Spring football is in full swing across Orlando, and Thursday night offered the first big showcase of new talent. Lake Nona took the field against Boone, debuting a roster loaded with over 10 transfer players. While the final score—a 21-0 shutout—looks impressive, head coach David Aubrey knows there’s plenty of work ahead.

"It wasn't pretty, but we got it done," Aubrey said. "I expected the mistakes. Not the four touchdown passes thrown out of bounds, but the biggest thing we've got to work on is playing closer together as a team, as a family and being more disciplined. We had probably 15 penalties tonight that cost us, but on paper, we're pretty good."

Despite the penalty flags, there were bright spots. New quarterback Elijah Nickerson, who transferred from Winter Park along with three other players, showed flashes of his potential. He connected with senior receiver Josiah Hall—another newcomer from Tohopekaliga—for a 31-yard pass that got the crowd buzzing. Nickerson split time with freshman Nick Lora, but the job is Nickerson's to lead this season. He threw two interceptions, a reminder that chemistry on offense still needs time to gel.

For Boone, it was a different story. First-year coach Charles Sprenkel is rebuilding with a roster that lost at least six transfers. He’s relying on first-time starters in 2026, and Thursday’s game showed just how steep the learning curve is.

"We got a lot of work to do. As an offensive line guy, I'm always gonna put it on them first, so I definitely hold myself responsible for this loss," Sprenkel said. "We underperformed. I told them at halftime that we worked too damn hard to produce that, so we got a lot of work to do and we're not gonna be afraid to hit it in the summer. We kept fighting for four quarters, so as long as the kids are doing that, it's all you can ask for."

Thursday marked the first full night of spring games for the Orlando area, with 14 local teams hitting the field. For Lake Nona, the pieces are in place—now it’s about polishing the execution. For Boone, it’s about building from the ground up. Either way, the foundation for an exciting season is being laid.