BOCA RATON — Despite another offseason of change and uncertainty, Inlet Grove football believes its best days are ahead.
A year after overcoming coaching, personnel and financial challenges to post five wins and earn a berth in the inaugural Florida Invitational Tournament, the Hurricanes are again navigating transition.
Former head coach Remington Young, who guided the program through its turbulent 2025 season, departed for Dwyer after the season. Inlet Grove also faces long-term uncertainty as the school prepares to relocate to the renovated Lincoln Elementary campus by 2028.
Yet optimism remains high.
New head coach Matt Haughn and a rebuilt coaching staff have spent the offseason laying the foundation for 2026, while returning players and incoming
transfers have embraced the challenge of proving Inlet Grove remains a viable program in Palm Beach County.
The Hurricanes' confidence stems in part from the work put in during an offseason filled with change.
Assistant coaches came and went throughout the summer, but one constant was Tarik Jarrett. Originally joining the program as a volunteer, Jarrett quickly earned a larger role and now serves as the team's offensive coordinator.
He's embraced the responsibility of helping shape a program still fighting to establish stability.
"I'm ready for that role to push them and make it a standard that we're going to work hard and do big things," Jarrett said. "I want to be holding up a state championship trophy, no matter what it takes to get there. Cry, sweat, bleed, we've got to figure it out. Be winners. We want to win here, we want to win everywhere. Be winners in life."
That mentality has resonated with players.
Senior Omari Sommons is among a group of transfers who joined the Hurricanes this offseason. For him, the move represented an opportunity to continue growing both on and off the field.
"I see myself becoming a better player and becoming a better me," Sommons said.
Those new faces join a core group of returners that experienced the highs and lows of last season's improbable run to five victories. After spending much of 2025 overcoming obstacles simply to field a competitive team, the Hurricanes enter 2026 determined to show last season was not a fluke.
The uncertainty surrounding the program's future has not gone away. Questions remain about the school's eventual move and what it could mean for Inlet Grove athletics. But inside the locker room, players and coaches have chosen to focus on what they can control.
In fact, Jarrett believes the circumstances surrounding the program have only strengthened the team's resolve.
Even as Inlet Grove prepares for another season amid questions and change, he sees a group eager to prove doubters wrong.
"I feel like this is going to be the reason why they pour into it more," Jarrett said. "It was a long summer. The city is going to see it."
For a program that has spent the last two years fighting for stability, simply surviving is no longer the goal.
The Hurricanes believe they are positioned to take another step forward in 2026 and continue building a foundation that can endure no matter what changes may come next.
Alex Peterman is a high school sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at apeterman@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Inlet Grove football embracing change under new leadership
