Vivian Ponn, 15, of Fort Myers High School – All Area finalist (2016)

Mackenzie Peterson, softball, North Fort Myers High School

Mackenzie Buss, Cape Coral, softball

Jessie Valerius, North Fort Myers

Emily Hendry, Fort Myers

Taylor Kent, Fort Myers

Riley Ennis, Estero

Tayli Filla, Bishop Verot

Jennie Boisvert, Bishop Verot

Erin Kyle, Bishop Verot

Sajarie Jones, North Fort Myers

Hannah Holloway, Mariner

How we select All-Area teams

The News-Press All-Area Softball Player of the Year finalists.

At the conclusion of each high school season, The News-Press staff sends area coaches a nomination form to select and rank players for our All-Area first teams and to nominate athletes for second team and honorable mention.

A combination of The News-Press’ research and the coaches’ player rankings lead to the teams being selected and three athletes are named finalists for player of the year. The three finalists are invited to The News-Press All-Area Stars Banquet to be held Tuesday, May 31 at Germain Arena in Estero where the players of the year will be announced.

Player of the Year finalists

Vivian Ponn

School: Fort Myers

Year: Freshman

Highlights: In a breakout freshman campaign, Ponn hit at a .528 clip with nine home runs and 47 RBI while scoring 27 runs during the Green Wave’s run to their first regional final. Fort Myers posted a 20-7 overall record.

Makenzie Buss

School: Cape Coral

Year: Senior

Highlights: The three-time player of the year finalist hit .500 with four home runs and 26 RBI while scoring 31 runs this season. The Jacksonville University signee also excelled in the circle, going 15-4 with a 1.92 ERA and 131 strikeouts.

MacKenzie Peterson

School: North Fort Myers

Year: Junior

Highlights: In leading the Red Knights to a 23-3 record and a regional final appearance, Peterson finished 18-3 as a pitcher with a 0.82 ERA and 101 strikeouts. She hit at a .348 clip with a home run and 19 RBI.

First team

Second team

Denia Bent, Ida Baker

Natavia Ellis, North Fort Myers

Jessy McLean, Bishop Verot

Abby Love, Mariner

Meghan Reno, Riverdale

Jayda Valdez, Lehigh

Terri Ware, Riverdale

Shelby Coyne, North Fort Myers

Riley Hare, Island Coast

Nicole Fortner-Rodriguez, Bishop Verot

Kassidy Topliff, Riverdale

Gillian Takais, Bishop Verot

Coach of the Year

Pablo Plaza, Bishop Verot

Pablo Plaza

School: Bishop Verot

Highlights: Plaza was an assistant coach on the Bishop Verot teams that made back-to-back appearances in the state Final Four in 2012 and 2013. This season his Vikings broke through with a 21-8 record, a district championship, a fourth regional title in seven years and, finally, a superb performance in Vero Beach with an 8-0 win over Jacksonville Trinity Christian in the state semifinal and a dramatic 7-5 win over Montverde Academy for the program’s first state title.

Honorable mention

Bishop Verot: Sammie Massaro, Mallory Volz

Cape Coral: Heather Dubay, Danielle Smith

East Lee County: Alicia Ramirez, Sammie Zipperer

Estero: Cassidy Dvorsky, Deztiney Prevatt

Evangelical Christian: Kailey Berth, Alex Hilton

Fort Myers: Jessica Wilson, Riley Ludlam

Ida Baker: Jada Smith, Andrea Walker

Island Coast: Mackenzie Hare, Cassidi Rogers

Lehigh: Gabby Valdez, Kirsten Giddens

Mariner: Madison James, Jasmine O’Neill

North Fort Myers: Emma Johnson, Summer Ackerson

Oasis: Kaylee Morfis, Caitlyn Caulfield

South Fort Myers: Taylor Oates

Southwest Florida Christian Academy: Kelsey Campanelli, Becki Sullivan

The sixth annual The News-Press All-Area Stars banquet honors the best high school athletes in Lee and Collier counties.

The sixth annual The News-Press All-Area Stars banquet honors the best high school athletes in Lee and Collier counties.

The News-Press All-Area All Stars

The News-Press announced its Male and Female Athlete of the Year and its Jeff Sommer Memorial Coach of the Year at its All-Area Stars Awards Banquet held at Germain Arena Tuesday night. The Players of the Year for all  24 varsity high school sports were also announced.

The sixth annual The News-Press All-Area Stars banquet.

Here is a rundown of the winners:

The Female and Male Athlete of the Year and Jeff Sommer Memorial Coach of the Year award winners are:

Megan Galbreath, Diving, Cape Coral

Female Athlete of the Year: Megan Galbreath, Cape Coral High School

Megan took care of business on the diving board, winning district, regional and state titles in dominating fashion. But probably more impressive is what she did in the classroom and our community. Academically, she sported a 5.48 GPA, scored a 33 on the ACT and 2200 on the SAT while piling up honor roll and academic awards.

She’s been a leader in her school through student government, tutoring, and various clubs. She’s been a first-place delegate at numerous Model UN conferences. In the community she’s volunteered at area elementary and middle schools and to raise awareness and money for cancer research. Her career goal is to study pediatric oncology at Harvard University, which she will attend in the fall, and hopes to someday help find the cure for cancer.

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Josh Kennedy, Cross Country, Fort Myers

Male Athlete of the Year: Josh Kennedy, Fort Myers High School

Kennedy won the LCAC cross country individual title and placed 18th in Class 3A in the fall and also won the county two-mile title in track.

The junior is an all-star in the classroom as well. He ranks first in his class, has a 5.04 GPA and scored a perfect 2400 on his SAT. He is only 1 of 2 students in the Lee County School District selected as a 2016 Sunshine State Scholar based on outstanding performance in math and science and came in first place nationally at the Mu Alpha Theta National convention. He’s president of the national honor society, regional coordinator of the Florida Student Association of Mathematics and is the winner of the 2016 Princeton Book Award among his many academic activities and accolades.

Outside of school, he’s volunteered in the summer as a tutor for remedial middle school math students seeking credit retrieval and volunteers for Special Olympics helping athletes in Track and Field. He also takes on great responsibility at home, helping his mother care for his younger brother, Josh, has Down syndrome.

Jeff Sommer Memorial Coach of the Year Award: Dwayne Donnell, Dunbar High School

On the court, Donnell led the Tigers to a 26-5 record and a State Final Four appearance, his team’s seventh such trip that includes one state title and four state runner-up finishes. Off the court, Donnell pushes his players to strive in academics, athletics, service and their relationships with his “Winning Is The Only Option” or W.I.T.O.O program philosophy and has made Dunbar girls basketball not just a school entity, but a community event.

Donnell takes home Jeff Sommer Coach of the Year award

First to be presented were the 24 Player of the Year Awards representing a winner in each varsity high school sport.

The Player of the Year award winners:

Football Offense:  Carlin Fils-aime, Naples High School

Football Defense:  Tyler Byrd, Naples High School

Girls Bowler of the Year:  Kyndall Snyder, Island Coast High School

Boys Bowler of the Year: Tyler Altmann, Ida Baker High School

Girls Golfer of the Year:  Brittany Shin, Ida Baker High School

Boys Golfer of the Year:  Landon Weber, Fort Myers High School

Girls Swimmer of the Year: Kendall Brent, Fort Myers High School

Boys Swimmer of the Year: Santiago Corredor, Bishop Verot High School

Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year:  Krissy Gear, Fort Myers High School

Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year: Evan Babatz, Fort Myers High School

Volleyball Player of the Year:  Alayna Ryan, Fort Myers High School

Girls Basketball Player of the Year:  Destanni Henderson, Fort Myers High School

Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Jacob Tracey, Riverdale High School

Girls Soccer Player of the Year:  Taylor Hatch, Estero High School

Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Erick Rivera, Mariner High School

Wrestler of the Year: Mike Delago, Fort Myers High School

Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year: Arianna Endelmann, Estero High School

Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year:  Joey Cerniglia, Bishop Verot High School

Girls Tennis Player of the Year:  Emily Javedan, Canterbury School

Boys Tennis Player of the Year: John Carlin, Fort Myers High School

Girls Track Athlete of the Year:  Krissy Gear, Fort Myers High School

Boys Track Athlete of the Year:  Evan Babatz, Fort Myers High School

Softball Player of the Year:  MacKenzie Peterson, North Fort Myers High School

Baseball Player of the Year:  Michael Richey, Bishop Verot High School

For a complete look at all our All-Area teams, click HERE

Dwayne Donnell, of Dunbar High School, poses with Emmitt Smith after being named Coach of the Year during the All-Area Stars Banquet at Germain Arena on Tuesday.

When Dwayne Donnell entered into the girls basketball coaching ranks in the mid 1990s, it wasn’t for the money.

Nor was it ever for the accomplishments that came with leading his girls basketball teams to great heights, including a state title with Dunbar in 2012.

But it wasn’t until the death of Estero High cross country and track and field coach Jeff Sommer in May of 2015 when the significance of coaching truly began to hit Donnell in the chest.

Sommer had told Donnell before he died that coaching was about the impact he created for his athletes. And he encouraged Donnell to pursue larger motivations with his team and to develop program philosophies that would last long after any season.

Donnell took those words to heart.

“He would send emails to encourage me,” Donnell said. “We always talked about branding yourself. And I just thought, there’s so much more I could learn from him. I’m just so glad I was able to meet him.”

Jeff Sommer Coach of the Year Award finalists announced

On Tuesday at the sixth annual News-Press All-Area stars banquet at Germain Arena, Donnell took home the second installment of the Jeff Sommer Coach of the Year Award, presented to the coach in Southwest Florida who saw success both on and off the court.

Donnell, a 23-year veteran coach who had previously coached at Cape Coral and Mariner before taking the Dunbar job in 2000, accepted a $500 check, awarded to the Dunbar girls basketball program, on behalf of Mother Earth Natural Foods.

The award also capped off an evening that saw 72 athletes receive recognition for their outstanding accomplishments this season.

Donnell’s Lady Tigers finished with a 26-5 record and reached the Class 4A semifinals, the program’s seventh straight trip to the state championship series.

Off the court, Donnell’s acronym WITOO — “Winning is the only option” — became a philosophy that drove the team toward success both on the court and off, helping multiple players earn scholarships at the next level.

On the stage Tuesday, Donnell spoke about his relationship with Sommer, and how the late coach inspired him to do better, and be better as a coach, at all times.

“Anything that I’ve accomplished to this point, to be mentored by Jeff and to know people think my career compares to Jeff, if it’s even close to what Jeff has done, that’s special,” he said. “It’s wonderful. It’s a wonderful recognition. This means a lot.”

Donnell was one of three nominees for the award.

Cape Coral swimming coach Dianne Kimble and LaBelle cross country coach Jef Frost were also recognized for leading athletes beyond accomplishments on the field.

Jeff Sommer Memorial Coach of the Year Award winner Dwayne Donnell of Dunbar High School speaks to the crowdTuesday at the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet at Germain Arena in Fort Myers.

“Just to have my name mentioned in the same sentence as Jeff Sommer, or even in consideration for the Jeff Sommer award is just phenomenal,” Kimble said. “He was a legend and was such a mentor in this area. It was an honor to just be selected to be a finalist on the award. I’m so happy, it’s not even funny.”

Kimble said her mission as a coach is to continually encourage her athletes beyond results in the pool.

“Every athlete fails sometimes,” she said, “and you fall short every once in a while. But if you have 50 other people on the team saying, ‘It’s OK, we have your back, let’s do this again tomorrow. We got this.’ It lends itself to success. They find that success with each other.”

Kimble says her coaching has always been about inspiring her athletes to believe in themselves.

“I try to instill in them that they can do anything they put their mind to,” she said. “And that if they give 110-percent of themselves, they’ll surprise themselves with how far they can go. It really takes that moment of dedication. I’m going to do this, commitment, buy in, 110 percent. And follow through.”

Emily Moore, of Evangelical Christian School, shares a laugh with Chelsa Messinger, of WINK Sports, during an interview on the red carpet at the All-Area All Stars Banquet at Germain Arena on Tuesday night.

None of the parents of Cape Coral diver Megan Galbreath and Fort Myers runner Josh Kennedy’s had their cameras ready during the announcement of the Female and Male Athlete of the Year awards Tuesday at the Sixth Annual News-Press All-Area Stars banquet.

Josh Kennedy, of Fort Myers High School, and Megan Galbreath, of Cape Coral High School, are named male and female Athlete of the Year during the News-Press All-Area Stars Awards Banquet at Germain Arena on Tuesday night.

Thinking neither of the finalist won their individual sports, there was no need.

That’s when the bios of the winners started to sound familiar.

Galbreath, a Harvard signee, may have lost out to four-time Female Swimmer of the Year Kendall Brent of Fort Myers, but she came out on top when the final awards were announced. The state champion diver dedicated her award to her coach Jenn Panicaro, who suffered a brain aneurysm days before the regional meet this season.

Galbreath wasn’t sure she’d finish the season much less win state. While she was surprised to be heading to the stage to accept the award it was the perfect ending to a tough season.

“There’s just so many amazing athletes out there,” Galbreath said. “It’s been a tough year. It’s been an amazing year. I’d never thought it’d happen.”

Kennedy didn’t think he’d be in the running for Male Athlete of the Year after Fort Myers teammate Evan Babatz  took home honors in cross country and track and field. His perfect SAT score and work in the community made him a perfect fit for the award honoring athletic achievement as well as academic achievement.

“I’m just thrilled,” Kennedy said. “I’d really like to thank my parents. My mom, first of all, for pushing me academically and athletically and for driving me to practice for two years. I’d also like to thank Coach (Yancey) Palmer because without his excellent coaching I wouldn’t even have been a finalist.”

Emmitt Smith delivers heartfelt message to All-Area stars

It was a breakout season for Kennedy as he finished 18th in Class 3A and took on a leadership role with the Green Wave.

“It meant a lot to me to show our younger runners what it means to represent Fort Myers High School,” Kennedy said. “I wanted to show them what hard work is all about.”

Repeat winners included Fort Myers’ John Carlin, who won the Boys Tennis Player of the Year for the third year in a row, Ida Baker bowler Tyler Altmann, Bishop Verot swimmer Santiago Corredor, Brent, Fort Myers golfer Landon Weber and Fort Myers’ Krissy Gear (cross country and track and field).

“It’s like a dream come true,” Brent said.

Naples swept the football categories with University of Tennessee signees Tyler Byrd and Carlin Fils-aime taking home Defensive Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, respectively.

“It means everything. It’s just a blessing to be here,” Byrd said. “To start four years and get where I am now, I couldn’t do it without my parents and the support of my coaches and other teammates.”

Donnell takes home Jeff Sommer Coach of the Year award

While Estero’s Taylor Hatch was named the Girls Soccer Player of the Year, Erick Rivera became the second straight Mariner player to win the Boys Soccer Player of the Year award.

“It means that all the hard work has actually paid off,” Rivera said.

Wrestler of the Year Mike Delago, Girls Basketball Player of the Year Destanni Henderson and Volleyball Player of the Year Alayna Ryan added to the list of Fort Myers’ winners.

In the baseball and softball categories, Bishop Verot senior Michael Richey and North Fort Myers junior MacKenzie Peterson prevailed.

“I was just shocked. It was crazy,” Peterson said. “It was just awesome to be put in this position.”

The News-Press 2015-15 Player of the Year are:

Football Offense: Carlin Fils-aime, Naples High School

Football Defense: Tyler Byrd, Naples High School

Girls Bowler of the Year: Kyndall Snyder, Island Coast High School

Boys Bowler of the Year: Tyler Altmann, Ida Baker High School

Girls Golfer of the Year: Brittany Shin, Ida Baker High School

Boys Golfer of the Year: Landon Weber, Fort Myers High School

Girls Swimmer of the Year: Kendall Brent, Fort Myers High School

Boys Swimmer of the Year: Santiago Corredor, Bishop Verot High School

Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year: Krissy Gear, Fort Myers High School

Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year: Evan Babatz, Fort Myers High School

Volleyball Player of the Year: Alayna Ryan, Fort Myers High School

Girls Basketball Player of the Year: Destanni Henderson, Fort Myers High School

Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Jacob Tracey, Riverdale High School

Girls Soccer Player of the Year: Taylor Hatch, Estero High School

Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Erick Rivera, Mariner High School

Wrestler of the Year: Mike Delago, Fort Myers High School

Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year: Arianna Endelmann, Estero High School

Boys Lacrosse Player of the Year: Joey Cerniglia, Bishop Verot High School

Girls Tennis Player of the Year: Emily Javedan, Canterbury School

Boys Tennis Player of the Year: John Carlin, Fort Myers High School

Girls Track Athlete of the Year: Krissy Gear, Fort Myers High School

Boys Track Athlete of the Year: Evan Babatz, Fort Myers High School

Softball Player of the Year: MacKenzie Peterson, North Fort Myers High School

Baseball Player of the Year: Michael Richey, Bishop Verot High School

Former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, right, speaks to the audience while being interviewed by News-Press sports reporter Cory Mull at the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

Former NFL football player Emmitt Smith, center, signs footballs before the the start of the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

Of the 24 News-Press Athletes of the Year who had their picture taken with NFL Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, there wasn’t one Smith didn’t try to steer toward his alma mater, the University of Florida.

News-Press sports reporter Cory Mull, left, interviews former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith at the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

He was devastated to hear Offensive Football Player of the Year Carlin Fils-Aime and Defensive Football Player of the Year Tyler Byrd, both from Naples High, signed rival Tennessee.

“How did they let them out of the state,” Smith asked.

And there were those like Fort Myers’ Krissy Gear, a Runner of the Year in cross country and track and field, and Boys Basketball Player of the Year Jacob Tracey of Riverdale where he still had hope.

“Why not? I’m always recruiting,” Smith said. “There’s nowhere better than UF.”

Smith was the guest speaker at the Sixth Annual News-Press All-Area Stars banquet Tuesday at Germain Arena. The former Gator and Dallas Cowboys running back’s message to the 200-plus Southwest Florida athletes in attendance was heartfelt.

All-Area all-stars celebrate strong seasons

“These kids need to hear this,” Smith said before heading onstage for a question and answer session with News-Press high school sports columnist Cory Mull.

The former Pensacola Escambia standout had plenty of advice for athletes aspiring to excel at the college and pro levels while discussing the pitfalls of recruiting services and taking time to reminisce about his three Super Bowl victories with the Dallas Cowboys.

“They need to pay attention,” Smith, the NFL’s all-time leading rusher, said. “Pay attention to the guys who came before you – good, bad and indifferent. A lot of athletes, a lot of people in general don’t learn from other folks’ mistakes primarily because they don’t believe it can actually happen to them. What I hate seeing is watching athletes make the same dumb mistake the guy before them made.

“Playing a sport that we absolutely love and getting paid for it, those are rare moments. Those are life-changing moments. Those are financially-changing moments because a lot of athletes come from the bottom. The role and the responsibility of that isn’t hard. Just do what’s right.”

Coming out of Escambia in 1987, recruiting analyst Max Emfinger famously wrote Smith was a “lugger, not a runner. He can’t get around the corner. When he falls flat on his face, remember where you heard it first.”

Smith went on to break Florida’s single-game rushing record in his first start and ran for 18,355 yards in the pros.

“I still have people forming opinions about me,” Smith joked.

Donnell takes home Jeff Sommer Coach of the Year award

“A lot of kids have been told they’re great too soon. I think they miss the elements of what it takes to be great. You’re not great today. You’re in the process of becoming great. Once you’re at that level you’re still in the process of becoming great.”

Smith said he still uses “bulletin board material” as motivation to this day.

“From a motivational standpoint, we all look for something to fuel us, especially in athletics,” Smith said.  “ … People find stuff to fuel them, things to motivate them, things to inspire them. For me, try not to take offense. Try not to take offense. It’s hard when people are saying things that aren’t right. The only one who can speak for you is really your performance. Having the opportunity go back and utilize someone’s statement about you as motivation is a powerful thing.”

Full list of winners for The News-Press All-Area Stars

One of Smith’s fondest memories of his time with the Cowboys came in his rookie season with the team coming off a 1-15 season. With Smith in the backfield, Dallas finished 7-9 and won no less than 11 games in 1991 to 1995.

“To see it come to fruition it reinforces the statement that if you work hard you can be successful,” Smith said. “It put action to words.”

Admittedly, the NFL’s shift to a running-back-by-committee approach hurts Smith, who was a three-down back who carried over 4,000 times in his career. However, it’s something he understands.

“I look back on it and think, ‘What about me?” Smith said. “I had to run, I had to block and I had to catch passes. And I’m doing OK and feeling OK, but I look at it and I understand. It’s hard to get your body back and ready to go. I think that back pay is due for what I’ve done.”

Scenes from the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

Scenes from the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

The night started off with a red carpet interview, followed with an in-depth discussion with NFL Hall-of-Fame running back Emmitt Smith and ended with recognition for two of Southwest Florida’s most accomplished student-athletes.

Undoubtedly, there was a lot to take in at the sixth annual News-Press All-Area Stars banquet on Tuesday at Germain Arena.

From heartwarming stories to Smith’s inspiring path to the NFL, the night provided a glimpse into what makes covering sports in this region so remarkable.

And so, because we’re rounding out our calendar year of coverage, I would be remiss if I didn’t look back at the great moments that took place during our year-end event.

Best interview: Sean Dunphy, Estero

WINK News sports reporter Chelsa Messinger was on the other side of a microphone Tuesday asking athletes questions that ranged from season bests to thoughts on the evening at large.

Of the many interviews the former Division I swimmer for North Carolina State gave, one in particular stood out, she said. Estero senior Sean Dunphy, an All-Area finalist in boys lacrosse, mentioned how as a sixth-grader he had dreamed of one day being in a position to be recognized for his hard work in the sport.

Well, that day came Tuesday, with an interview by a local celebrity and a best-of nomination to boot.

Best Elevator Pitch: Emmitt Smith

Scenes from the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

Would you consider attending the University of Florida?

That was the pitch Smith gave to a number athletes who won awards in their respective sports. And let’s be honest: Who wouldn’t like to be recruited by an NFL Hall of Famer?

Emmitt Smith delivers heartfelt message to All-Area stars

Among the athletes Smith tried to persuade to enroll with the Gators were Fort Myers juniors Krissy Gear and John Carlin, Riverdale’s Jacob Tracey and Fort Myers sophomore Destanni Henderson.

Only, Smith was pitching to Henderson’s mother, Joyel James, who stood in for her daughter at the ceremony since she was in Colorado Springs, Colorado, vying for a spot on the USA women’s basketball U17 national team.

Best oddball moment: Krissy Gear, Fort Myers

Scenes from the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

As any athlete knows, taking the long walk toward the stage after being announced as an All-Area winner can be stressful.

What do you do with your arms? How fast should you walk? Should you wave to the crowd?

But leaving the stage also has its challenges. Gear, the All-Area winner in both girls cross country and track and field, had a minor hiccup on her first award, taking two wrong turns on stage — and almost finding a seat on the couch — before exiting, and then had another on her second appearance, almost forgetting to take a picture with WINK News sports director Bill Halter.

No judgements here, though. Stage left? Stage right? I’m right there with you, Krissy.

Best reaction: Josh Kennedy, Fort Myers

For the most part, athletes had an idea where they stood on the All-Area awards. But when it came to the Player of the Year recognition, the race was wide open.

Male Athlete of the Year winner Josh Kennedy walks up onto the stage to get his trophy Tuesday at the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet in Fort Myers.

On most occasions, winners of this award typically win their sports’ top honors, too. But on Tuesday, that didn’t happen for either the boys or girls athlete of the year award. Cape Coral’s Megan Galbreath took the honor on the girls side after Fort Myers senior Kendall Brent won the All-Area swimming award.

But it wasn’t until The News-Press’ Ed Reed began to read off Kennedy’s accomplishments on stage that you began to see the shock on his face. The student with the perfect SAT score had no idea he was even in the running.

All-Area all-stars celebrate memorable seasons

Which meant it was a great moment for Kennedy, one of the top students in his junior class at Fort Myers and a top level runner for the Green Wave.

Best speech: Dwayne Donnell, Dunbar

It made sense that Donnell, a 23-year girls basketball coach, won the Jeff Sommer Memorial Coach of the Year award.

For years, he’s exemplified what being a coach truly means.

Scenes from the All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers All-Area Stars Awards Banquet Tuesday in Fort Myers.

On the court or off, in the classroom or outside it, Donnell has been a presence in his athletes’ lives. He’s served his Tigers in countless ways, not only helping players receive scholarships to play at the next level, but also guiding them through tougher moments off the court. 

He said he learned to have that kind of influence from Sommer, the late Estero coach and athletic director whom the award was named after and of whom Donnell developed a bond late into their careers together.

Ending his speech Tuesday, he summarized his thoughts succinctly.

“Hopefully, when it’s time to hang up my whistle, and it’s time for me to move on, people will say that I did the best that I could, and I did have an imprint in on kid’s lives,” he said.

There’s no doubt. Donnell has.

Fort Myers sophomore Destanni Henderson was given an answer as to whether she made the USA women’s basketball U17 national team in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Destanni Henderson is now officially a member of the USA women’s basketball U17 world championship team.

The Fort Myers sophomore was named to the team on Thursday in Colorado Springs, Colorado after 18 finalists were narrowed down to a final roster of 12 at the United States Olympic Training Center.

A selection committee that included USA Basketball National Team Director Carol Callan and head coach Dori Oldaker were among the voices in the room that chose Henderson, a rising junior with the Green Wave who averaged 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season.

Henderson’s mother, Joyel James, was keeping tabs of her daughter through text message during the process.

“I’m just embracing it and sucking it all in,”James said. “It’s like unreal because I know how hard she worked. When she called me just now, I could hear the happiness in her voice. She cried.”

Fort Myers sophomore Destanni Henderson runs the USA women’s basketball U17 offense during a practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

DESTANNI HENDERSON: The News-Press’ 2016 Girls Basketball Player of the Year

Over the last two days, Henderson, a 5-foot-8 point guard who had led the Green Wave girls basketball team to a Class 6A title, competed among a talented field that included players from 10 different states for a shot to compete at the 2016 FIBA World Championships from June 22-July 2 in Zaragoza, Spain.

Henderson, 17, was the only player from Florida to make the team and survived three different cuts to reach the team. An original pool of 139 players began the week long tryout process.

Henderson vying for USA women’s basketball U17 roster selection

A year ago, Henderson, who is nicknamed “Boss” by teammates, was given a similar opportunity to compete for the U16 team that would compete at the FIBA Americas, but was sent home before reaching the final stage of competition.

James said that perceived failure pushed the guard even harder to reach her goals.

“She came back harder and stronger this year,” James said. “As a mother, I’m super proud of my baby because she worked so hard for this. Not only this, but basketball in general.”

Players from eight different states will represent the U17 team at the FIBA World Championships in July.

2016 USA women’s basketball U17 world championship team

Janelle Bailey, C, 6-3, 17, 2017, Providence Day School, Matthews, NC

Jenna Brown, G, 5-10, 15, 2018, The Lovett School, Marietta, GA

Samantha Brunelle, F, 6-2, 165, 15, 2019, William Monroe H.S., Ruckersville, VA

Charli Collier, F, 6-4, 185, 16, 2018, Barbers Hill H.S., Mont Belvieu, TX

Aquira DeCosta, F, 6-2, 168, 16, 2018, St. Mary’s H.S., Stockton, CA

Maya Dodson, F, 6-1, 145, 17, 2017, St. Francis H.S., Alpharetta, GA

Destanni Henderson, G, 5-8, 133, 17, 2018, Fort Myers H.S., Fort Myers, FL

Taylor Mikesell, G, 5-9, 16, 2018, Jackson H.S., Massillon, OH

Olivia Nelson-Ododa, C, 6-4, 15, 2018, Winder-Barrow H.S., Winder, GA

Sedona Prince, C, 6-7, 16, 2018, Liberty Hill H.S., Liberty Hill, TX

Abby Prohaska, G, 5-10, 150, 16, 2018, Lakota West H.S, Liberty Township, OH

Christyn Williams, G/F, 5-10, 16, 2018, Central Arkansas Christian School, Little Rock, AR

USA announces roster for women’s Olympic basketball team

Destanni Henderson had set her hopes high a year ago, going as far as to buy an international passport in the days leading up to her tryout with the USA Basketball women’s U16 team.

But the opportunity to leave the country never came.

The Fort Myers point guard, a freshman at the time, was sent home before finalists were even announced for the national team that would compete in the FIBA Americas that summer.

“I wasn’t really nervous (last year),” Henderson said, “but it was just a lot of people trying to do everything to make the team, so I was just … I was holding back.”

Destanni Henderson, 17, is a sophomore basketball player at Fort Myers High School.

When presented with another opportunity to make the USA national team in Colorado Springs, Colorado last week, Henderson, 17, made sure to arrive confident.

“I was a leader,” she said Saturday after flying back from the United States Olympic Training Center. “And I really pushed the ball up the floor and got my teammates wide open looks.”

By Thursday, her big moment arrived when she was announced to the final roster that will compete at the FIBA World Championships in Zaragoza, Spain on June 22 through July 2.

It marked the first time a Lee County girls basketball player was named to a United States national team. She celebrated with her Fort Myers High teammates on Saturday in the gymnasium.

“Every American hopes to do that in some way in their life,” Fort Myers girls basketball coach Chad Terrell said. “And to be able to make a team and represent your country, that’s the best thing you can do in life. I’m pretty sure Destanni is excited. We’re excited. Family is excited. School is excited. The community is excited. It’s a big deal to everybody.”

Destanni Henderson makes Team USA women’s U17 basketball team

Henderson, a 5-foot-8 point guard who helped guide the Green Wave to its first Class 6A championship this past winter, heads back to Colorado Springs on Wednesday and will fly to Spain with the USA women’s U17 team on June 15.

The rising junior averaged 15.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists last season for Fort Myers. But her statistics were largely deceiving, considering they often shielded other variables happening on the floor.

“She’s the ultimate utility player,” said Jamie Outten, who directs Henderson on the Florida Futures AAU team he coaches. “She can play positions 1-5, whether that’s on the wing, up top or even in the post. There’s nothing she can’t do.

“I’ve been watching girls basketball for a long time,” he continued. “And I think she’s going to be the best player to ever come out of this county.”

In Colorado, Henderson, the News-Press’ All-Area Player of the Year, said she took control whenever she was on the floor. In some cases, that meant communicating on both sides of the court, whether leading her groups on offense, or playing help side defense.

“It was different because last year I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “But this year I actually knew what to do and what I should improve on.”

On Thursday, the remaining 18 finalists were put through two final practices. Henderson said she remained composed throughout the sessions, even though she knew they would remain the most important practices she would have at the training center.

Henderson vying for USA women’s basketball U17 roster selection

“Everyone was trying to prove to them that they were good enough to be on the team,” she said. “But all of the finalists were good. I just had to go out and go hard all the time.”

Once Henderson, who holds scholarship offers from South Carolina and Florida State, was announced as a member of the team, she started receiving a wave of text messages of friends congratulating her on the accomplishment.

“The family’s mood is exciting right now,” Henderson’s mother, Joyel James, said. “Boom. It’s like a fireworks going boom. We’re happy for her and just amazed by her talent. She’s just a gifted child of mine.”

Both James and Henderson wore pink USA Basketball pullovers on Saturday at Fort Myers High.

Terrell, his coaching staff and members of the Green Wave state title team brought refreshments and a white sign that they could sign congratulating her on the accomplishment.

But Henderson, for the most part, remained low key and still looked as if she was absorbing the news.

Now she’s on her way to using her passport, and traveling outside the country, for the first time in her life.

She’ll do so representing the USA women’s basketball team.

“It does mean a lot,” she said of being a part of the USA team. “Being the only one from Lee County. I’m just happy it’s me.”

USF coach Willie Taggart, center, talks to high school football players following the Bulls’ satellite football camp on Sunday.

Willie Taggart huddled the nearly 200 high school football players together in the final moments of the University of South Florida’s satellite camp on Sunday.

Not two months prior, the NCAA had stripped away the use of the camps, ruling they provided an unfair recruiting advantage for college football programs who used them.

But that regulation was eventually overruled three weeks later, on April 28, and the camps were reinstated, giving coaches like Taggart a chance to bring high-class coaching to areas without major Division I football.

And on Sunday, following over two hours of coaching, specific drill work, index testing and speed competitions, the Bulls head coach made sure to reinforce why it was important to have these camps in Southwest Florida.

“We know what’s here,” he said. “Really good football is here.”

Taggart’s camp on Sunday, the Bulls’ second straight trip to North Fort Myers, represented the fourth straight year USF held one in the region. Registration, however, slipped from as high as 320 participants a year ago to 200 on Sunday.

There were a few more hiccups. Coaches from Georgetown, North Carolina and St. Norbert College were expected to attend the camp, North Fort Myers coach Earnest Graham said, though USF compliance officers advised the Bulls’ football staff to work the camp alone.

The event, the first of three satellite camps the Bulls will host over the next six days, was also USF’s second straight day of instruction following its ‘Day in the Bay’ camp in Tampa with the University of Michigan.

Still, Taggart left North Fort Myers impressed by the region’s talent. In February, he signed three players from Southwest Florida.

“It’s been successful for us and for young men as well,” he said. “I think it’s something we’ll do every year. It’s great for the game. It gives us opportunities to teach kids and help the game.”

High school athletes from as many as 10 high schools took part in the day’s action and coaches from the area such as Lehigh’s James Chaney, Island Coast’s John Schwochow and Canterbury’s Derrick Crudup were also present.

Gulf Coast head coach Pete Fominaya brought about eight of his athletes, he said, including high-level recruits like quarterback Kaden Frost, running back Demarcus Townsend, tight end George Takas and lineman Michael Mambuca.

NCAA’s ban on satellite camps is wrong move for recruiting

“What an incredible situation this is where a young man can go 30 to 40 minutes from his house and get evaluated in front of a Division I staff,” Fominaya said. “This is such a great tool and I know the NCAA was fighting them. But you can see what an opportunity this was for these kids.”

Graham said he had about 40 players from his team at the camp, including high level receivers Joe Watkins and Luis Alfonso.

“I think with the hiccups in terms of the rule, it probably slowed things down a little bit in terms of registration,” Graham said. “But I think it’s fantastic they can come down to this area and can get a particularly good look at our athletes in Southwest Florida.”

Fort Myers linebacker Matt McQuinn, a rising senior, said the camp was not only beneficial for the level of competition he would see, but also for the techniques he would ultimately pick up from college coaches.

“Coming in here to learn was just as important,” he said. “People might see me more as a hitter than as a coverage linebacker, but today coaches really helped me get a grasp on better techniques.”

McQuinn, who has seen interest from Ivy programs Harvard, Yale and Pennsylvania, eventually won the 40-yard dash competition among linebackers.

Takacs, a physical tight end at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, had just one scholarship offer entering Sunday from Southern Mississippi.

But the rising junior, who had impressed scouts in January at the US Army All-American combine, came to North Fort Myers looking to refine his work at the position.

USF Bulls find success at North Fort Myers football camp

“This is another opportunity,” Takacs said, “and that’s a great thing. You’re put in front of four to five different coaches, and they all make you better.”

During 1-on-1s, he slipped behind a defensive back in coverage on a double-move and then added a crisp route in another, snagging both balls with soft hands.

“A lot of these guys are coaching the same things we’re coaching,” Fominaya said. “But all of a sudden you’re man is hearing from a Division I coach and they buy into it.

“Anytime you can put them around good coaching and anytime you can put them around a situation where they will reemphasize the things you’re teaching, those are always positive things.”

By the end of the day, Takacs had seen the payoff.

He left the camp with a college scholarship offer from South Florida.

Fort Myers sophomore Destanni Henderson runs the USA women’s basketball U17 offense during a practice in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Don’t be mistaken by Destanni Henderson’s nickname.

Off the court, the Fort Myers High rising junior point guard and newly minted member of the USA women’s basketball U17 national team isn’t what the trademark might imply.

So don’t think of her as a “Boss,” the nickname you might hear her best friends calling her. That’s just the moniker, not the personality.

“I think she’s just Destanni,” Fort Myers girls basketball coach Chad Terrell said, “because she’s so humble and she’s so quiet. She’s reserved. Off the court, it doesn’t fit.”

But let’s talk about that nickname and how it does fit.

To be great in sports, you must have one. And so many in the game have had their careers punctuated by a clever identifier. Allen Iverson was the Answer. Kobe Bryant is Black Mamba. And LeBron James is known as King James.

New York Liberty point guard Shoni Schimmel, who grew up on a Native American reservation in Oregon, holds the best WNBA nickname in “Showtime,” a reference to her flashy on-court game, though the label itself originated from “Sho,” which she first picked up in high school.

Basketball players are always looking for an edge. A good nickname gives that to you.

For Henderson, “Boss” fits. It’s an ode to her clinical ability to break down opponents by dribble drive, slick pass or long range shot. She’ll lure you in, and then she’ll show no mercy. If it’s you and her between the basket, she’s getting there, not you.

Fort Myers assistant coach Arthur Cedeno likes to say there’s Destanni in real time and then there’s “Boss time,” which as everyone knows, “is the moment when she takes over.”

Over the last two seasons with Fort Myers, “Boss” has pretty much summarized Henderson’s role with the Green Wave. Transactions go through her hands more often than a drive-thru ATM.

Her AAU team, Florida Future, has even named an award after her and called it “The Boss.” It’s meant to exemplify a player’s work ethic, determination and drive.

Coaches respect her. Teammates follow her. Opponents fear her.

Destanni Henderson makes Team USA women’s U17 basketball team

“She commands so much attention on the court,” Terrell says. “She controls the game so much. And I think it is a fitting name for her.”

Six years ago, Henderson, who wraps her hair in a ponytail and tucks her long braids behind a headband, took that moniker for the first time.

It was handed down from her mother, Joyel James, whose grandfather, Ralph James, used to call her “Boss Hog,” which was a reference to the Dukes of Hazzard character Jefferson Davis Hogg.

But then that nickname took a life of its own during Joyel’s own years as a youth. She would appear at the Fort Myers STARS Complex softball fields and take turns smacking home runs off unsuspecting pitchers.

“You know I was an athlete back in my day, too,” Joyel said.

When Henderson joined Florida Future in the fifth grade, the program’s coach, Jamie Outten, looked for ways to connect with the player. He called her “Lil Boss.”

As Henderson matured, she got taller, she grew stronger and she developed a deadly ability to handle the basketball with both hands and take any defender off the dribble.

The “Lil” was dropped.

Henderson vying for USA women’s basketball U17 roster selection

She won a Lutheran Christian School national championship as an eighth-grader. As a sophomore, she helped lead the Green Wave to their first Class 6A championship in school history.

“She gets better and better and better,” Outten said. “It never gets old watching her.”

If you ask Henderson about the nickname, it’s a hard question to answer. How often should high school players really examine their identities, anyway?

But she says she does enjoy it. The name has a certain kick to it.

But like Terrell noted, Henderson’s life off the court hardly represents the authoritative definition of that persona. She’s friendly, she gets along with her teammates and she’s funny.

“She’s the most humble athlete I’ve met who’s been able to play sports at that high of a level,” Cedeno said.

She’s appeared in rap videos with her teammates, but like her nickname, that persona is only fleeting. Like 24 minutes on the court, it’s gone in a flash.

And then Destanni is just back to being Destanni.

Cypress Lake student Noah Zantman signed his first professional soccer contract last month with SC Cambuur, a second division club in the Netherlands.

At 14 years old, most teenagers are hoping to make their high school varsity team with dreams of some day playing in college.

For Noah Zantman, he’d already been denied entry into the professional soccer ranks by one club and suffered through a debilitating condition that nearly destroyed his psyche and will to continue his quest.

Zantman’s struggles, however, weren’t enough to break him. In fact, they motivated him to finally push through the ceiling he’d hit the previous two years.

The 16-year-old Cypress Lake High student signed his first professional contract with Dutch club SC Cambuur last month.

“It was a relief, and a very emotional moment,” Zantman said. “I felt incredibly happy. And, honestly, I really didn’t know how to react.”

Zantman, a native of the Netherlands, will head to Europe in mid-July to start training with SC Cambuur. The club plays out of the city of Leeuwarden in the top flight of Dutch soccer, but was relegated from the top division, Eredivisie, to the second division, Eerste Divisie, in May.

Zantman’s father, Simon Membre, played on the same club when he was his son’s age. The 5-foot-10 winger, who moved to the Naples area when he was 8, has come a long way from sending out highlight tapes, which featured a speedy 13-year old with a deadly left foot, to professional clubs around Europe.

The highlights were enough to earn him a tryout with Eredivisie’s FC Groningen. Zantman may not have wanted to hear it at the time, but it was there he learned there were much stronger, faster and, not to mention, older players who were better than him.

When he didn’t make the club, it only motivated him.

“I was very emotional and very angry,” Zantman said. “I wanted to come back better.”

Staying in the Netherlands, he played at the amateur level for a year to show his commitment to improving. Again, pro teams took notice as FC Groningen and Eredivisie’s SC Heerenveen started scouting him.

Zantman was certain this was his time. Except it wasn’t.

During tryouts, doctors discovered he had low blood circulation to his legs and needed surgery so he could continue to walk and run. The recovery and rehab lasted nearly three months where doubts about his future crept into his mind.

Despite FC Groningen’s patience with Zantman, he grew frustrated. There was always something standing in the way of his dream and he left the team.

“I told myself I wanted to come back stronger, but, at the same time, I felt very depressed,” Zantman said. “I didn’t want to play anymore. I was on the verge of saying I don’t want to do this anymore. There was a lot of stress on me, and there was also a lot of pressure to make it somewhere.”

Moving back to Southwest Florida turned out to be the best thing for him. Zantman returned to the amateur ranks and trained with Anthony Stovall, who played in the professional ranks in the U.S., Belgium and Germany, and his Stovi Stars program.

“As soon as we got our hands on him, we knew he was a diamond in the rough,” Stovall said. “On the ball he was just magical. His technique was nearly flawless. It was just a matter of getting him to maximize what God had already given him. That’s what made the difference for him. The kid is coachable.”

Over time, Stovall noticed Zantman’s confidence grow and saw he was ready for another shot.

Having just re-opened its youth academy, SC Cambuur offered Zantman a two-week tryout. During the first few workouts, he realized he wasn’t in as good of shape as his competition.

However, after a meeting with members of his family, Zantman realized he had something the other hopefuls didn’t have. And it showed during the last two days of training.

“I pulled everything out of me,” Zantman said. “I ran until I couldn’t run anymore. That’s how they saw how my work ethic was above everybody else’s.”

Following the last day of training May 26, he waited for an email from the club offering him a contract. It was a family event that winded down as it became later and later with no contract.

At 11:30 p.m. with no one around, Zantman’s email pinged. SC Cambuur offered a contract he signed the next day.

“I didn’t think it was going happen for me,” Zantman said. “I finally got a chance. I just hope to support my family and fulfill my dreams.”

Stovall reminded him to stay focused at all times.

“He must prove himself on every single level,” Stovall said. “Do not think about where you want to be and where you want to go. The dreaming is good, but every day you have to come in and work, perfecting your craft and getting that much better every single day. It’s a journey, not a destination.”

Jeshaun Jones, South Fort Myers

Jeshaun Jones still isn’t sure why he’s getting all this attention, neither does his mother.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

During a recent visit to The News-Press in June, Nicole Baran inquired why her son, after one season of varsity football at South Fort Myers, was being mentioned as one of the top recruits in the region heading into the 2016 season.

“How exactly did he get on this list?” she asked of The Big 15, an annual ranking of the best high school football prospects in Southwest Florida.

The News-Press evaluated players from Lee and Collier counties based on five factors — production, intangibles, potential, star power and scholarship offers — and settled on a list that fully embodies the brightest junior and senior recruits.

We start with the 16-year-old Jones, a rising junior with the Wolfpack, at No. 15.

A tall and ranging athlete at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds who projects to be a wide receiver at the next level, he’s perhaps the fastest rising prospect of any player on the list. Much of the interest he’s yielded from college programs has come over the last four months.

He holds five scholarship offers, two of which have come from Power 5 schools Arkansas and Rutgers, and remains a coveted target with 4.6-second 40-yard dash speed, elite agility and the kind of maturity coaches can’t teach.

South Fort Myers sends two more to D-I football ranks

South Fort Myers coach Anthony Dixon has a word for it.

“Other guys we’ve had, they were lightning fast,” Dixon said. “They could get the ball down the field. (Jeshaun’s) thing is, he’s so smooth. His speed can trick you. He’s going to be open. He’s so big, you don’t know how big he is until you get on the pads and get next to him.”

Interest from college football programs began in February and hasn’t yielded since, with multiple schools inquiring about the receiver. He also holds offers from South Florida, Southern Mississippi and Florida Atlantic.

A year ago, Jones was simply trying to find what kind of player he was on the field.

Today, there’s still much for him to prove.

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Initially viewed as a quarterback by the coaching staff his sophomore year, Jones later carried the ball a few times as a hybrid back and caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown. Throughout the year, he saw time at receiver, starting a handful of games.

However, where he really made his mark was on defense. A starter at corner or free safety for a big portion of the season, he displayed the kind of consistent, productive play that often yielded positive situations for the Wolfpack.

He, along with South Florida signee and strong safety Andre Polk, helped bookend one of the strongest defenses in Lee County. Jones showed poise in a loss to Fort Myers in September with a defended pass and four tackles and also pulled in an interception during a win over Riverdale in October.

South Fort Myers runs away late from Riverdale, 42-13

Given more of an offensive role in a spring scrimmage against Barron Collier and in the team’s spring game against Charlotte, he followed with an electrifying performance, tipping a downfield pass away from two defensive backs before jutting away for a touchdown.

“Natural instinct,” he says of the play against the Tarpons. “I didn’t try to tip it, that’s just what happened.”

His mother says those skills come from a place of experience, only not in football. She believes his hand-eye coordination developed from years of playing basketball and baseball.

“He steals balls out of the air all the time,” she said.

Dixon agrees with that notion, mentioning that Jones’ natural athleticism in two other sports provides valuable experience on the field.

“He has incredible ball skills,” he said. “That has a lot to do with playing baseball. On the field, he will go up with one hand, two hands, over the top, it doesn’t matter. He doesn’t drop balls.”

While Jones says his biggest asset are his hands, his tools go beyond that. The receiver also understands how to use his feet on the line of scrimmage and can wiggle into tight creases in the slot.

Dixon said the junior also has made strides in route running and continues to build in the weight room, where Jones hopes to add weight to his slight frame. He’s performed at one-day camps at South Carolina, FAU, Florida, Florida A&M and South Florida, gaining much of his recruiting traction in front of college coaches.

“I’m not the fastest receiver, so I trust my routes and hands to make the plays,” Jones said.

In an ideal world, Jones said, he would one day like to field an offer from Florida. It’s the first place he ever watched a college football game in person, he said, and is a place he remains enamored by.

But while his dream school hasn’t offered a scholarship yet, the South Fort Myers junior believes he has ample time to prove his worth on the field.

He’s watched the career timelines of former South Fort Myers greats like Sammy Watkins and Jayron Kearse, both in the NFL, and knows there’s plenty of room to grow within the program.

And yet, he’s also careful not to compare himself to anyone other than himself.

“He just has to go out and be himself,” Dixon said. “We have a talented receiving corps, and he’ll be in a situation where he’ll have an opportunity to make a lot of plays and sure enough plenty are going to be in front of him.”

The Big 15 

The News-Press and The Naples Daily News will be counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

30. Brandon King, North Fort Myers, WR: A senior receiver for the Red Knights, King caught 17 passes for 450 yards in 2015. 

Claudin Cherelus

Claudin Cherelus has been taking notes.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

The Golden Gate rising senior watched his brother, Weeginne, go through the college football recruiting process two years ago, taking notice when he ultimately ended up at Ohio Wesleyan.

This past season, his best friend, Patrick Volcy, navigated the road again, eventually finding a home at Massachusetts.

So Cherelus, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety for the Titans and No. 14 on The Big 15 list of Southwest Florida’s best football prospects, says he’s not really worried about the process.

“I know at the end of the day I’ll find the right place that I should end up,” Cherelus, 17, said.

In May, he received his first Power 5 offer from Minnesota. Two weeks later, a scholarship opportunity from Massachusetts followed. He holds verbal offers from Samford, Northern Illinois and South Dakota.

That’s all great, Cherelus says.

In the meantime, what he really wants is something more tangible: a District 6A-12 championship for Golden Gate.

The program hasn’t won a championship since the school opened.

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Going into his third year as a varsity player, Cherelus wants to change that. He’s been part of one 6-win season and last year’s disappointing 3-win campaign.

“We see the capabilities and the explosiveness and big play ability he has,” Golden Gate coach Mike DiGrigoli said. “We’ll utilize him. He was a role player on defense last year, but each game he got better with assignments. He developed into that type of game changer, and we depended on him.”

On top of that, Cherelus will be named one of Golden Gate’s captains next season and has developed into a natural field general — a by-example leader rather than a rah-rah guy, DiGrigoli says. He can run the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, posts a 37-inch vertical and can bench 270 pounds.

“I think my athleticism helps me play the ball in the air,” he said. “My size and strength mix with my speed. It helps me come down and hit.”

Physically, the Naples-born safety is one of the more powerful defensive backs in Southwest Florida. DiGrigoli said some of those instincts came from playing different positions early in his career.

Cherelus, whose parents are Haitian, first began playing in the eighth grade, following in the footsteps of his brother, Weeginne, currently a sophomore defensive end for Ohio Wesleyan.

At first, coaches weren’t quite sure where to place him. As a freshman, he was a defensive end. As a sophomore, he moved to linebacker. But as the Titans staff recognized his obvious speed and vision, Cherelus eventually found his way to strong safety.

“Playing on the line and close to the ball early on in his career, he developed a sense of contact and being in the mix off the snap,” DiGrigoli said.

Cherelus admits he only started to see the big picture early in his sophomore year. Explaining that further, he says, he missed tackles because he played out of position and freelanced on defense.

However, Cherelus began to understand and accept his role as a junior. DiGrigoli saw him transition into a strong player that could play at the next level, which is why he entrusted him in critical fake punt situations.

“When there were those five plays in a game that could make or break in the game, he’s the first guy we went to,” he said.

While Cherelus remains a raw talent, that hasn’t precluded a range of schools from showing interest. Programs such as Western Kentucky and Florida Atlantic are also keeping tabs on the safety.

No unofficial visits are on the horizon, Cherelus says, but he considers the Gophers a frontrunner at this point. He ultimately wants to find a home that suits his academic interests and his best possible opportunity to play.

DiGrigoli says he could see him either as a safety or an outside linebacker in the right scheme. Currently, the Titans’ base defense is a 4-3 cover 2.

In the meantime, DiGrigoli has a plan for him.

“It’s to become a consistent, dominant player in what his position requires him to do,” he said. “He’s got to be that guy at the safety position that everyone knows they have to game plan against. He has to continue to make plays and put up stats that merit his ability.”

The Big 15 

The News-Press and The Naples Daily News is counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

29. Xavier Perez, Fort Myers, RB: A bruising junior running back who rushed for 307 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Counting down the Big 15: 

South Fort Myers junior Jeshaun Jones is a fast rising football prospect

Cole Schneider

When the idea of Cole Schneider shifting from the offensive line to the defensive line was floated, the 6-foot-4, 295-pound Riverdale senior, whose recruiting stock skyrocketed over the last year as an offensive guard, never considered how it would affect the rest of his recruitment.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

With a plethora of Division I offers in hand, Schneider is working toward more tenders from Power 5 schools. The way he sees it, what better way to showcase his freakish athletic abilities that compliment his power and strength on the offensive line than to make plays on defense and spend some time as a lead blocker and ball carrier at H-back this coming season?

“I’ve always wanted to play defensive line,” said Schneider, who made the News-Press’ Big 15 for the second straight year, checking in at No. 13 among Southwest Florida’s top recruits. “On the offensive line no one really sees you. I like hitting the quarterback and the ballcarrier. It’s a lot of fun.”

It’s not where he’s made his name, though.

In a year’s time, he’s moved from a little-known recruit with a ton of potential, as evidenced by an early offer from Florida Atlantic, to a hot commodity among those schools who’ve seen film of the agile guard with 4.8 40-yard dash.

Golden Gate’s Cherelus has power and speed to play safety

Combine that with a 500-pound squat, a 365-pound bench press as well as a knack for down blocks and a will to play to the whistle, and the offers started rolling in. His list of 12 offers include Marshall, Central Florida, South Florida, UMass and Minnesota.

Riverdale coach Tom Roszell, who will start his second stint with the Raiders this fall, compared him to another great he coached at Lehigh, Mario Henderson. After playing just one season, Henderson started his freshman season at Florida State and went on to play five years in the NFL.

There’s one catch.

“At this point in time, Cole’s ahead of where Mario was,” Roszell said. “Cole may not have his size, but he’s more athletic.”

Following a season where he helped Riverdale rush for close to 150 yards per game, Schneider, the 2015 Class 2A 285-pound state wrestling champion and a fourth-place finisher last season, looked forward to creating some more eye-catching highlight reels full of pancake and downfield blocks.

South Fort Myers junior Jeshaun Jones is a fast rising football prospect

Turning around the Raiders program, which is coming off a 3-7 season, was more important. And he understands he is needed most clogging up the middle at defensive tackle.

The tempo is a lot faster on the defensive side of the ball. He’ll need to improve his reads and get used to not huddling after every play as he did on offense.

“It’s a lot of film, and you have to have great vision,” Schneider said. “I’m not used to having that kind of vision. You have to follow the guard when he pulls and read the down blocks scheme.”

Although college coaches project him to play on the offensive line at the next level, Schneider would be thrilled if he earned a few offers to play on the defensive line. Perhaps he could even set himself apart from the rest of the Class of 2017 with his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands.

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Roszell plans to give opponents a healthy dose of Schneider at H-back and tight end.

“It gives us some options with him,” Roszell said. “With his speed, you want to put him in space.”

Schneider’s leadership qualities fall into the category of intangibles that can’t be taught.

When coach Damon Jones left Riverdale for St. John Neumann in the spring and Roszell, also the athletic director, took over, the senior was among the first to embrace the change. He understood if he bought into Roszell and the rest of the coaching staff everyone else would follow.

For that, Roszell is grateful.

“(Former Michigan State basketball coach) Jud Heathcote always said Magic Johnson was not only his best player, but his hardest worker,” Roszell said. “Cole’s our hardest worker in the weight room and on the field. That’s what college coaches are looking for.”

The Big 15 

The News-Press is counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

28. Finley Felix, Riverdale: A 6-foot-4, 303-pound powerful offensive tackle who has shown flashes of greatness and could be a Division I signee with a strong senior campaign.

Six big boys in orange uniforms belted out a song from the Disney movie “Frozen.”

Their audience, a little girl receiving cancer treatments, rewarded them with a smile spreading across her face.

Let it go, Let it go, Can’t hold it back anymore! 

Across the hall at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida, three other football players for Dunbar High played video games with the little boy with Burkitt lymphoma.

A few feet away, three more athletes played Monopoly with the boy whose brother was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for leukemia.

Dunbar players pose with Golisano Children’s Hospital staff after their visit to the facility on Friday

“You know, the guys are in high school, some guys are about to go to college,” Dunbar head football coach Sammy Brown said. “We just took them on a 7-day (college football) tour. There’s a lot being handed to them.

“I just wanted them to understand you need to give back just a little. This just came to me. It’s a beautiful thing, man.”

Giving back to those in need, he thought. Simple enough concept. Yet he knew it hadn’t been done before at Dunbar.

Hard sell? Far from it.

Almost 20 football players arrived at the children’s hospital on Friday ready to mingle, support, laugh and encourage children going through difficult, and at times unthinkable, pain.

“To be here for them in their time of need, or whatever they’re going through, it felt good,” Dunbar senior Carl Burnside Jr. said.

While Brown, a first-year head coach who was hired officially in May after 12 years as an assistant with the program, had never organized anything like this before, this came easy. It struck close to home.

Dunbar football takes interim tag off Sammy Brown

Less than a week earlier, his daughter, Syanna, had given birth prematurely at the hospital to a 4-pound girl. He saw what faith did for he and his family. He understood what support meant.

He wanted to teach his players that same lesson.

But how would he make it work?

“The most important thing is that when we play this game of football our health is given to us,” he said.  “So I thought, ‘Let’s do something different.’”

He called the hospital and made a pitch. Before he knew it, he had an answer. A spokesperson for the hospital thought it was a great idea.

Jirelisse Bonilla, mother to 6-year-old son Elijah — who was undergoing chemotherapy treatments for leukemia — believes unprompted kindness is what children in the hospital need.

“It means a lot to them here,” she said. “It brings the kids up. When they’re depressed and see other people, it lifts their spirits.”

At times she questioned why her young son had to deal with the pain of leukemia, a diagnosis so heavy, sometimes even the strongest couldn’t beat it. But then she would turn to good memories, the fulfilling ones, those moments when strangers came to her side and offered support.

“It’s important to feel that love from others,” she said. 

Brown understood that feeling. He knew it was a chance for his players to make a difference.

Dunbar holds off Cape in Brown’s debut

“On a certain level, you have to make people happy and leave that level of selfishness behind and be more responsible,” Burnside Jr. said. “You have to show good characteristics.”

So here they were. Brown’s players were singing and reading and playing video games with children who, unaware of their talents and futures, simply cherished their presence.

Buried under his covers, 4-year-old Daniel Humphrey played video games with Shanon Reid, Tariq Thomas and Kenny Benjamin. Eight-year-old Christ Santiago, brother to Elijah, joked while playing Monopoly with Isaiah Lyon, Daylon Hutchins and Kam Lewis.

“I wanted them to see that they have the same impact on kids who are younger than them,” Brown said. “Again, look at these kids. They’re happy.”

Some of his players had wished for this kind of opportunity.

“It feels great to be able to influence a kid, or for someone less fortunate than you,” Benjamin said. “It opens your eyes not to take things for granted. You have that power.”

Huddled in the little girls room, the six players finished the Disney song, projecting their last notes with more passion and conviction.

Let the storm rage on. The cold never bothered me anyway!

In the background, Brown silently captured the moment on video.

It was a beautiful thing, man.

Hopefully the sound works here. Six players at Dunbar sang Frozen for this adorable little girl. https://t.co/1q2dpcOGz4

—
Cory Mull (@ByCoryMull) July 08, 2016

DeMarcus Townsend, Gulf Coast

DeMarcus Townsend is fast earning a reputation as one of the most explosive athletes in Southwest Florida.

Gulf Coast coach Pete Fominaya shared a story about his junior running back’s exploits at a recent satellite camp hosted by the University of South Florida at North Fort Myers High.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

Coaches held a ‘fastest man’ drill, where each position runs a 40-yard dash in heats, until one man is crowned the fastest at his position.

The 5-foot-11, 192-pound Townsend earned a spot in the final among other local running backs such as Fort Myers’ Darrian Felix and Island Coast’s Jerry Cambric.

Townsend fired out of the start and won the heat, beating the speedy Felix — a three-star recruit, himself — by a few steps.

“As soon as they were done, (USF coach) Willie Taggart offered DeMarcus a scholarship on the spot,” Fominaya said. “He’s an elite-level athlete. There’s very few young men who can do the things he does on the football field.

“He’s one of the fastest kids in the country in his age group. He’s extremely explosive, very physical, a ton of tools. But he’s also very coachable and a leader around his teammates. We’re really excited he plays for the Sharks.”

Townsend, who finds himself at No. 12 on The Big 15, has scholarship offers from Appalachian State, Iowa State, Eastern Michigan, Southern Mississippi and the Bulls.

Fominaya expects many more to roll in during the next two seasons. And Townsend is eager to show Southwest Florida what he is capable of.

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He missed half of last season with injuries, and saw more time at cornerback than running back with senior Brendon Drugan taking a starring role in the backfield.

This year,  however, Townsend is healthy and ready to go — and already turning heads.

“I’ve really been focusing on getting faster and stronger, since that’s a big key in being a good running back,” Townsend said. “A lot of work in the weight room, a lot of speed drills to get ready. … I haven’t shown my full potential yet, not even close.”

In some ways, it was Townsend’s performance this past March in Miami at the Nike + Football Opening Regional, measuring skills such as the 40-yard dash, shuttle run, powerball toss and vertical jump, that ballooned his profile to major college recruiters.

He finished the event with the highest rating out of any camper, running a 4.4 40-yard dash, a 4.14 second shuttle and measuring in at a 40-inch vertical.

Big 15: Riverdale’s Cole Schneider shifts to defense

Gulf Coast quarterback Kaden Frost has known Townsend since their FBU days in seventh grade.

Townsend played his freshman season at St. John Neumann, suffering through an injury-plagued campaign. When he transferred to Gulf Coast as a sophomore, Frost knew all about him.

With another year of improvement expected, and an entire season to show Southwest Florida exactly what he can do, the sky appears to be the limit.

“He’s a freak athlete,” Frost said. “Any time he touches the ball, he can turn it into a 50-yard gain. He’s going to be a great player for us in the backfield.”

Gulf Coast appears poised to stake its claim as one of the top teams in Southwest Florida. Under a steady rebuild from Fominaya, the Sharks have improved in every one of the coach’s four seasons.

Gulf Coast has made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, including a 7-4 mark last year.

Golden Gate’s Cherelus has power and speed to play safety

The Sharks feature seven players who have already received Division I offers, which breeds friendly competition among the players.

“We’re all kind of feeding off each other,” Townsend said. “And I think we could have even more Division I kids. It’s a great team to be a part of, because the competition in practice is so intense.”

Fominaya says he can’t wait to get the season started, and he hopes to see his squad take another step in its development.

“Excited is an understatement,” he said. “It’s been a hard four years developing this program, we knew it wasn’t going to be an overnight success.

“But we’re hoping this year is the culmination of everything we’ve gone through, playing younger kids and developing kids. We’re very excited about the future of this program, and DeMarcus is a big part of that.”

South Fort Myers junior Jeshaun Jones is a fast rising football prospect

The Big 15 

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will be counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

27. Michael Mambuca, Gulf Coast, OL: The 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior lineman has offers from Army, Air Force, Brown, Cornell  and Dartmouth, among others. 

Wooby Theork, Naples

The Naples High football program is never short on talent. The Golden Eagles didn’t win two state championships and six regional titles the past 15 years without great players.

With so much ability on the sideline, sophomores usually don’t see the field much in Naples coach Bill Kramer’s system.

Especially at the skill positions.

But Wooby Theork wasn’t a typical underclassmen for the Eagles last season. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound receiver had a breakout season, catching 32 passes for 465 yards and eight touchdowns.

As one of Naples’ only returning offensive starters, Theork will be thrust into the spotlight this fall.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

His blend of natural ability and work ethic puts him at No. 11 on The News-Press/Naples Daily News Big 15 list of top recruits in Southwest Florida.

Theork picked up his first scholarship from Rutgers after the season and has a handful of offers from Football Championship Subdivision teams.

“I’m always surprised when a 10th-grader can play varsity and be successful,” said Kramer, whose Eagles reached the state semifinals last season. “He’s an excellent athlete. He can jump through the roof. He’s very, very fast. He’s just a smooth, effortless guy.”

Theork was eighth in Collier County in receiving yards last season and fourth in receiving touchdowns. He did it despite sharing balls with one of the best recruits in the country on a team that’s traditionally run heavy — Naples receiver Tyler Byrd was ranked the No. 35 senior by ESPN and the Eagles rushed for 231 yards per game.

Although Byrd, who signed with Tennessee, was on the other side of the field, Theork led Naples with eight touchdown catches. In just his third varsity game, he caught three passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Gulf Coast.

What’s more impressive, Theork has only been playing football for three years — surprisingly, he doesn’t have a recruiting profile on Rivals, Scout nor 247 Sports.

Before football, he considered himself a basketball star.

“Basketball was my life,” Theork said. “I had two younger brothers bug me about playing football, so I thought I’d try something new.”

Theork said his basketball skills helped him take to the sport quickly. As a guard on the hardwood, he was used to shaking free of defenders to drive to the hoop. Sliding past defensive backs was no different.

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As an eighth-grader, his first time in pads, Theork made the area’s Football University all-star team. The squad advanced to the quarterfinals of the FBU National Championships.

While most of Theork’s other scholarship offers are from smaller programs, Kramer believes Theork is a sure-fire Power Conference talent.

Theork still plays basketball, and he’s still pretty good. Last season he averaged 7.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game for Naples.

Gulf Coast back DeMarcus Townsend flying up recruiting boards

However, he’s found a new love. After dreaming of an NBA career as a kid, Theork’s new sport has become his favorite.

“I like football way better,” Theork said. “I love competing against other kids. In basketball you don’t get to know your teammates that much. You build more of a bond in football.”

The Eagles’ young star is so new to football that he doesn’t have measurements college recruiters look for in high school athletes. Theork said he’s never been tested in the vertical jump and doesn’t really know is 40-yard dash time.

Big 15: Riverdale’s Cole Schneider shifts to defense

Theork doesn’t say much, but Kramer says he has a quiet confidence about him.

It will serve him well this season, when the Eagles expect the wide receiver to be a big factor on a team hoping to repeat as regional champs.

Could Theork be the next big Naples recruit?

“We’re going to get the ball in his hands,” Kramer said. “That shouldn’t be a surprise to anybody. Whether that’s kick returns, punt returns — we’re going to do whatever we can do to get the ball to him.”

Golden Gate’s Cherelus has power and speed to play safety

The Big 15 

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will be counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

26. Chris Hanlon, Naples, TE: The 6-foot-2, 220-pound senior tight end has an offer from Davidson. He caught eight passes for 95 yards and a touchdown last season. 

A group runs drills at a free youth football camp at McGregor Baptist Church run by Nate Allen of the Oakland Raiders on Saturday.

Nate Allen dabs with a group during his free youth football camp at McGregor Baptist Church on Saturday in Fort Myers.

Holding his first local football camp in four years on Saturday at Southwest Florida Christian Academy, Oakland Raiders safety and Cape Coral graduate Nate Allen found comfort in a familiar role.

“OK, let’s do some DB drills,” Allen said just moments after the start of his McGregor Baptist Church Football Camp, which partnered with NFL PLAY 60 and was free to the public.

Wearing an Oakland Raiders bucket hat, Allen jogged over to his defensive back station, where he instructed a handful of children, ages 5 through 10, through a series of repetitions that required backpedaling, running and catching a blue football.

Owen Underhill makes a catch while doing defensive back drills with Nate Allen at a free youth football camp at McGregor Baptist Church on Saturday.

“It’s awesome. And working with kids this age, it’s a humbling experience,” said Allen, a six-year NFL player who held his first youth football camp four years ago at Cape Coral High while still with the Philadelphia Eagles. “Some of them were asking me: What team do you play for? Who am I? So it’s just awesome, because they have such a pure love for the sport.”

Allen, 28, worked with his agent to host the tournament. The majority of the operations were covered by a NFL60 grant, SFCA football coach Mike Marciano said, while other costs Allen handled.

Nate Allen promotes July 16 youth football camp

The Raiders safety re-signed with the team in February on a restructured deal following their release of him after the season. Allen played five games with Oakland in 2015, intercepting one pass, defending two others and compiling 14 tackles.

Nearly 200 children were on hand for the morning portion of Saturday’s camp, which was also aided by the help of McGregor Baptist Church and its pastor Arthur Keeley, while another 200 middle school athletes were on hand during the afternoon camp.

Allen, who had his first child in October, said he hoped to make the camp an annual event. On Saturday, he was in his element as he coached, laughed and joked with local youth. He said it brought him back to his own childhood.

Check out this 7-year-old having fun at the McGregor Baptist football camp this morning. https://t.co/nkHOfyWeiZ

—
Cory Mull (@ByCoryMull) July 16, 2016

“When I sit here and look at them, it reminds me when I was their age,” said Allen, whose wife, Courtney, and parents Darlene and Jackie were also on hand. “It was the pure love of football. It wasn’t the business side of it like it is in the NFL. They’re here visualizing that they’re Aaron Rodgers, Cam Newtown, Marshawn Lynch, and that’s awesome that they can get out here and do that.”

Over 20 volunteers, many of them local high school football players, joined to run the camp’s 15 personal stations across the King’s football field.

Marciano said Allen’s camp, which was free to the public, was a great opportunity to give back to the community.

“As twisted as our world is getting, we thought this would be a great time to reach out to the community,” Marciano said. “We thought a charge might run some people off, so we wanted to hold a free camp, and any costs we incurred Nate was willing to cover.”

Future @Iam_ZWhite or @Dhat_6? Or is defense just terrible? Maybe a little of both! https://t.co/Xsqa6ffpTz

—
Cory Mull (@ByCoryMull) July 16, 2016

Cape Coral coach Larry Gary, heading into his 38th year teaching and coaching in the Lee County School district, was also on hand to help. While Gary arrived at Cape Coral the year after Allen left for the University of South Florida, he maintains a close relationship his family.

“Nate is a special breed. He’s very humble,” Gary said. “He never set himself at the top and said I’m this guy, I’m the guy. Nate has always had a level head when it comes to people.”

Following the defensive back drill, Allen huddled his group of children together and told them to have fun and continue to respect others. Over the course of the camp, Allen also wanted to instill his faith and values to those in attendance.

Oakland Raiders re-sign Cape’s Nate Allen

His favorite moment was working with the kids at his defensive backs station.

“Just running my DB drill right over there and working with the kids and seeing all their faces and listening to what they say and doing all the dances,” he said.

Jeshaun Jones, South Fort Myers

Here’s a day in the life of E’Quan Dorris, South Fort Myers High’s star running back.

He arrives at the South Fort Myers High weight room long before most of his teammates, stays long after most have left, and then goes home and crushes another workout with his brother, Ed, a Wolfpack football program alum whose career he’s tried to emulate.

Work ethic is just one reason why Dorris checks in at No. 10 on The News-Press/Naples Daily News Big 15 list of best high school football prospects in Southwest Florida. He also has a blinding amount of talent.

“He’s an animal,” South Fort Myers coach Anthony Dixon says of his highly-touted running back. “He puts in the work every day. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the weight room, class room or football field, he’s doing work.”

Need some answers on Dorris as a player? Just watch.

The moment he runs, you understand without clicking a watch that he can get out fast. Maybe it can be argued that he’s one of the fastest running backs in Southwest Florida, although there’s no 40-yard dash time to prove it.

Some part of you just feels it. After all, he hit 10.97 seconds in the 100-meter dash this past spring in track and field.

The News-Press Football Big 15 Recruits.

You can see the strength in Dorris’ chest and his arms, so when he bounces off a defender during a 7-on-7 game and keeps running, it tells you on most days that it would take two, maybe three guys to pull him down with pads.

“I’ve coached a lot of talented kids, NFL players,” Dixon says, “This kid, he’s the overall best kid I’ve had the opportunity to coach in 19 years. He’s going to get what he deserves. He outworks everyone every day.”

And yet, the kid who made varsity as a freshman for one of the best programs in the county, and the player who picked up his first scholarship at the age of 14, is still kind of under the radar.

When the conversation begins about the best running backs in Southwest Florida, the talk inevitably goes in another direction.

E’Quan Dorris the leader of South Fort Myers’ running pack

“Right now, he feels a little disrespected,” Dixon says.

With scholarship offers from Florida Atlantic, East Carolina, Southern Mississippi, South Florida and Kent State, Dorris has plenty of options. But are they the right ones?

The 5-foot-10, 185-pounder chewed up 1,178 yards and scored 14 times in seven games last year, averaging nearly 9 yards per carry. He had four games of over 180 yards and five games with at least two touchdowns.

But he missed four games because of an emergency surgery to remove his appendix. Before surgery, he was hoping to eclipse 2,000 yards on the season.

When he returned, it was like the beginning of the season. He had to acclimate again.

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Why is he underrated? That’s anyone’s guess. Maybe it’s size. Maybe it’s speed. Maybe it’s blocking technique, or a lack of tape as a pass catcher.

Dorris is using every bit of it as inspiration when he takes the football and starts churning more yards.

“I have to prove myself,” Dorris says. “I need to prove to people that I’m still as good a player as I was my freshman year.”

Dorris still keeps showing up at the weight room. He’s continues to improve on a 260-pound bench press and a 405-pound squat. His teammates consider him a leader.

South Fort Myers back E’Quan Dorris vying for 2,000

Over the summer, he’s worked on adding versatility to his repertoire. He’s expected to see time in the slot. Dixon will name him one of the team’s captains in the fall.

He practices route running and perfects timing with a handful of quarterbacks. It’s one aspect of his game that’s always been an overlooked. Traditionally, the Wolfpack have always featured strong receivers.

But Dixon believes South will give him opportunities to get open in the middle of the field this fall. He’s been a willing pass catcher during 7-on-7s.

“That will change this year out of the backfield and in the slot position,” Dixon said. “In his recruiting, I think it will help him a lot more if we put him in those situations.”

Gulf Coast back DeMarcus Townsend flying up recruiting boards

In the meantime, Dorris continues to do what he does best. He also cut his hair, going from long dreadlocks last fall to a shorter, cleaner look.

It’s not much of a surprise that his name already occupies a few records on the walls of the school. After all, he began playing as a freshman. But Dorris could break as many as four football records at the school when all is said and done.

“I’m trying to have the most records on the board,” Dorris said.

And to him, it’s just more proof that he’s one of the best, if not the best, football player in the area.

The Big 15 

The News-Press and Naples Daily News will be counting down the top football recruits in Southwest Florida every Tuesday and Friday until the start of the high school football season. The Big 15 features players going into their junior and senior years from Lee and Collier counties, with respect paid to those with hard scholarship offers and those without who possess great potential.

The Next 15

25. Jacob Tracey, Riverdale, WR: The 6-foot-3, 195-pound junior receiver has an offer from Southern Mississippi. He caught 34 passes for 574 yards and six touchdowns in 2015.