- December 13, 2025
Mainland wide receiver Christian Cooper (left) and quarterback Sebastian Johnson (right). Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland quarterback Sebastian Johnson warms up before the rivalry game against Seabreeze at the Daytona Stadium on Friday, Oct. 31. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland captains (left to right) Christian Cooper, Dennis "Tank" King III, Seabstian Johnson and Chevin Davis take the field for the coin toss before the rivalry game against Seabreeze on Friday, Oct. 31 at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland team captain Christian Cooper carries the flag onto the field before the game against Heritage at the Daytona Stadium on Friday, Oct. 17. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland quarterback Seabstian Johnson (center). Photo by Michele Meyers
Sed Simmons (right) interviews Mainland head coach Jerrime Bell (left) before the game against Spruce Creek on Friday, Sep. 12 at the Daytona Stadium. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland poses with the District 4-5A championship trophy after winning the rivalry match against Seabreeze at the Daytona Stadium on Friday, Oct. 31. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland senior Christian Cooper (right) convinces his buddy Seabstian Johnson (left) to dance for TikTok. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football players (left to right) Shawn "Quinn" Holmes, Kiarin Sullivan, Jaden "Melo" Parks and Christian Cooper. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football players (left to right): Amarion Lane, Sebastian Johnson, Shawn "Quinn" Holmes, Jaden "Melo" Parks and Chevin Davis. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football players. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Mainland football team runs drills the week before the playoff game against Middleburg. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football players take a break at practice the week before the playoff game against Middleburg. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland head football coach Jerrime "Squatty" Bell addresses his players after practice the week before the playoff game against Middleburg. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland receivers coach A.J. Mallory invites his players to dinner the night of the FHSAA playoff bracket reveal the week before the playoff game against Middleburg. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland team captains, wide receiver Christian Cooper and quarterback Sebastian Johnson, made a pact after the Bucs were shut out 21-0 by Tallahassee Lincoln in the first round of the playoffs last season. After finishing the year with a 5-6 record, they vowed they would never forget and immediately started a relentless grind toward a better season and playoff position.
This season, Mainland is 7-2 and seeded No. 2 in Region 1-5A going into the playoffs. The Bucs host No. 7 seed Middleburg (8-2) in the regional quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 14.
“I would say the reason this season didn’t go like last season was just because we (team captains) wouldn’t let anybody forget how last season went — 5-1 and exit in round one,” Johnson said. “We kept on preaching it all year long, every week and every practice.”
Cooper said the team’s discipline made the difference.
“Everybody bought in and trusted the system and each other,” he said.
Two days after defeating Palm Bay Heritage on Oct. 17, Cooper was found passed out on the floor of his family’s bathroom by his 8-year-old sister. He was rushed to AdventHealth Daytona Beach where he remembered being told he may not be able to play football again. He called Johnson close to midnight to tell him the news.
“They’re telling me that I couldn’t play football anytime soon and there was a possibility that I couldn’t play at all for the rest of my life,” he said. “Honestly, I was so in shock I didn’t really react until it kind of set in for a little bit and then it just hurt. It just broke me.”
He was diagnosed with a severe throat infection which was accompanied by cysts and swollen tonsils. Due to the severity, surgery was a consideration and Cooper was transported to AdventHealth for Children in Orlando.
Experience in the playoffs, experience in these big games and being home with our band and our crowd are definitely advantages over Middleburg. ... With the band going and the crowd rocking, the boys feed off of that. It’s a different atmosphere and it can be intimidating if you’ve never experienced it before.
— JERRIME "SQUATTY" BELL, Mainland football coach
After responding well to antibiotics and rest, surgery was taken off the table. Cooper missed the 50-6 blowout against Belleview on Oct. 24 but returned to play in the rivalry match against Seabreeze on Oct. 31. He scored the first touchdown of the game in Mainland's 41-6 victory.
Coach Jerrime "Squatty" Bell, Johnson and girlfriend Kylea Beaumont were the only three people outside of his family that Cooper stayed in touch with throughout the ordeal.
“I’m happy to see Christian back,” Bell said. “Man, that kid, he’s a leader. Kids like that are the heartbeat of the Mainland football program. When you see a kid like that go down, everyone feels it. JV guys feel it because they missed that smile at practice. I missed that ‘Hey, coach’ in the hallways. We’re glad he’s healthy and he’s back.”
The playoff brackets were announced on Thursday, Nov. 6. Every year, Mainland receivers coach A.J. Mallory invites his players over to his parents’ house for baked ziti, chicken Alfredo, salad and rolls. He said they talk about the bracket and watch Thursday night NFL football.
“Coach T.A. (Terry Anthony) brought us to his house when we were players for him and we do the exact same thing — watch some football, talk a little football. We used to watch some of his highlights and just ate. He would make his famous lasagna,” Mallory said.
Bell said he is excited that Middleburg made the playoffs. While coaching at Atlantic in 2023, he said, he triedy to organize a matchup with the Broncos and head coach Ryan Wolfe. They weren't able to make it happen.
“Schools like Middleburg hold a special place in my heart — seeing the little guys rise up,” Bell said. “When I was head coach at Atlantic, we were in similar situations. Coach takeover at a school that’s not known to win a lot of football games. Wolfe stayed the course and turned the program around. I’m excited to battle against them.”
Mainland’s offense is centered around quarterback Johnson, so it is necessary he is prepared to take what the defense gives him, Bell said. Last season, Johnson finished with 1,698 passing yards. This year, he has 2,054 yards passing.
“Actually, I’m very proud about my stats this season,” Johnson said. “Last year, I fell short of 2,000 yards. Dang, I was mad, but this year, bang, I got over 2,000. I’m so happy.”
Running back Braylyn Simmons leads the Bucs with 985 total yards and seven touchdowns. Wide receiver Chris Butler has 34 catches for 755 yards and seven touchdowns. Kaden Flores has 27 catches for 568 yards and a team-leading nine total touchdowns.
Comparatively, Middleburg is led by Gino Addison with 1,014 yards rushing. Quarterback Mason Bacus has passed for 1,088 yards.
“Middleburg’s defense seems stingy, if you look at the stats,” Bell said. “They’ve got a good run game, so we’ve got to take advantage of every possession. As long as C-bas (Johnson) does what he’s supposed to do and (linebackers) Tank (Dennis King III) and Tamaj (Woodard) play stout run defense, we should be successful.”
Bell is not too concerned about the Bucs playing stout run defense. They've been doing that all season.
“They play fast, physical football,” Bell said of his linebackers. “The trio of Tank, Tamaj and Shawn “Quinn” Holmes have played lights-out football, assignment football, all year long and they take pride in stopping their opponents’ rushing game.”
Middleburg twin brothers Dominic and Darius Swilley are also twin defensive ends. Bell said they play fast and physical, and key matchup will be how the Bucs' offensive line handles them. Bell said linemen Stephone Ross, Amare Campbell, Amarion Lane and Chevin Davis Jr. will have their hands full but Bell is confident they'll get the job done.
Bell said experience and community support are advantages Mainland is taking into the first round.
“Experience in the playoffs, experience in these big games and being home with our band and our crowd are definitely advantages over Middleburg,” he said. “The atmosphere is different. We may not have 10-to-15,000 at our games … but with the band going and the crowd rocking, the boys feed off of that. It’s a different atmosphere and it can be intimidating if you’ve never experienced it before.”
