By Kyle Coppola
Umatilla High Football Team Hoping For Big Things in 2025
Coming into his third year at Umatilla High, a school he graduated from, head coach Eric Samuels is no stranger to adversity. During his senior year, Umatilla went 0–10 and never won a game. But times have changed. Umatilla High is coming off its best season in years, finishing 6–5 and nearly reaching the Sunshine State Conference Championship game, falling just short in the semifinals.
(Photo Credit – Lauren Archer.)
The Bulldogs also hosted a playoff game last year for the first time in over a decade. Heading into 2025, they do so with a renewed sense of pride, hoping the upcoming season brings even more progress.
While key players like linebacker Dallas Cottle and quarterback Josh Wilson have graduated, a new crop of talent is rising, especially on defense. Senior defensive tackle Kellen Hatcher is coming off a strong season and should be one of the top defenders in the Sunshine State Conference. The 6’1″, 230-pound lineman made his presence felt last year with 85 tackles and 37 tackles for loss, among the best in Florida.
(The Umatilla High football team is hungry. Not just for the snacks and gatorade, but for wins in 2025. Photo Credit – Lauren Archer.)
Tyler Pounders also returns. The 6’1″ wide receiver boasts a strong vertical and is a true all-around athlete, playing offense, defense and special teams. He hauled in 26 receptions for 537 yards and 7 touchdowns last season.
At quarterback, competition should be interesting. Freshman Cooper Bowcott joins a group that includes senior Traighten Pope and Ridge Durden. Traighten, a versatile athlete, can also line up at wide receiver and other positions. One good thing is that Umatilla High has plenty of depth and a lot of athletes.
While challenges remain, particularly in establishing offensive consistency and replacing key seniors, the Bulldogs carry plenty of momentum. Keep an eye on whether Coach Samuels’s squad can build off last year’s playoff success and make an even deeper run in 2025.
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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.
My name is traighten not straighten
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