC state championship after a 33-14 victory over Lighthouse Private Christian Academy.

It’s an accomplishment that has been at least two years in the making. The team went 9-1 in 2022, but did not finish with a title last year. head coach Rob Hollway couldn’t be more happier knowing the work his guys put in for this moment for this year.

“When we got towards the end of the season, the one thing we said a lot in the locker room is that it’s not how you start, but it’s how finish that counts,” Hollway said. “As a life lesson goes, we got off to a slow start and we came together as a team and finished really strong.”

The slow start during the regular season had many believing at time that this would not end as a banner season.

Hollway tells ABC7 that once his team got in the postseason he knew they were equipped to run the table and bring home the gold. The biggest thing for us is we got back to who we are,” Hollway said. “At this level, the margins are really thin. We went as our offensive line and running back went.”

Hollway also went on to say that despite the seniors leaving his confident with the off-season training and returning… ODA will be back in the hunt another title in 2024.

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