After a long summer of helmets clashing in the August heat, coaches shouting over drills, and players grinding through endless repetitions, the Pembroke Pines Charter Varsity Jaguars Football team finally stepped under the lights last Friday night, August 22. This game ended in a shoutout, with the Jaguars roaring past Northeast High School, with a final score of 51–0. This game being the debut of their new head coach Carl Toussaint; the result was nothing short of a statement.
The win launched the 2025–26 season with momentum and underscored what coaches and players had preached since training camp this summer: discipline and accountability.
“My goal is to create a disciplined team that’s focused on the we and not the me. When everyone’s target is the success of the program, our accomplishments are inevitable,” remarked first-year Head Coach Carl Toussaint.
That approach represents a new chapter for the Pines Charter Jaguars, who finished last season with a record of 6–4. The fresh leadership has raised expectations across the roster, including Senior lineman Luke Esquivel who claims that the team’s goals are clear.
“This season I want to go at least 8–2,” Esquivel noted. “That’s what the whole team’s expectations were. That’s what Coach set the standard for us.”
He added that last season’s mistakes were a key focus point during training camp this summer. “Last year we had a lot of fumbles, a lot of things that shouldn’t have happened that we have practiced already,” Esquivel added. “It’s definitely a discipline issue, and we all just need to focus on locking in, listening to our coaches, and executing our job because I know we have the talent to do it.”
Esquivel also praised the offensive line and receivers, calling them a strength in preseason play. But both coaches and players agreed that execution under the lights would matter most.
The season opener certainly delivered on that promise. Junior quarterback Trenton Beesing accounted for multiple touchdowns, sophomore wide-receiver John Rhoden scored twice, and junior Josiah Knight powered the run game. On defense, senior Quincy Walker and junior Alexander Steszewski helped set the tone as the Jaguars pitched a shutout.
For Coach Toussaint, the excitement goes beyond numbers. “I get excited with the young student-athletes we get to help mold into becoming great men,” he explained. “I’m also excited to watch the returning players continue to mature and prepare themselves to step into adulthood. And I’m extremely excited to possibly take this football program to new heights.”
Week 1 showed that Charter’s new identity is already taking shape. With Coral Springs Charter and North Broward Prep ahead, the Jaguars are aiming to turn discipline and focus into something bigger than just one win.
