(This story has been updated with the District 1-3A schedule)
Just like District 1-5A and District 1-4A, District 1-3A will be bigger this fall.
Pensacola and West Florida remain in the district as does two-time defending district champion Panama City Bay.
District 1-4A champion Pine Forest has moved down to 3A, while South Walton moved up from District 1-2A.
The moves create a district where all five teams played in the postseason in 2025. West Florida won at Yulee in the regional quarterfinals before falling at eventual state champion Raines in the regional semifinals.
Pine Forest lost at E.D. White in the Region 1-4A quarterfinals for the second straight year. Pensacola competed in the 1A-3A Florida Invitational Tournament, its first postseason appearance since 2014.
South Walton lost to Pensacola Catholic in the Region 1-2A semifinals, while Bay lost a shootout to Godby in the Region 1-3A quarterfinals.
Every team will have the same goal to return to the postseason this fall. Here’s what to expect from three area District 1-3A teams.
West Florida: ‘A pivotal year’
Head coach: Wes Summerford (2nd season)
2025 record: 7-5
After taking over a Jaguars program with lots of veterans last year, Summerford thinks the younger group he has this fall is the perfect one for year two.
“I think this is going to be a pivotal year for how the program goes,” Summerford. “I was thinking about that the other day, this is a really good group to be in year two with because now those guys are starting to develop in our ways and how we do things as a program.”
Like any program, West Florida spent the offseason trying to shore up weaknesses and tweak their schemes to fit the talent of the players in the program.
Senior Brayden Ellis will take over for Xavier Finley at quarterback, and is a more traditional pocket passer compared to the dual-threat Finley. But the Jaguars will still try to keep teams off balance at the position, with seniors Dane Elliott and Zay Davis and sophomore Landon Murphy getting some wildcat snaps.
Elliott is the area’s top returning receiver, catching 32 passes for 537 yards and two touchdowns in the fall before turning into the area’s best sprinter in the spring. Summerford is expecting a breakout year from Davis at receiver after he battled injuries as a junior and looks for senior Anthony Bonham to contribute too.
West Florida also worked to shore up its offensive line depth alongside senior center David Thompkins, the lone returning starter. Seniors Bobby White and Grayson Taylor are also have varsity experience.
The Jaguars have a bit more returning on defense, led by senior linebacker Ashton Caldwell and junior defensive lineman Caydein McNeil. Senior Martin Cruz and sophomore Dylan Thompkins add to the depth up front. Summerford expects the front seven to be stronger early on than the secondary, where juniors Don Williams and Cameron Kelley will lead the way.
No matter what grade level, Summerford is looking for leaders. West Florida can’t accept transfer and load up on seniors, so they have to develop from within as they try to build off a successful 2025.
“Some of these guys are playing pivotal roles,” Summerford said. “They’re sophomores to be, so we need that big leadership to step up this year and we really need those juniors to get experience so they can lead those guys the right way.”
Pine Forest: ‘Guys genuinely like playing together’
Head coach: Kerry McDowell (2nd season)
2025 record: 3-7 (District 1-4A champions)
If Kerry McDowell learned anything in his first season as a head coach, it’s that culture matters.
Everyone inside the program needs to be on board and know the program’s standards. After lots of talks with players and coaches throughout the offseason, the Eagles appear to be more united this fall.
“The guys genuinely like playing together and working together,” McDowell said. “The overall locker room status is getting better and better everyday.”
A better culture could help in a year where Pine Forest has to replace a talented senior class, but still has plenty of potential.
That includes replacing five college level players on defense as well as almost all their production in the front seven. Junior four-star defensive end Tristian Henderson, who’s older brother Trenton is now at LSU, will lead the way up front, and seniors Jadarian Bowens and Keandre Simmons are ready for bigger roles.
The Eagles will have to replace their whole starting linebacker group too, including Demetress Mosley, who’s now at South Alabama. Senior Aden Andrews will step in and has legit 4.4 speed and senior Rashaun Dennis is another to watch.
Pine Forest’s secondary has plenty of experience, including a pair of future Division I players in Army commit Zion Heard and senior Otha Thomas IV, who missed almost all of last year. Pensacola Catholic transfer Kintrell Brookins should make an impact too, with McDowell describing him as a player “who will try to run through your face.”
On offense, Pine Forest has two Division I caliber receivers in Tulane commit Korden Randle and Kemarion Jordan, who’s been racking up offers this year. Senior Jacorie Thomas returns at quarterback, and McDowell expects him to be much improved this fall.
“He’s such a smart guy,” McDowell said of Thomas. “Often times you can’t get people wanting to play quarterback and they can’t read the secondary or how to pull read on an RPO and Jacorie’s able to do all those things. That makes things a lot easier when you have a highly intelligent guy back there at quarterback.”
Like last year, the talent is there for the Eagles. Winning a district title and making the playoffs would be enough at many schools, but Pine Forest has different standards, and everyone needs to be on the same page to get there.
“The bar is just really high here,” McDowell said. “The expectation is to win and to win every game. We dropped down from 4A to 3A but we still seem to have plenty of 4A and 5A teams on the schedule and the expectation is still to go out there and win those games.”
Pensacola: Tigers enter 2026 ‘with a chip on our shoulder’
Head coach: Wade McKinney (3rd season)
2025 record: 2-9
After the Tigers went 5-5 in 2024 to 2-9 in 2025, Wade McKinney took a long look in the mirror, eventually taking blame for the program’s step back.
“I didn’t do a very good job last year,” McKinney said .”We just weren’t prepared. I just have to do a better job this year of getting these guys ready to play.”
The Tigers appear to be in a much better position entering this fall. They didn’t have any underclassmen transfer out and even made a few key additions, notably Pensacola Catholic running back Kaleb Willoughby.
Pensacola also dedicated more time to the weight room with eleven players hitting the 900-pound club after having zero in McKinney’s first two years. Grades were better too, with everyone eligible to start fall camp after McKinney was working to get kids eligible ahead of last year’s kickoff classic.
The Tigers had to throw a lot underclassmen into the fire when they might not have been ready last year, which means a more experienced group in 2026.
PHS returns its whole offensive line and added a potential impact transfer in Kendall Atkins from Pine Forest. The Tigers will have stability up front as they break in new players in the backfield in junior quarterback Jacob Perkins, who’s impressed McKinney with his maturity, and Willoughby. Perkins will have a pair of big senior targets to throw to as well in 6-foot-4 Noah Jones and 6’2 Zarion Harris.
Pensacola struggled on defense in 2025, giving up 33.8 points per game, but is expecting a much-improved unit under new defensive coordinator Keyon Helton, who played at West Florida HS and USF and spent last season as the Bulls assistant secondary coach.
Jones, seniors Rashad Williams and Ronald Robinson will lead the way at linebacker, while junior Jamarcus Kitt is ready for another big season at edge rusher.
For most of last year, the Tigers never had a consistent unit on both ends of the field. But consistency defined their offseason as they look to surprise people this fall.
“We’re definitely this season going into this season with a chip on our shoulder, for sure,” Perkins said. “We’re trying to bring back PHS, trying to be a front runner this year.”
District 1-3A schedule
MaxPreps District 1-3A preseason rankings
PNJ District 1-3A preseason rankings
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola, Pine Forest, West Florida District 1-3A 2026 preview
Reporting by Justin Fitzgerald, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Justin Fitzgerald, Pensacola News Journal | USA TODAY Network
