The Tohopekaliga High School Tigers showed plenty of grit, passion, and determination Friday night, battling back from an early 14-point deficit to defeat the Innovation Bulls 21-14 in a hard-fought 2026 Kickoff Classic at Tohopekaliga High School.
After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, Head Coach Anthony Paradiso’s Tigers responded before halftime, using big plays from wide receivers #1 AJ Wise and #3 Zion Williams to pull even and shift the momentum.
With junior Gabriel Velez taking over at quarterback this season following the graduation of record-setting four-year starter Sabby Meassick, Toho showed resilience in its first game action with a new leader behind center.

The Tigers broke the 14-14 tie in the fourth quarter with a come back 30-yard catch by Tayshaun Dillard to take a 21-14 lead, then turned to their defense to shut down a late Innovation drive and preserve the advantage.

From there, Toho quarterback Gabriel Velez picked up a crucial first down with his legs before turning things over to Hector Saenz, who slammed the door with a relentless display of physical running, pounding away at the Bulls’ defense as the Tigers controlled the football, burned valuable time off the clock, and closed out the 21-14 victory.

After the game, Paradiso credited both his players and coaching staff for the way they responded against a disciplined Innovation squad.
“Our kids were very competitive, and our coaches did a great job preparing them,” Paradiso said. “It’s what you want a preseason game to be.”

For Paradiso, the victory was encouraging, but the Kickoff Classic was also about finding out what his young team needs to improve before the games begin to count.

“We have a very young team across the board, so we just have to work every week,” Paradiso said. “I’m very proud of the players, very proud of the coaches.”
It was exactly the kind of test a Kickoff Classic is designed to provide — fall behind, battle back, make plays when they matter and finish strong.
Now, the games start counting. Tohopekaliga officially opens its 2026 regular season on the road against the Astronaut War Eagles in Titusville.

Congratulations, Tigers, on a hard-earned Kickoff Classic win, and best of luck as the 2026 season officially gets underway!

A big shoutout to our Community Business Partners — Orlando Health, Orlando Health St. Cloud Hospital, Huff’s Quality Air Conditioning & Heating, Starling Chevrolet Buick GMC in St. Cloud, and Toho Water Authority — for supporting Positively Osceola’s coverage of high school football across Osceola County!