Several Lake, Sumter football players earn All-State honors

Lake and Sumter counties were well represented with the initial release of the All-State football teams by FloridaHSFootball.com.

Multiple players from Wildwood and Mount Dora Christian Academy were recognized on the Independent and Class 1A teams, respectively, while players from other area schools secured spots on the Class 3A, 4A And 5A team.

Class 6A and Class 7A will be released Friday, said FloridaHSFootball.com Publisher Joshua Wilson.

More:Lake Minneola's Duke Walker, Drake Harwell named Daily Commercial All-Area football players of the year

In Class 1A, of which only Wildwood is a member, Wildcats quarterback Nate Mikell led a contingents of Wildcats on the first team. Mikell – a key contributor on Wildwood’s state championship basketball team – also was named the website’s Class 1A Offensive Player of the Year.

Mikell, a senior, completed 65% of his passes for 2,475 yards and tossed 16 touchdowns with only four interceptions in 2020. He also ran for 371 yards and five touchdowns.

Joining Mikell, on the Class 1A offense were teammates Alex Brown and Nate Rembert.  On the second team, Wildwood’s Alfred Corbin, Johnnethan Goins and Jordan Riche were selected to the offense. Jeremiah Colebrooks, and Vincent Brown represented the Wildcats on the defensive side of the ball.

Jonathan Harding, Thomas Filegar, Jawarren Corbin, and Omari Smith earned Honorable Mention for the Wildcats.

Wildwood compiled a 9-2 record in 2020 and advanced to the Class 1A-Region 4 finals before losing 14-8 to Hawthorne.

Among the Independents, to which MDCA and First Academy of Leesburg belong, the Bulldogs’ Tyquan Wiggins, Reggie Virgil, Austin Drinkwater, and Ryan Wilson earned first team honors on offense. On the defensive side of the ball, MDCA’s K.J. Ellis, Erick Seabrook, and Isaiah Bryant secured roster spots.

MDCA running back Terris Wilson earned second team honors.

First Academy was not represented.

MDCA fashioned a 7-4 record in 2020 under first-year coach Mike Kintz and reached the Sunshine State Athletic Conference Class AAA state championship game. There, the Bulldogs lost 48-21 to Orlando Christian Prep.

Bulldogs play for title:MDCA comes up short in SSAC title game

Seven South Sumter players earned All-State honors in Class 4A. Doug Sharp was the only first-teamer named as a utility player on offense.

On the second team, Trevor Moffitt and Kode Lowe were named to the defensive unit. Four Raiders – Malachi Presley, Skyler McGuire, Dylan Morrison and Austin Keefer earned Honorable Mention.

In Class 5A, Eustis wideout Tyree Patterson and Leesburg’s Chase Mathis earned Honorable Mention.

According to Wilson, teams were compiled “with the consideration of information received from coaches, statistics on MaxPreps, and consultation of All-Area/All-County teams published by various media outlets around the state.”

Two Lake anglers named to B.A.S.S high school All American team

First Academy of Leesburg junior Tyson Verkaik and South Lake’s Cole Rountree were earned two of 12 spots this week on B.A.S.S.’s 2021 Bassmaster High School All-American team.

“Congratulations to our newest Bassmaster High School All-Americans,” said Hank Weldon, senior manager of the B.A.S.S. High School program. “Our program is exclusive to only the most well-rounded and driven high-school anglers and their parents should be proud of this accomplishment. I am looking forward to honoring their achievements at the Neely Henry Elite in May.”

Verkaik amassed three tournament wins, along with one other Top Five finish and four Top 20 finishes during the 2020 season. He is member of the National Honor Society and volunteers with the Florida Lake Watch program.

He and his fishing partner are the top-ranked team on the Florida State Trail.

Rountree, a relative newcomer to competitive fishing, won two tournaments in 2020 and netted 10 Top Five finishes. He finished fifth in the Angler of the Year competition for the Lake County Teen Sportfishing Association as a rookie and won the honor the next year.

He maintains a 4.65 weighted grade-point average and volunteers in the community with the Buses and Backpacks program, and the Florida Scrub Jay Youth Camp.

The 2021 All-American team has been invited to take part in the Bassmaster High School All-American tournament, which will be held in conjunction with the Bassmaster Elite Series stop May 6-9 at Neely Henry Lake in Gadsden, Alabama. Each All-American will be paired with an Elite Series pro for a one-day derby style event that will be held at a nearby fishery.