NORTH CENTRAL
IT WAS QUITE THE YEAR FOR THE AREA IN 2015 WITH
the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football (Nature Coast RB
DeShawn Smith), a state title (1A Trenton) and two state
semifinalists (4A Santa Fe & 7A Columbia), plus the 6A Player
of the Year in QB N’Kosi Perry, who was last year’s Mr. Football Runner-up and the frontrunner for the award in 2016.
Last year as a junior, Perry completed 128-of-223 passes
for 2,307 yards with 32 TD passes and only two intercep-
tions in leading the Knights to the 6A-District 5 title. The
Knights were a high-powered attack a year ago, scoring 464
points, averaging 38 points a game, and scoring more than
40 points in seven of their 12 games. Mix in senior defensive end Adrian Hope ( 26. 5 sacks) and rising junior Justin
Watkins, who transferred from North Marion, and Vanguard
could be the top team in the region. Another top signal caller
in the area, Columbia’s Davin Shuck, is also back after leading the Tigers to their first state semifinal since 2003. Shuck
threw for over 3,500 yards in leading the state in passing.
With the return of 1,300-yard rusher Kamario Bell, the Tigers
could have another big season in 2016.
While defending state champion Trenton might have the
best opportunity to win 1A-District 7, there’s no arguing the
fact that Newberry has the top pair of defensive tackles in
the state in Cory Durden & Ja’len Parks. Both Parks ( 6’ 4,
297) & Durden ( 6’ 4, 283) are FSU commits. The top offen-
sive lineman in the area is North Marion’s Blake Vinson ( 6’ 6,
295), a Clemson commit. He’ll be blocking for running back
Jalen Patterson, a Miami commit. And, Vanguard’s Perry is
also a UM commit.
Last year, Hernando County had two of the top rushers in
the state. Mr. Football’s DeShawn Smith had a state-leading
3,715 yards (286 per game) while his cousin, Central’s
De’Vonta Smith ( 5’ 11, 185), had 2,193 yards as a junior.
De’Vonta, who runs a 4. 4 in the 40, has set a personal goal
of 3,000 yards this season. – Mike Ridaught
TOP SMALL SCHOOLS RETURN BIG TALENT
BELL BULLDOGS (1A- 5)
2015 RECORD: 4-6
THE COACH: Joey Whittington
THE PLAYERS: River Lundy (Sr., QB/DB), Peyton Bradley
(Sr., LB/FB), Cobi Sasser (Sr., LB/WB), Jordan Grayer (Sr.,
LB/FB), Andrew Harrell (Sr., DB/WB), Sammy Loveday (Jr.,
LB/TE), Zach Simpson (Jr., LB/RB), Ryan Stalvey (Jr., OL/
DL), Seth Diepersloot (Jr., OL/DL), Terek Liles (Jr., OL/DL)
THE WORD: The Bulldogs will be a young team this year,
as 10 starters graduated. With the return of their LBs,
Bell’s defense should lead the way. Bradley ( 59 tackles),
Simpson ( 50 tackles), Grayer ( 45 tackles) and Loveday ( 27
tackles) all return in the middle of the defense. However,
only four starters return on offense. The ‘Dogs will have
some experience returning in Lundy, who accounted for
over 600 yards as a junior. “We are excited about the
changes we are making offensively, and look to be physical
and competitive in every game,” said Whittington, who
enters his fourth season as head coach.
BELLEVIEW RATTLERS (5A- 6)
2015 RECORD: 1-9
THE COACH: John Brantley (1st Year)
THE PLAYERS: Robert LeCorn (Sr., RB/LB), Tybyis Scott (Sr.,
RB/LB), Dalvin Colsten (Sr., CB), Julian Heppner (Jr., DT)
THE WORD: John Brantley returns to the sideline after a
12-year coaching stint at Ocala Trinity Catholic which included a 67-20 record, a state title and a state runner-up
finish. Brantley faces an uphill battle with a young Rattler
squad which only returns eight starters. They did pick up
a transfer in Corey Wilsher, a sophomore quarterback
with all the tools to become successful in Brantley’s wide
open offense. Lecorn ( 1,106 yards) and Scott, a speedy
receiver with tremendous upside, are the top returning
players on offense, while Colston, an outstanding cover
defensive back, and Heppner ( 6’ 3, 265 pounds), are the
key returnees on defense. With only three teams in the
district (joining North Marion & Eastside, which have
first-year coaches), and a proven coach in Brantley, the
Rattlers could advance to the postseason for the first
time in 10 years.
BISHOP MCLAUGHLIN (SPRING HILL)
HURRICANES (IND)
2015 RECORD: 4-6
THE COACH: Jeff Swymer
THE PLAYERS: Joe Mastrino (Sr., WR), Luis Valentin (Sr.,
RB), Chris Cigarran (Sr., LB), Marc Harrera (Sr., LB), Julio
Harrera (Jr., DB), Gilbert Estein (Sr., QB)
THE WORD: The Hurricanes will be replacing a lot of
kids that graduated. In fact, only four starters return on
both sides of the ball. They do get some help as Marc
& Julio Harrera transferred in from Land O’Lakes, along
with Estein, who will take over at quarterback. The ‘Canes
should have a solid group of skill position players but the
key will be how their youth develops on both the offensive
and defensive lines over the summer and preseason practice. Valentin (568 yards rushing) and Mastrino (206 yards
receiving, 186 rushing) are the key returnees on offense,
while Valentin ( 57 tackles) is the top defensive returner.
BRADFORD (STARKE) TORNADOES (4A- 3)
2015 RECORD: 7-4
THE COACH: Corey Green
THE PLAYERS: Xavien Jenkins (Sr., S), Aundre Carter (Jr.,
RB), Jaylon Hankerson (Sr., ATH), Zion Barber (Jr., QB)
THE WORD: A year ago, the Tornadoes finished runner-up
in 4A District 3 before being bounced out of the first round
of the playoffs by Dunnellon. They will once again compete
in the same district with Keystone Heights, P.K. Younge,
Interlachen, and defending champion, Santa Fe. This year’s
squad returns 10 offensive starters, but just a single player
on defense. Green expects to have a young team and may
have to start five or six sophomores defensively. Barber
started six contests at quarterback last year and had 33
carries for 156 yards, good enough to average 4. 72 yards
per carry with three touchdowns. The junior also went
13-28 for 202 yards through the air. Carter is a two-year
starter and had 918 yards and 15 scores on the ground
despite battling shoulder injuries for much of 2015.
BRANFORD BUCCANEERS (1A- 7)
2015 RECORD: 2-7
THE COACH: Roy Harden
THE PLAYERS: Adam Stancel (Sr., OT), Justin Warren (Sr.,
RB), Ryan Edington (Sr., RB), Dylan White (Jr., RB), Trey
Sapp (Jr., LB), Hunter Hill (Sr., LB), Blake Lamb (Sr., RB)
THE WORD: The Buccaneers scored only 80 points last season,
with half of those points coming in their t wo wins, 22-12 over
Jacksonville Bishop Snyder and 20-6 at Bronson. Branford
started 2-2 but lost their last five games and were shutout in four
straight games, including losses to Newberry, playoff team Dixie
County and 1A state champion Trenton. The Bucs did manage a
touchdown in a 22-6 loss at rival Bell to end the season. Branford
does return a solid amount of lettermen, seven on offense and
five on defense. Junior Hunter Morgan returns and is expected to
start at quarterback. Branford doesn’t throw much, so Morgan
only attempted 76 passes in 2015, completing 28 for 294 yards
and four touchdowns and 6 interceptions, but he was second on
the team in rushing with 366 yards and two touchdowns. Warren
led Branford with 409 yards rushing and returns in the backfield
along with Edington and White. Defensively, Sapp is the leading
returning tackler with 50 stops a year ago. The district will be
challenging once again with defending state champion Trenton,
a perennial playoff team in Dixie County, and improving teams
Chiefland, Williston, and Newberry, which is breaking in a new
coach. Breaking a 16-year playoff drought would be quite an
accomplishment for Harden and Branford.
BRONSON EAGLES (INDEPENDENT)
2015 RECORD: 0-10
THE COACH: Curtis Stacy (1st year)
THE PLAYERS: Caleb Chemin (Jr., QB/S), Austin Collins
(Sr., OL/DL), Caleb Rice (Sr., TE/LB), Shane Durden, (Sr.,
WR/DB), Julius Smith (Sr., WR/S), Tra Francis (Jr., OL/DL),
Ryan Roberts (Sr., WR/DB)
THE WORD: After two seasons in a row without a losing
record, the Eagles failed to win a single game last season.
They also struggled mightily offensively with just 27 points
the entire season, which is likely the reason the Eagles will
make the transition this season from a 1A-District 7 to an
Independent status. Curtis Stacy takes over in Bronson to
try and turn things around. He will have seven starters back
on offense and six on defense to help with the cause. “We
are a very young team and we’re in the process of bringing
a new culture to Bronson Football,” said Stacy. “As a coaching staff we expect our players to go out and compete every
week at a high level. Like every high school coaching staff
in America, the staff and I will go out every Friday night and
coach with an expectation to win the game.”
BUCHHOLZ (GAINESVILLE) BOBCATS (7A- 3)
2015 RECORD: 10-2
THE COACH: Mark Whittemore
THE PLAYERS: Chris Rumph (Sr., DE), Luke Whittemore
(Sr., WR), Jay Wheeler (Sr., MLB), Bryan Jaszczak (Sr., WR),
Stephen Lorenz (Jr., OL), Torrey Richardson (Sr., RB)
THE WORD: It had been seven years since the Bobcats
appeared in the postseason, and 11 years since their last
district title and playoff win, but that all changed in 2015
as Buchholz won District 3-7A and finished with a 10-win
season. The ‘Cats must replace Marshall signee Jackson
White, who threw for 2,732 yards and 26 touchdowns,
but the good news is that the top two receivers are back
from last year in Whittemore and Jaszczak, who combined
for 129 receptions and over 1,800 yards with 17 TD’s.
Richardson returns as well to lead the Buchholz backfield
BEST IN THE
REGION
1. Top 5 Teams
■ Vanguard
■ Columbia
■ North Marion
■ Buchholz
■ Trenton
2. Player to Watch
■ N’Kosi Perry, QB,
Vanguard
3. Sleeper Player
■ Jaylen Brown,
Columbia
4. Team on the Rise
■ Vanguard
5. Best Atmosphere
■ Trenton
6. Game of the Year
■ Vanguard at North
Marion
Carson Wells ( 29), South Sumter
