Lake Mary junior Jack Ireland and Lake Minneola senior Zachary LaPorte are finalists for the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Soccer player-of-the-year award.
Ireland, the Orlando Sentinel player of the year in 2020-21, is the Dairy Farmers Class 7A player of the year. Ireland led the area’s No. 1-ranked team to the state semifinals and a 21-3-1 record while tallying 24 goals and 13 assists.
LaPorte, an all-area second team selection, claimed Dairy Farmers 5A player-of-the-year honors during a season in which he scored 32 goals and added eight assists for a team that finished 12-5-2.
The Florida Dairy Farmers finalists were selected by a statewide panel of high school boys soccer coaches and media representatives.
Senior forward Will Barth of Clermont East Ridge came in second behind Ireland in Class 7A by a 94-42 tally. Lake Mary’s Tyler Weston (7A) and Trinity Prep’s Ray Sandidge (3A) placed third in their respective classifications in coach-of-the-year voting.
Joining Ireland and LaPorte as Mr. Soccer finalists is Class 6A’s Dorian Jackson of Ocala Forest, Weekie Wachee’s Seth Tarbox (4A), Tampa Catholic’s Marcello Valbuena (3A) and Canterbury’s McLaren Baggett (2A).
The Orlando area was shut out in girls soccer Dairy Farmers voting earlier this week.
Clermont East Ridge’s Cydnie Jackson placed second in Class 7A behind winner Quinn Ryan of Tampa Plant. Eustis senior Jersi Dabah came in third in Class 4A.
Bishop Moore’s Amy Geltz (4A) and The Geneva School’s Tracy Talesnick (2A) each placed third in girls soccer coach-of-the-year voting.
This article originally appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email J.C. Carnahan at jcarnahan@orlandosentinel.com.
