Top honor for Edgewater’s Duke
this season. First-year Apopka head coach Jeff Rolson, who took the Blue Darters (12-2) to an 8A runner-up finish, was second with 99 ballot points. Elijah Williams of 5A runner-up Jones (13-2) was fourth with 55, just behind Dameon Jones (64) of 3A state champ Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna. Jermel Jones of The Master’s Academy (9-2) was also a finalist as the Independent Schools coach of the year.
Edgewater entered its first season under Duke in 2017 on an 11-game losing streak but went 9-3 with a district championship and playoff win. A year later the Eagles were 12-2 with district and region titles and a final-four finish.
“The coach is only as good as the players, so our guys get the credit,” Duke said. “Not just this year but the past players as well as we continued to build each and every year over the past three years.”
Duke, who played high school football at East Ridge, was 27 when he landed his first head coaching position at Lake Highland Prep. The Highlanders won just once in his debut season but snapped a 17-game losing streak. LHP went 6-4 in 2014 and 7-3 in 2015 before Duke departed to become head coach at nearby Edgewater.
Bowman is Mr. Football: Lakeland senior running back Damarkcus Bowman was named Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football in the closest voting in the 28-year history of the honor.
The Clemson signee edged another running back, Henry Parrish Jr. of 8A state champion Miami Columbus, 187 points to 172 in the voting. Bowman received 12 of the 27 firstplace votes, with Parrish garnering 10.
Bowman rushed for 1,570 yards and 24 touchdown on 141 carries (11.1 average) in 10 games this season. Over three varsity seasons he totaled 5,081 yards rushing on 446 carries (11.4 ypc) and scored 70 touchdowns.
Parrish caught a pair of TD passes late in the fourth quarter of the Explorers’ comeback win vs. Apopka in the 8A state final. He carried the ball 273 times for 2,343 yards and scored 33 TDs.
Master’s Academy senior quarterback Ty Poorman was one of nine finalists for the Mr. Football honor after being voted independent player of the year. He passed for 2,887 yards and 29 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. Apopka defensive lineman Jalen Carter, who also made an impact on offense, finished second in 8A player-of-the-year voting to Parrish.
Edgewater running back Isiah Connelly was second in voting for the 7A player of the year behind Bowman.
Jones running back Avarius Sparrow was edged out in the 5A voting by Wakulla QB/DB Jaylon Worsham, who played quarterback and defensive back for a team that lost 21-20 to Jones in a state semifinal in Orlando.
The other players as players of the year by classification were Lakeland Lake Gibson senior defensive end Morven Joseph (13 sacks, 28 tackles for loss) for 6A; Miami Gulliver Prep senior defensive end Donnell Harris Jr. (19 sacks, 24 TFL) for 4A; Chaminade-Madonna junior running back Thad Franklin, who carried 47 times for 325 yards in his team’s 3A state final victory; Hialeah Champagnat Catholic senior quarterback Ryle Aquila, who completed 174-of-247 passes and led his team to the 2A championship; and Blountstown senior running back Tre’ven Smith, who scored 38 TDs for the season and set an FHSAA finals record with 365 rushing yards in the Tigers 1A final loss to Madison County.