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2023 Palm Beach football: Meet 11 new coaches taking the field this fall

emilee smarr, palm beach post
·5 min read

Palm Beach County will see 11 new head coaches on the sidelines for the 2023 football season.

This year's turnover is smaller, but still a hefty one after 18 total changes last fall.

Catch up on which schools are fielding different faces this season below.

Brandon Rooze, American Heritage-Delray

The Indiana native was promoted from offensive coordinator to HBC following the resignation of ex-NFL coach Brian VanGorder, who departed after one season (2-7) at Heritage-Delray to return to his position as defensive coordinator at Gulf Shores High in Alabama.

As an offensive assistant at Bowling Green State, Rooze coached Buffalo Bills tight end Quintin Morris and Rams undrafted free agent Christian Sims.

Jamelle Murray, Atlantic

Nearby at Atlantic, the athletic department also chose to go with an inside hire when moving Murray from wide receivers coach to the seat of former head coach Jamael Stewart.

Under Stewart, the Eagles went 12-10 in two seasons with two region final appearances against St. Thomas Aquinas, now looking for its fifth consecutive Class 3M state championship in 2023.

Atlantic Community High School boys football teammates joined filmmakers, supporters and coaches for a private screening of a new documentary featuring the team at iPic theaters in Delray Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. Juan DeJesus, assistant wide receiver coach and wide receiver coach Jamelle Murray take part in the red carpet event.
Atlantic Community High School boys football teammates joined filmmakers, supporters and coaches for a private screening of a new documentary featuring the team at iPic theaters in Delray Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. Juan DeJesus, assistant wide receiver coach and wide receiver coach Jamelle Murray take part in the red carpet event.

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Kevin Green, Berean Christian

A former basketball star is going to be taking the reins at Berean Christian.

After six seasons, Mario Jackson was moved from head coach to throwers coach, citing that the school's new AD Dean Hendricks opted to go "in a different direction." He finished his tenure with a record of 9-44. Jackson's best year came in 2019, when the Bulldogs made a 5-5 run to the final four of Florida Sunshine State football playoffs.

Berean Christian coach Kevin Green (left) and his players celebrate the Bulldogs' third straight district championship Friday night in West Palm Beach.
Berean Christian coach Kevin Green (left) and his players celebrate the Bulldogs' third straight district championship Friday night in West Palm Beach.

Last fall, Green led Berean Christian's girls basketball to region semifinals. His team came one game shy of the Class 2A state semifinals in 2021. Before coaching, Green earned league MVP honors playing professional basketball overseas in Germany and spent his collegiate career at Santa Fe College and Florida Atlantic.

Alex Savakinas, Boca Raton

Former coach David Angell felt confident leaving the Bobcats in the hands of his Savakinas, who joined him on the journey down from Ohio three years earlier to serve on staff at Boca.

Assistant coach, Alex Savakinas, disappointed after a Monarch touchdown
Assistant coach, Alex Savakinas, disappointed after a Monarch touchdown

Angell finished his time at Boca with a 20-10 record and two postseason appearances.

Brandon Walker, Dr. Joaquín García

Walker was selected to be the inaugural hire for Palm Beach County's newest high school.

Boca Raton athletic director and former football coach Brandon Walker, pictured celebrating a win in 2019, called FHSAA's decision to start high school sports on Aug. 24, "a huge disservice for all the athletes in the southern part of the state."
Boca Raton athletic director and former football coach Brandon Walker, pictured celebrating a win in 2019, called FHSAA's decision to start high school sports on Aug. 24, "a huge disservice for all the athletes in the southern part of the state."

The outgoing Park Vista coach was one of seven who left for Dr. García. In one season with the Cobras, Walker's team went 2-8. He previously coached at Boca Raton.

Dan Burack, King's Academy

Burack's brief hiatus from the sidelines is over. The small school scene is happy to have him back on board since the 2020 season and his last stop at Cardinal Newman, which hired two-time state champion head coach Jack Daniels in Burack's place.

Cardinal Newman Crusaders head coach Dan Burack in West Palm Beach, October 9, 2020. (ALLEN EYESTONE/ THE PALM BEACH POST)
Cardinal Newman Crusaders head coach Dan Burack in West Palm Beach, October 9, 2020. (ALLEN EYESTONE/ THE PALM BEACH POST)

The Lions say goodbye to Ben McEnroe, back in California with family as planned following his resignation in February. Reigning district champs King's went 8-3 in his lone season.

Brian Pulaski, Olympic Heights

In December, Olympic Heights made the first job posting of the offseason. By the end of the month, the athletic department had found its fifth hire since 2016 in Pulaski.

Two seasons of exiting coach Brandon Knight saw the Lions go 4-6 and, most recently, 1-9.

Matthew Sparrowhawk, Pahokee

August will mark a fresh beginning after an offseason of turmoil for Pahokee. Instead of O-line coach, Sparrowhawk will step on the field as head coach for his first game at Santaluces on August 25.

Pahokee's Matthew Sparrowhawk has been promoted from O-line coach to head coach, per an official announcement from Palm Beach County School District on April 14.
Pahokee's Matthew Sparrowhawk has been promoted from O-line coach to head coach, per an official announcement from Palm Beach County School District on April 14.

Sans quarterback Austin Simmons and linebacker Deejay Holmes, time will tell if Pahokee makes a fourth straight appearance at region finals. Two of those appearances came under former Emmanuel Hendrix, who was fired on March 9. He finished his two-season stint with an 18-5 record.

Turmarian Moreland, Palm Beach Lakes

Inheriting an 0-10 program from first-year and one-year coach Cedric Jones, Moreland was dealt one of the tallest tasks of the offseason. Considering Lakes is already 1-0 in 2023 with a 38-6 spring jamboree win over John I. Leonard, things are looking up for the Rams.

During fall camp, Moreland posted "It's a little different when Lakes do it" to social media, shouting out his players for six months of building themselves in the weight room and the culture of the program as a whole.

Don Ferraro, Park Vista

Park Vista's struggled to find its footing since the exit of longtime coach Brian Dodds, but the Cobras are hoping Ferraro will be here to stay.

Another coach coming into the season with a win under his belt, Ferraro's introductory Class 4M squad returned from a road trip to Class 4S region semifinalist Melbourne with a 17-5 victory.

Ross Pryor, Wellington

First-year head coach Ross Pryor talks with the Wolverines after the first day of fall camp at Wellington High.
First-year head coach Ross Pryor talks with the Wolverines after the first day of fall camp at Wellington High.

The toughest job of the offseason may be awarded to Pryor, whose Wolverines suffered a 49-man turnover coming into 2023.

Before moving into the role of head coach, Pryor was on the staff of his predecessor Danny Mendoza, now the head coach at Salem High in New Jersey. In two seasons of Mendoza, Wellington went 14-9 with two first-round playoff showings.

Emilee Smarr is the high school sports reporter for the Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Meet 11 new high school football coaches taking the field this fall