By: J. Daniel Pearson
There’s an old saying about being able to take the boy out of the country but not being able to take the country out of the boy.
For Harmony football coach Don Simon, that saying is certainly apropos.
Reflecting on his life and career a few years ago, Simon made the decision to step down as football coach of the Longhorns and accept the position of Athletics Director at Tohopekaliga High School.
At the time, the veteran coach noted “I’ve been coaching high school football for 28 years and just decided it was time to step down and let the younger guys take over,” Simon said. And although he said the last two years were interesting and sometimes rewarding, coaching football remained on his mind.
“I’d be less than truthful if I said I didn’t miss it,” he said. “In my mind, I kept questioning my decision wondering if I made the right choice.”
When Simon’s hand-picked replacement Nick Lippert – who was Simon’s long-time defensive coordinator at both Harmony and his previous stop in North Carolina – stepped down at the end of last year, Simon made a call back to Harmony principal James Hickey and was hired immediately.
“Being able to be an athletics director was new and a great experience,” Simon said. “But the thing is, I realized that at my heart, I am a football coach and that’s what I want to do.”
Simon made the move back to Harmony as a teacher after the 2024-25 first term ended and returned to the locker room for spring practice. “Getting back on the field for spring drills was a fantastic feeling. I was absolutely re-energized and felt like I did in my first coaching job. The enthusiasm of the assistant coaches and players magnified that feeling for me.”
In one interesting side note, Simon said one of the factors in cementing his decision to return to Harmony was when Coach Lippert agreed to return as his defensive coordinator. “Nick is a great coach and we work really well together for so many years,” Simon said. “Having Coach Lippert handle the defense takes a lot off my plate.”
In Simon’s first tenure, the Longhorns enjoyed their most successful period in school history — compiling a 34-27 record and two trips to the playoffs. The totals include just one sub .500 season (3-7 in 2019) and a 9-2 record in 2018.
Long a team known for playing rugged defense, Simon said his offense will try to match that intensity by playing “hard and fast.” He said being more productive on offense will be the key to turning around last year’s 3-7 season. “Bottom line, we need to be able to score more points,” he said. “Last year the defense would start out strong but our inability to move the ball and keep possession wore the defense out in the second half. That needs to change.”
Simon does return a solid offensive line led by Wyatt Loeding and a senior quarterback in Landon Hayes. “Landon started as a sophomore last year and has adjusted well to the system I want to run,” Simon noted. “We are definitely on the same page and we’re looking for big things from him this season.”
Harmony concludes its spring season on Friday night, where they will travel to East Ridge (Clermont) for a 6:30 p.m. game.
Here is a look at the other seven public school teams in Osceola County:
CELEBRATION
Chris Blanton returns for his second season as head coach after taking over a team that went winless the year before. His team improved to 3-7 last year with three of those losses being one-score games. Blanton says his team has had a “great spring” and as they continue to buy into his system. “We only lost one kid due to transfer and that was purely a situation caused by family dynamics,” Blanton said. “We were an extremely young team last year and have most of that talent back.”
GATEWAY
For the first time in four years, Gateway reached the four-win plateau and barely missed a .500 season. The resurgence was led by a trio of freshmen in Ari Span (QB), Nydrell Thigpen (RB) and Johnny Reyes (WR). With a year of experience under their belt, the Panthers could be an improved team this year, but head coach Marlin Roberts cautions staying healthy will be a major key. “We have some really talented players but not a lot of depth,” Roberts said. “We will need to avoid the major injuries to have a chance at success.”
LIBERTY
When Dee Hart stepped down late in the 2024 season, defensive coordinator Jonko Beras stepped in as head coach. Athletics Director Chad Springer removed “interim” from his title and Beras has been tasked with rebuilding a program that has won just four games total in the last three seasons.
OSCEOLA
Playing one of the toughest schedules in the state last season, Osceola went 8-2 in the regular season and ran through four playoff opponents before finally falling to West Boca Raton in the 6A State Championship game. Although the Kowboys lost 17 senior starters and major contributors from that team, Head Coach Eric Pinellas says his team is reloaded and ready for another season. “We lost some great seniors, you simply don’t replace guys like Elijah Melendez (Auburn) and Taevion Swint (UCF) – they were truly unique and special talents – but I feel pretty good about what we have seen on both sides of the ball this spring,” Pinellas said. “I honestly believe our offense is ahead of where we were a year ago in terms of getting our players to understand our system. Although he lost a lot of talented players on the other side of the ball, my defensive coordinator Brad Lennox is telling me that our combination of veteran players coming back and influx of younger players coming into the system has put that unit ahead of where he expected them to be.” Key players returning for the Kowboys include Cam West (QB), Marcus Ferrer (OL), Jeff Sinophat (RB), Amier Clarke (DT), Nathan Barnett (LB) and defensive backs Ja’mario Bradford, Larenz Walker.
POINCIANA
Last season, first-year head coach Taron Mallard guided the Eagles to just their second winning season in school history, going 8-3 – including first ever wins over Harmony and St. Cloud. Despite graduating some explosive offensive talent, including quarterback Cam Brown, Mallard his team will continue to build on the momentum they started last year. “We have expectations and want to continue on the path to building a winning program,” the second-year coach says. “We may be small in numbers and will have to play a lot of guys both ways, but we have talent and are looking forward to the spring game and next fall.” Returning standouts include Chance Frazier (WR), Jakobe Hines (LB) and Deantae Burbank (OL/DL); while Kamari Lewis is expected to replace Brown at QB.
ST. CLOUD
Offensively, it would appear that St. Cloud would be in full rebuild this spring after graduating record-setting quarterback Logan King, electrifying WR/RB TJ Griffin and top wide out Alex Springs. But head coach Mike Short says potential answers have emerged this spring. Quartereback Jeremiah Lattier transfers in from Lake Minneola, and Short believes the 6-3 rising sophomore could be the solution to King’s departure. “He’s big, athletic and can make all the throws,” Short says of Lattier. Add in RB Michael Cuyler and TE Owen Sullivan and St. Cloud could once again field an explosive offensive unit. Short says some answers will need to be found defensively up front, but St. Cloud could field one of its strongest secondaries in school history.
TOHOPEKALIGA
Anthony Paradiso begins his fourth season with the Tigers and for the first time since his arrival says his team will be a rebuild mode. “Our last two senior classes were outstanding and now we are now a really young team with a lot of inexperienced players – especially on defense,” Paradiso said. “The effort has been great this spring as we move some players around and try to plug some holes.” One area Paradiso does not have to worry is quarterback, where Sabby Meassick returns. In three seasons at the helm, Meassick has thrown for county records of 10,000 yards and 101 touchdowns.
Spring Football Game Schedule
Wednesday, May 14
Poinciana at Tohopekaliga, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, May 16
Gateway at Edgewater (Jamboree with Williston) 6:30 p.m.
Harmony at East Ridge, 6:30 p.m.
Viera, Leesburg (Jamboree) at St. Cloud, 6:30 p.m.
Tenneroc, Mulberry (Jamboree) at Liberty, 7 p.m.
Thursday, May 22
Osceola at Windermere (Jamboree with Edgewater) 6 p.m.
Friday,May 23
Haines City at Celebration, 7 p.m.
