By Kyle Coppola
Blake Banks Shines As MDCA’s Defense Dominates Undefeated Season
Mount Dora, FL (AP) — Junior safety Blake Banks is making waves for Mount Dora Christian Academy (MDCA), proving to be a cornerstone of the Bulldogs’ undefeated defense. Standing at 6-foot, 180 pounds, Banks has already recorded four interceptions and 29 tackles this season, earning him the #18 ranking in the state of Florida for interceptions and #2 in the Sunshine State – Freelance district.
(It’s been nearly impossible to throw the ball downfield on Blake Banks this season. He has 4 interceptions. Photo Credit – CJ Prospect Media)
Banks’ contributions are a key reason why MDCA sits at a perfect 6-0. The Bulldogs’ defense has been nothing short of spectacular, allowing just 27 points all season while racking up 11 interceptions and forcing nine fumbles with 12 fumble recoveries. Junior linebacker Jourdan Betances has also been a force on defense, causing four fumbles and recovering two of them, while linebacker Mike Napoli leads the team in total tackles with 46. Tyler McClinton-Hutto has contributed heavily with 37 total tackles, including a team-high 16 tackles for a loss.
“Blake is an amazing young man with high character and an outstanding work ethic,” says MDCA Athletic Director Megan Ziegelhofer. “He leads by example both on and off the field.”
The Bulldogs’ impressive defensive effort is a testament to the leadership of head coach Kolby Tackett, who has guided MDCA to 10 straight wins dating back to last season. The Bulldogs haven’t lost a game since October 6, 2023, when they were defeated by Melbourne Central Catholic. Since then, Tackett’s team has been on a relentless winning streak, improving his record to 12-5 since taking over as head coach. It’s also worth noting that MDCA won a sunshine state conference championship last season and they could be favorites to win an SSAC State Championship this year.
“We focus on one game at a time,” said Coach Tackett. “If you start looking too far ahead, that’s where mistakes are made. We work together as a collective unit, and everyone knows their job.”
With their defense firing on all cylinders and contributions from standout players like Banks, Napoli and Hutto, MDCA is in line to continue their dominant season as they prepare to travel to Duval Charter. Only four games remain in the regular season before the SSAC Playoffs begin in late October.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
