By Kyle Coppola
Pair of Lake County Twins Have More in Common Than Football.
Sibling rivalries can be intense in the world of high school football, but the stakes are even higher when those siblings are twins.
Just ask the Roach twins, Nathan and Seth, who play for Mount Dora Christian Academy (MDCA), and the Sepe twins, Jake and Blake, who represent Mount Dora High School. These two sets of twins have elevated their respective teams and brought an unparalleled excitement to the gridiron.
Nathan and Seth Roach discovered their passion for football later than most. They were in the seventh grade.
“We love to try different sports, but we fell in love with football. The first time we connected on a pass together, we just fell in love with the game,” Nathan shares.
The Roach twins quickly adapted to the game, and their bond has only strengthened their performance on the field. Nathan, quarterback, and Seth, wide receiver, have an almost telepathic connection that keeps opponents on their toes.
MDCA provides the perfect environment for their development.
“I absolutely love MDCA,” Nathan says. “The school is like a prep school right into college. Everything that MDCA provides is incredible.”
The school’s emphasis on academic and athletic excellence has helped many players advance to college football. And Nathan would like to see Seth become the next Bulldog to play at the next level.
“The biggest challenge for me is wanting Seth to succeed more than anyone else on the team,” Nathan says. “It hurts sometimes having to throw to a different open receiver, but I do what’s best for the team, and Seth understands that.”
The pair also golf together, Seth adds, which helps their dynamic off the field.
One of Nathan’s most memorable moments came in the state championship game last year.
“I threw a touchdown pass to Seth,” Nathan says. “It wasn’t a perfect ball, but Seth went up for it, and I took a big hit. I looked up, and there was my brother running into the endzone. It was one of the coolest moments I’ve ever had playing this game.”
Roach Twins, L-R: Nathan Roach & Seth Roach
Off the field, the Roach twins’ leadership extends to their peers. They started a leadership Bible study at MDCA, which grew from 20 to more than 60 students. Nathan and Seth are also active in BETA Club, and have contributed to community service projects.
Jake and Blake Sepe share a similar journey at Mount Dora High School. They are the same age as Nathan and Seth and will also be seniors this year.
Jake and Blake Sepe began playing football at age 9.
To this day, Blake notes, “Football gives us an excuse to hang out with each other more.”
As freshmen, the spring game was a defining moment for the brothers.
“Our first ever throw and catch together during a high school football game was one of the most memorable,” Jake recalls. “I will always cherish that moment because we worked so hard to achieve that.”
The Sepe twins have become role models for their teammates. And their influence extends beyond the field. Academics are paramount for Jake and Blake, who both maintain 4.8 GPAs. The twins also help with the Special Olympics and Jake is heavily involved in student government.
“When we got to Mount Dora High, the expectation was a sub .500 team, but now the entire school and community pack the grandstands expecting greatness,” Blake says. “That’s due to the coaches and the belief they have in the players. Since coach Hutchinson has come on board, we have really been able to build something special here.”
The brothers’ bond is evident as they support each other through challenges and triumphs.
“No one knows Jake better than I do,” Blake says. “If he’s having a hard time, I’m going to make sure to be right there for him.”
Neither set of twins is having a hard time in the classroom. The Roach boys have strong 4.2 GPAs.
The similarities between the Roach and Sepe brothers are many, which begs the question, which set of twins would win if they met on the football field?
That question was answered when the rival schools faced off in an early season matchup last year.
“It was a hyped-up experience to play against one another,” Blake says. “The rivalry is amazing.”
MDCA lost that game 13-7 last year. But Nathan found a silver lining.
Sepe Twins, L-R: Blake Sepe & Jake Sepe
“What we learned from playing that game led us to winning the conference championship game later in the year,” he says. “Facing adversity humbles you and makes you better in the long run because you learn things you may have never thought about yourself or your teammates.”
“To play against a great caliber team like Mount Dora High was special but to play against one another was something I don’t think we will ever forget,” Seth says.
Both sets of twins have dreams beyond high school football.
Nathan aspires to join the military and enter special forces, while Seth has ambitions in business or sports medicine. Jake plans to become an orthodontist and continue his football career, while Blake aims to be an entrepreneur.
The parents of the twins – James and Tiffany Roach and Paul and Jessi Sepe – are immensely proud.
“Knowing there are two sets of you out there playing is so cool,” Jessi says. “Most parents get to cheer on one kid, but we get double the intensity. When they throw to one another it’s double the excitement but double the fear that something could happen. It’s such a unique situation but there’s nothing like Friday Night Lights.”
As Jake Sepe comes to the end of his high school football career, he advises younger players to “trust the process, whether it’s staying at a school for four years or finding the perfect home. Trust yourself that you’ll make the right decision.”
Seth Roach emphasizes the importance of faith.
“I remind myself of the bigger picture and my faith in Jesus Christ,” he says. “Take advantage of the time you get. Try to get 1% better every day because it goes by so fast.”
As both sets of twins continue to excel on and off the field, their journey serves as an inspiration to their teammates, their schools and their communities. The Roach and Sepe twins have shown that the sky is the limit with hard work, dedication and the support
of family.
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.
