Top ’21 players, coaches named
Chaminade-Madonna star defensive lineman Kenyatta Jackson Jr. can add another award to his growing trophy case.
The Lions senior defensive end was voted Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 3A Player of the Year, which was announced on Tuesday. Cardinal Gibbons coach Matt DuBuc was voted the Class 4A Coach of the Year, while Chaminade coach Dameon Jones was voted Class 3A Coach of the Year.
Jackson, who ended his high school career on Sunday in the Under Armour All-America Game, dominated competition all season. Jackson racked up 72 tackles and 17 sacks in 2021.
He was the Sun Sentinel’s Broward County Class 5A-1A co-defensive player of the year (with teammate Jamaal Johnson), and he was named Florida’s Player of the Year by Gatorade and MaxPreps.
Jackson is a finalist for Florida Dairy Farmers’ Mr. Football award.
DuBuc led the Chiefs to an 11-2 record this season and picked up wins over Gainesville Buchholz, Miami Gulliver Prep, Stranahan and eventual Class 8A state champion Venice before beating Cocoa in the Class 4A title game to win the Chiefs’ second straight state title. It was DuBuc’s third state championship at Cardinal Gibbons.
DuBuc, who was the Sun Sentinel’s Broward County Class 5A-1A co-coach of the year, also was named Florida Dairy Farmers’ Class 4A Coach of the Year in 2020.
Jones led Chaminade-Madonna to a 12-1 record, picking up victories against Miami Columbus,
Sanford Seminole and Georgia powerhouse Buford. The Lions rolled through the playoffs and beat previously undefeated Tampa Berkeley Prep to claim the Class 4A state title — Jones’ fourth state championship at Chaminade. He also won a postseason bowl game against Arizona Class 6A state champion Highland High.
Jones, who was the Sun Sentinel’s second Broward County Class 5A-1A co-coach of the year, previously won Class 3A Coach of the Year in 2019.
DuBuc and Jones are now finalists for the all-classification Coach of the Year award.
Several other local players and coaches finished in the top five in their classes.
In Class 8A, Palm Beach Central quarterback Ahmad Haston finished third, and Western quarterback Collin Hurst finished fourth.
Stranahan linebacker Omar Graham Jr. was third in the voting in Class 5A, while American Heritage defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. was fifth in that class.