Senior linebacker Demarco Daniels entered his final season at Eastside High with a goal of being one of the best linebackers in Florida. At 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, he certainly fits the part, but a groin injury sidelined him for several games and prevented him from matching the eye-popping numbers he posted last year.
Still, Daniels’ mindset never wavered. Now healthy, he’s back leading the Rams’ defense and proving he belongs among the area’s top defensive players.
When you’re the first high school football player in Florida in more than 20 years to record 1,000 yards both receiving and rushing in the same season, you know you’re going to draw some attention.
Buchholz senior Justin Williams entered his final season as a Bobcat expecting defenses to double and triple-team him, doing whatever they could to keep the ball out of his hands. Even so, Williams says the focus this year isn’t about matching last season’s numbers, it’s about winning the last game of the season.
For junior tailback Iyen Addison, growing up in Bradford County came with one clear dream, to one day line up as the starting running back for the Tornadoes. That plan briefly detoured when he chose to play alongside his brother at another school as a freshman, but after a year away, Addison’s return to Bradford has been everything he hoped for and everything the Tornadoes needed.
“This is one of the best teams I’ve ever been on,” Addison said. “The guys have tremendous energy, we play together, we compete, and I love being a part of this group.”
Fitting into a new place isn’t always easy for high school athletes. New teammates, new friends and a new playbook can be a challenge. But for Branford High School senior Maurice Vought, the transition has become something special.
“It felt like home from the moment I stepped on campus,” Vought said. “The players and coaches welcomed me with open arms, and it’s a real brotherhood. I’m so happy to be a part of this amazing program.”
Senior right side and defensive specialist Rowan Kage has seen plenty of volleyball matches inside the Gainesville High gym, but last week’s senior night win over rival Buchholz will be one she never forgets.
The Hurricanes rallied from two sets down for a reverse sweep in front of a packed crowd, a night Kage called “super loud and super energetic.” It was the kind of performance that she’ll remember forever as she had 19 digs, 16 kills and 5 blocks to avenge an earlier loss this season and earn Kage this week’s UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the week.
The Bell Bulldogs didn’t start the 2025 football season the way they hoped, dropping their first four games. But after picking up their first win against OPCA, they strung together their best performance of the year in a 42-point outburst against Dixie County.
Junior running back Landin Williams scored four touchdowns in the victory, earning UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week honors.
A typical high school football game features around 80 to 100 snaps. For players who stick to one side of the ball, that usually means about 50 plays a night. But for two-way players like Williston senior Ramey Webb, the toll can be much higher.
The town of Fort White is known as a quiet, rural hub for outdoor recreation, where residents appreciate the peace of the community. For junior Bo Jones, center for the Fort White High School football team, that peace lasts six days a week, because Fridays are reserved for domination.
Jones and the Indians have been off to a strong start to the 2025 season, a product of what he says was a focused offseason.
For a guy who had never played football before this season, it’s been quite a start for Oak Hall junior Darius Medley.
After spending the first few weeks of the season getting used to putting on pads, Medley broke out in a big way, averaging 30 yards every time he touched the ball in just the third game of his career. He finished with 207 total yards and three touchdowns to earn UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week honors.
