PCHS Bulletin – Brooklynn Deckman and Mary-Kate Wainscott
Date Published - November 3, 2025
The Parrish Bulls clinched a playoff spot for the third consecutive season with a 9-1 regular season record.
Led by Head Coach Dylan Clark and star players such as team captains QB Brycen Volz (Sr.), OL Caiden Lee (Sr.), DT Kaleb Exume (Jr.), and DL J’Air Speaks (Sr.), this team is in prime position to potentially host their first playoff game in school history.
Check out the game recaps following the Bulls’ bye week:
Defense decides Bulls victory over Blue Devils
The Parrish Bulls went head-to-head with the Winter Haven Blue Devils and came out on top 12-3, claiming another tough win on the road.
With two extra points missed, QB Brycen Volz’s two passing touchdowns to WRs Brandon Trucano (Sr.) and Ashton Fischer (Jr.) were enough for the Bulls to hold onto the lead for the whole game, with the Bulls defense only allowing a field goal.
Volz had a solid night with 13 of 22 passes completed for 244 yards. His longest completion was the touchdown to Fischer, which went for 49 yards. Volz has now progressively improved his yards per game (YPG) with each game this season.
Meanwhile, Trucano caught seven passes for 111 yards, continuing his dominant season as a clear-cut WR1 for the Bulls.
On defense, LB Mar'Keyon (Keyon) Maxwell (Sr.), FS Wyatt Goodman (Sr.), and CBs Patrick Robinson (Jr.) and Gavin Santaliz (Jr.) each deflected a pass, and DT Kaleb Exume sacked the Blue Devils quarterback.
The Bulls will return home for their Homecoming game against the first of three consecutive district opponents on their schedule in the Gateway Eagles.
Bulls take down Eagles in memorable Homecoming win
The Parrish Bulls took to their home turf for the first time in three weeks and triumphantly returned to their dominant form in a 46-7 win over their district opponent in the Gateway Eagles.
The game started off with the formidable Bulls defense forcing a three-and-out drive on the Eagles offense and triggering a punt on their first possession of the game.
But WR Brandon Trucano was ready in the backfield, as he fielded the punt and returned it for a 55-yard touchdown.
“I thought it was a good play,” Trucano said. “I give credit to my blockers because they opened a lane for me to score.”
The Eagles got the ball back following that return and were forced to punt again. Once again, Trucano was ready in the backfield, fielding the punt and almost returning it for another touchdown before getting forced out of bounds around the 20-yard line.
Afterwards, the Bulls offense stepped onto the field for their first possession of the game and made quick do with a passing touchdown from QB Brycen Volz to RB Jacoby Thomas (Jr.).
Following that drive, the Eagles had the ball again deep in their own territory. But on a pass attempt, LB Jake Bendana (Sr.) jumped up and intercepted the Eagles quarterback, returning the ball 10 yards for a pick-six touchdown.
It summed up a huge night for Bendana, who was later crowned Homecoming King.
"That was such a surprise and a shocker,” Bendana said. “It’s like a once in a lifetime experience that I get to tell my kids in the future.”
The Bulls continued to stack points onto the Eagles, leading 39-7 at halftime.
Thomas had an additional two rushing touchdowns on the night, and LB Keyon Maxwell also added some snaps at running back, with five carries for 68 carries and a touchdown.
On defense, DT Kaleb Exume and DL J’Air Speaks (Sr.) both forced a fumble. In addition, to go along with Bendana’s pick-six, LB Connor Post also had an interception returned for a 65-yard touchdown early in the second quarter.
Post, who caught the interception one-handed, is the son of defensive coordinator Frank Post.
“Proud moment for a dad,” the elder Post said. “He could actually read the quarterback’s eyes and see where he was going, and that’s what ended up leading him to where he was at that point....I know he knows what’s going on.”
“Coach Post does such a good job putting guys in the right position to be successful,” Head Coach Dylan Clark said. “To see him, Jake, and Connor have success with it and then watching the sideline support one another, it was just who we are. It was fun to watch.”
Since it was the Homecoming game, the players expressed gratitude to the fans for showing up and showing out.
“Everyone wearing pink, everyone supporting us, just having fun,” RB Christopher Larsen (Jr.) said.
DL Ty Baker (So.) said prior to the game he was feeling more motivated because he had lots of friends and family coming to the game.
“There’s going to be like everyone I know, so I want to do really well,” he said. “We worked our butt off all week.”
As the regular season begins to wind down, the Bulls’ last home game of the season will feature a matchup against another district opponent in the Lennard Longhorns.
Bulls triumph over Longhorns in massive district victory
Once again, Senior Night honored a large group of Parrish Bulls Football players, around the same number as last year’s graduating class.
“It’s a little sad,” LB Jake Bendana said. “It’s the last home game, last time running out of the bull, last time playing here, but all good things have to come to an end eventually.”
“I don’t know if it’s any more emotional than any other game,” Head Coach Dylan Clark said prior to the game. “We’re an emotional team. So hopefully we can avoid distractions and be locked in at 7pm for kickoff. “
After the pre-game senior festivities, the Bulls took to their home turf for the final time this season to face a tricky district opponent in the undefeated Lennard Longhorns.
“They’re a really, really good team,” Clark said. “They’re big and athletic and Coach KB [Belton, Lennard Head Coach] does a great job....I’m excited for the opportunity just to go out and compete against a really good program.”
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase who we are.... we’re going to go out there and try to win one play at a time and stack those plays and turn them into quarters and quarters into one game.”
Despite entering the game as a three-touchdown underdog, the Bulls capitalized on the opportunity at hand and defeated the Longhorns 14-6, handing them their first loss of the season.
Things started a little rocky as the Longhorns forced a fumble on RB Jacoby Thomas early in the game. They would go on to score on their next drive, but DT Kaleb Exume blocked the extra point, keeping the game 6-0.
The Bulls went on to score 14 unanswered points to seal the game, with a 28-yard receiving touchdown by WR Nathan Schueller (Jr.) and an additional rushing touchdown by RB/LB Keyon Maxwell.
WR Brandon Trucano continued a dominant trend, recording his eighth consecutive game with 60 or more receiving yards on at least two receptions. He had four catches for 81 yards against the Longhorns.
On defense, Bendana and LB Silas Edwards (Sr.) each recorded a sack, and CB Braydon Jacobson had an interception.
“It took a full team effort as far as play as we had some key injuries that came up in the last two weeks,” defensive coordinator Frank Post said about the win. “Kids had to play in the position and it’s a full group effort to get through.”
The win boosted the Bulls’ record to 7-1 on the season, and next head across town to face the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs.
Bulls finish out district slate with gritty cross-town victory over Mustangs
A Palmetto Tigers win over the Lennard Longhorns clinched the Tigers the 6A District 11 championship for the second consecutive season, but the Parrish Bulls weren’t even thinking about that outcome during their 29-10 district win over the Lakewood Ranch Mustangs.
The game started off with a bang, as the Bulls forced a fumble on the Mustangs’ first play of their first possession. A three-and-out drive by the Bulls led to a field goal shortly after.
After the Mustangs evened the score with a field goal of their own, the Bulls recovered from two offensive fumbles and began to stack points onto their opponent, with three passing touchdowns from QB Brycen Volz.
WR Brandon Trucano snagged two of those, and WR Nathan Schueller caught the other one. RB Jacoby Thomas also had a touchdown rush.
Trucano had nine receptions for a season-high 136 yards. He had multiple impressive catches throughout the game, including a toe-tapping catch on one of his touchdowns.
The Bulls made up for their offensive mistakes with another great defensive performance. DL J’Air Speaks tallied an interception, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery, and DL Ty Baker (So.) also added a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The Bulls finish out the regular season on the road against the Sarasota Sailors.
Bulls celebrate individual honors prior to playoffs
Before the Parrish Bulls wrapped up their regular season against the Sarasota Sailors, the Florida Athletic Coaches Association (FACA) released their awards for the 2025 season in the 6A District 16 division.
Headlining the individual honors for the Bulls was QB Brycen Volz being named Player of the Year. It’s the second year in a row that a Bulls offensive player has been named Player of the Year, following RB Jermaine Edwards (Class of 25) last season.
Entering the regular season finale against the Sailors, Volz had thrown for 1,599 yards and 18 touchdowns, more than doubling his number of touchdowns from last season and additionally breaking the school record for passing touchdowns.
Head Coach Dylan Clark believes Volz has majorly improved emotionally and mentally, helping him “develop into one of the best quarterbacks in the area.”
“I really think that he’s taking a step forward with who he is as a person,” Clark said. “His decision-making's gotten better, and he’s developed into a better leader. So I’m really proud of him.”
Volz credited the offseason program in helping his maturity, stating “I think I became more mature...just grinding the offseason."
In addition to Volz being recognized, three Bulls players were named to the All-District 16 team:
DB Alex Eldredge (Sr.): 46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss (TFL), two QB hurries, four interceptions (leading the division), two pass deflections, and one fumble recovery
LS/LB Connor Post (Jr.): 95% long snap accuracy, 98% short snap accuracy, one interception returned for a touchdown against Gateway, 14 tackles, and one fumble recovery
OL Caiden Lee (Sr.): 83% average blocking grade, 14 pancake blocks, and one sack allowed
“I’m extremely proud of those guys,” Clark said. “They’ve all had big seasons for us and were important aspects of our success this season."
Bulls clinch playoffs in shootout win against Sailors
While it’s “just another game,” Head Coach Dylan Clark emphasized how the Parrish Bulls’ game against the Sarasota Sailors would affect their playoff seeding.
“Our actions and how we play are going to dictate our playoff position moving forward,” Clark said. “If we show up and do what we’re supposed to do, then we’ll probably end up as a #3 seed, but if we go out and lay an egg, then the future’s uncertain, so we don’t know what it is.”
QB Brycen Volz said that a win would majorly boost the team’s confidence heading into the playoffs.
“Getting a win tonight would mean we got our heads high,” Volz said. “I feel like that will help us go into next week locked in.”
Confidence is definitely high for the Bulls, as they beat out the Sailors 35-28 to improve to 9-1 on the season and clinch a playoff spot.
In a surprise shootout, both offenses went back and forth scoring points to put one above the other. But it took a last-minute touchdown from Volz to WR Nathan Schueller to secure the game for the Bulls.
Volz completed 15 of 24 passes for 214 yards, and two additional touchdowns to WRs Kaden Clarkin (Sr.) and Brandon Trucano.
Trucano, who has been the leading receiver for the Bulls all year, was held to only one reception on the night, which was a 23-yard touchdown.
“Just as much as I’m locked in right now, I’ll be locked in for the playoffs,” Trucano said.
RB Jacoby Thomas dominated the rushing game, with 21 carries for a season-high 201 yards and a touchdown. Volz also added a touchdown on the ground for 15 yards.
While the defense allowed their second-highest points total all season (38 in the loss to Palmetto), LBs Zachary Bonisch (Jr.), Logan Youngblood (Sr.), and Keyon Maxwell each forced a fumble on the Sailors offense. Bonisch and Maxwell also had half a sack each.
The Sailors put up a fight but were denied against the Bulls, who finished the regular season with a 9-1 record.
What’s next?
The Bulls now look ahead to the playoffs but will have to wait a week to find out who they will be playing and whether they will host their first home playoff game in school history.
The FHSAA will officially release their brackets for the regional playoffs on Friday, November 7. We’ll keep you posted on where the Bulls end up in the bracket.