Tibbetts’ gets Class 4A All State spot

KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - The unique feature of the Keystone Heights High football teams are that most of the players never get to leave the field for much more than a play or two and Colton Tibbetts, a Class 4A second team defense All State selection as Athlete, was one player; a running back, a defensive back and punt and kickoff returner and even, on occasion a pass catcher, was the guy most likely to be around the ball for coach Chuck Dickinson.
As the Indians lone player on the All State Class 4A rosters dominated by Bolles and Cardinal Gibbons, Tibbetts, just 160 pounds, started all season for Dickinson in multiple positions while accumulating 661 yards rushing with 11 touchdowns as a running back, catching six passes for 60 yards, getting 1024 total yards on possession betwen runs, passes and kick returns, while making 34 tackles, snaring three interceptions and one fumble recovery and even scoring two touchdowns in five games.
Cardinal Gibbons, who beat Bolles for the 4A title, had three of the top four awards with quarterback Brody Palhegyi the overall player of the year, defensive lineman Mason Thomas the defensive player of the year and Matt DuBuc, the coach of the year.
Kade Frew, a Bolles running back and a former Fleming Island Pop Warner and Lakeside Junior High player, was selected as a first teamer with Bolles also getting wide receiver Davis Ellis and offensive lineman Cam Neal on first team.
On first team defense, Bradford County defensive back Dontae Balfour joined three Bolles players; linebacker Mack Marrone, defensive back Avery Epstein and utility Caden Fordham on that list.
On second team offense Bradford got running back Erric Smith and offensive lineman Levonte Daniels.
Fernandina Beach offensive lineman Hampton Tanner and utility Cam Miller made the second team defense with West Nassau athlete Chaz Davis also chosen. Bolles had offensive lineman Reed Collins on second team.
On the second team defense, Bolles had defensive lineman Hayden Schwartz, lineback Jack Pyburn while Fernandina Beach punter Phil Tita was selected. South Sumter had linebacker Kode Lowe chosen.

Eagles nail four All Staters

FLEMING ISLAND - Fleming Island High football put four players on the Class 7A All State selection teams; third teamers with running back Tim Thomas and offensive tackle Evan Sheets on offense and linebacker Alex Maier and defensive back Darius Harris on defense.
Playoff rival Niceville High and district rival Gainesville Buchholz landed players on first team offense and defense with Niceville athlete Trey Wainwright selected as offensive player of the year.
Statewide sportswriters, coaches and statistic were used to determine the lists.
Class 7A champion St. Thomas Aquinas dominated with the overall player of the year, running back Anthony Hankerson, heading to Syracuse University, and the defensive player of the year, defensive lineman Dallas Turner, heading to the University of Alabama, with Valrico Bloomingdale coach Jake Coulson named coach of the year.
Also for Fleming Island, running back Sam Singleton was given an honorable mention choice with defensive end Hunter Williams also on the honorable mention list.
On the first team offense were Fletcher running back Myles Montgomery and offensive lineman Mike Bartilucci, Buchholz running back Quandarius Smith, wide receiver Quan Lee and offensive lineman Da’Shawn Owens and Creekside kicker Andrew Daragjati. Niceville had wide receiver Roland Clay, offensive lineman Kimo Makaneole and athlete Trey Wainwright.
First team defense featured two Niceville players; linebacker Justin Hendrix and athlete Azareyeh Thomas.
On second team offense, Creekside had running back Preston Strope with Niceville tight end Dominic Annichiarico also on the second team.
On second team defense, Creekside had defensive lineman Luther McCoy with Niceville getting linebacker Michael Carruthers and defensive back Juice McNulty.
Beside Thomas and Sheets, third team saw Lincoln kicker David Monroe and Atlantic Coast wide receiver Patrick Bryant.
Maier and Harris were the only area athletes on the third team defense.
Also going honorable mention locally were Buchholz quarterback Creed Whittimore, Creekside wide receiver Jack Goodrich and tight end Jacob Ritchie, Fletcher offensive lineman Chandler Kirton, First Coast defensive lineman Damien Deloney, Buchholz defensive lineman Matt Clayton, Atlantic Coast linebacker Janari Grimsley and Fletcher athlete Aaron Hester.

Ray gives Clay Class 5A first teamer

GREEN COVE SPRINGS - With first year head coach Kyle Kennard’s smashmouth, in your face offense throwing and running the ball straight into most defenses, it is no surprise that running back Al’Querious Ray was selected as a Class 5A All State first team offensive selection.
Ray, with 1898 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns, was the main battering ram for Kennard’s pounding offensive strategy with Ray averaging 172 yards per game. 9.9 yards per carry and punching in for 200 plus yards three times with two games in the 190s. Ray’s best game was a 283 yard effort against Middleburg with five scores.
The first team offense feature a plethora of area talent including Suwannee quarterback Jaquez Moore, Ed White running bback Jaison Patterson and Westside tight end Christopher Johnson.
American Heritage dominated both first team lists.
On the second team offense, Orange Park tight end Maliek Carter, 21 catches with two scores with a 37.4 yards per catch average, was selected. Carter had an season-high eight catches for 169 yards and a score in the Raiders playoff win over Citrus.
Also on second team offense were Baker County offensive lineman Damontae Gibson, Suwannee offensive lineman Braxton Calloway, Westside utility Antwon McCrae and Bishop Kenny kicker Sean Meisler.
On second team defensive, Ridgeview athlete Max Monroe, a quarterback, punter and kicker, was selected with Nature Coast putting two athletes; defensive lineman Donovan Heatly and linebacker Kyle McIntosh on the list. Nature Coast linebacker Kyle McIntosh also made the list.
On the third team offense, Orange Park running back JoJo Restall was selected along with Clay quarterback Tre Griner, as an athlete; Clay offensive lineman Jordan McGill and Clay wide receiver D’Maurion Frazier. Menendez utility King Benford was selected third team also.
Ridgeview defensive back Eddie Whipple was selected for third team defense joining Suwannee linebacker Blaine Howard and Suwannee defensive lineman Austin Smith. Westside defensive lineman Chadwick Martin was also a third team selection.
Honorable mention choices were Baker County running back Scooby Graham, Ribault wide receiver Freddie Manning III, Westside wide receiver Antwon McCrae, Ed White tight end Eric Buggest, Baker County offensive lineman Ross Crummey, Suwannee offensive lineman Brian Robinson, Raines defensive lineman Cedric Newsome, Clay defensive lineman Valdez Seymour, Baker County defensive lineman Zane Mobley, Clay linebacker Tristan Keith, Ridgeview linebacker Joe Reed, Baker County linebaker Toby Kinghorn, Ribault defensive back Sean Evans, Suwannee defensive back Jay Smith, Bishop Kenny athlete Andrew Tabor, Westside kicker Jonathan Salvado-Cano and Bishop Kenny punter Ethan Eddins.

Anthony tops All State Class 8A list

GAINESVILLE - Oakleaf High wide receiver Terrance Anthony was one of the main weapons for the Knights offense that scored a ton of points and for that the college-bound passcatcher was named a first team All State Class 8A selection as chosen by statewide sportswriters, Maxpreps statistics and coach consults.
Anthony, with 56 catches and 11 touchdowns, had his best games (11 catches, 180 yards, one TD with a 52 yard catch on one play) against one of the top defenses in the country in a loss to Lowndes County, Ga, while also filling in on defense during the season as a defensive back with one interception.
Also on the first team Class 8A offense from area schools was Bartram Trail kicker David Kemp, who topped the Knights 30-27 in a thrilling ending that including a 50-plus yard kick. Bartram Trail also had Eric Weatherly, Jr., as a first team in the Athlete position.
On the Class 8A first team defense, Sandalwood had two selections; Athlete Jadon Canaday and linebacker Branden Jennings. Jennings had 127 tackles with 19 for losses. Canaday, a cornerback as well as a slot back, had 14 catches on offense and 10 interceptions on defense with 36 tackles. Canaday had eight scores on offense and three on defense.
On the Class 8A second team offense, Oakleaf quarterback Walter Simmons, now at East Carolina University, was selected with Santino Marucci of Bartram Trail also a second team quarterback. Bartram Trail had two more second teamers; A.J. Jones, a running back, and Ryan Piersza, on offensive lineman.
The second team defense featured Micah Pollard, a defensive lineman from Bartram Trail; Malakai Grant, a linebacker from Flagler Palm Coast and Christian Schultz, a punter from Sandalwood.
On the third team offense were Oakleaf running back Adrian Grey and Nease tight end Grant Stevens.
The third team defense had Sandalwood defensive lineman Sayvion Blount, Mandarin defensive lineman Nic Mitchell and Mandarin defensive back Uriel Richardson.
Honorable mention nods went to Nease defensive lineman Ben Bogle, Sandalwood defensive lineman Deante McCray, Bartram Trail defensive lineman Dylan Chiedo, Mandarin linebacker Carmello Murphy, Oakleaf linebacker Marcus Anthony, Oakleaf defensive back Trey Thomas and Oakleaf punter Drew Ammon.