PCHS Bulletin – Brooklynn Deckman and Mary-Kate Wainscott
Date Published: December 19, 2025
The Parrish Bulls were handed another crushing playoff defeat with a 35-7 loss to the East Lake Eagles in the regional quarterfinals on November 14, 2025.
It wasn’t even close at any point during the game, with the Eagles stacking up a 20-0 lead by the end of the first quarter, which grew to a 35-0 lead at halftime. It stayed that way until RB Jacoby Thomas’s (Jr.) receiving touchdown in the closing minutes to keep the Bulls from being shut out.
With the loss, the Bulls’ overall playoff record dropped to 0-3, marking the third consecutive season ended by a loss in the first round of the playoffs. It was their second worst loss of the season behind their 38-8 loss to the Palmetto Tigers and also their second worst playoff loss behind a 49-0 defeat in 2023 against the Naples Golden Eagles.
“It’s not the finish that we wanted, but we’re very proud of our staff and our players as the season went off,” Head Coach Dylan Clark said.
Dylan Clark stepping down as Bulls Head Coach
Next season is set to look drastically different from a coaching standpoint, as Clark announced on November 20 he would be stepping down as the Bulls head coach after three seasons.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my resignation as the head football coach at Parrish Community High School,” Clark said in a statement posted to social media. “The previous three years have been extremely rewarding, and I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished. I would like to thank our administration, coaches, players, parents, and community for their unwavering support, dedication, and commitment to our football program...thank you for everything!”
Clark arrived at PCHS in the spring of 2023 after two seasons as the head coach for the Alonso Ravens. In his time with the Bulls, he produced a 25-8 record equaling a .760 winning percentage and three playoff appearances.
Six players have also gone on to play college football during Clark’s tenure at PCHS: including TE Lane Tomlinson (Class of 2024, Ouachita Baptist), RB Jerone Turner (Class of 2024, Albion), P/K Owen Tomlinson (Class of 2025, Ouachita Baptist), LB Gage Cameron (Class of 2025, Albion), RB Jermaine Edwards (Class of 2025, Olivet), and most recently OL Caiden Lee (Sr.), who committed to the United States Military Academy at West Point on April 30.
Clark indicated he will remain with PCHS through the end of the school year to support his players, assist the football program, and help the outgoing seniors prepare for college. He will then go on to pursue a new opportunity outside of coaching and education.
“I just hope that our young men go on to be great fathers and husbands and sons and productive members of society,” Clark said.
A new head coach has not been named at this time.
Bulls look back on individual records, team success
The Bulls recognized multiple players who set new school records with their play during the regular season. Read below:
QB Brycen Volz (Sr): 21 passing touchdowns (season record)
WR Brandon Trucano (Sr.): 11 receiving touchdowns (career record), nine receiving touchdowns (season record), two punt return touchdowns (career and season records), 49 receptions (season record), 903 receiving yards (season record), 1,145 receiving yards (career record)
OL Caiden Lee (Sr.): 31 pancake blocks (career record)
OL Colton Williams (Jr.): 21 pancake blocks (season record)
DB Alex Eldredge (Sr.): two interceptions each against Bayshore and Palm Harbor University (game record), four interceptions (season record), six interceptions (career record)
LB Zachary Bonisch (Jr.): 19 tackles against Sarasota (game record)
DT Kaleb Exume (Jr.): 52 QB pressures (career record)
DT J’Air Speaks (Sr.): 28 QB pressures (season record)
The Bulls finished the season 9-2, identical to their best record in school history set by last year’s team. They also had an identical path as last season, beating the same opponents, only losing to the Tigers in the regular season, and being eliminated in the regional quarterfinals.
Defensive coordinator Frank Post says that experience was a major difference between the 2025 Bulls and the 2024 Bulls, with more upperclassmen starters in 2024. He says for many of the seniors graduating in May 2026, this season was their first as a starter.
“It was a little bit more experienced team last year than this year,” Post said. “I think next year’s team should be more towards the more experienced batch.”
Seniors leaving mark on Parrish Bulls Football program
The loss to the Eagles would mark the end of 23 high school football careers for Bulls seniors, though multiple have either expressed interest, received offers, or are committed to continue playing football (such as Lee for the Army Black Knights) in college. Read more about the Parrish Bulls Football Class of 2026 here: https://www.manateeschools.net/o/parrish/article/2491403
With the Bulls losing multiple all-FACA selections, star players, team captains, and core pieces in the program’s resurgence over the last three seasons, the focus turns to filling the shoes of those seniors being lost to graduation.
“We really need to develop and get our next group of juniors ready to go for the spring and for next season,” Post said. “It’s hard day and age now to predict where we’ll be in the fall with the transferring and school choice open, but hopefully we’ll maintain the kids we have and be in a good spot moving into the fall.”
How the Bulls will look ahead to the offseason and spring
Post reiterated the “Process Over Product” mantra that the Parrish Bulls Football program lives by, and he wants to see his players use the emotions from their first-round playoff exits in each of the last three seasons to help them breakthrough in the playoffs next season.
“The pain they felt after the loss to East Lake, they don’t want to feel that again next year,” Post said. “As the senior group going out, they don’t want to have that one game in the playoffs and lose.”
“We just got to show up and go through the process, make sure that we’re working hard day in and day out and get ready to go and show up every week, not scared of the opponent just based on past records or past game performances.”
The Bulls head into the offseason hoping to take a step forward in the spring and summer months and be ready for the new season in August.