Football is back! Well, sort of. Spring jamborees and two quarters of football is back!
Carrollwood Day School kicked spring games for Tampa Bay seven days ago, with Berkeley Prep, CCC, St. Pete Catholic and Admiral Farragut following last week as well. Twenty four teams will get on the field tonight as spring jamborees are set to take place at six different locations.
We will have coverage at the Alonso, Blake, King and Plant City spring jamborees.
Alonso Cluster
Sickles (7-3) vs. Gaither (9-4)
Steinbrenner (7-3) vs. Alonso (6-4)
Lots of good matchups across the board should make for a well played jamboree all the way around. All four teams are expected to be strong again in 2012.
Who to watch:
Brandon Hawkins, Alonso 2013 QB
Ish Witter, Alonso 2014 QB
Marcus Mosley, Alonso 2014 TE
Kendall Pearcy, Steinbrenner 2013 RB
Curtis Fitch, Steinbrenner 2014 QB
Shug Oyegunle, Gaither 2013 ATH
Alex McGough, Gaither 2014 QB
Adekunle Olusanya, Sickles 2013 DB
Marcos Vega, Sickles 2013 DB
Blake Cluster
Middleton (0-10) vs. Hillsborough (9-3)
Chamberlain (1-9) vs. Blake (4-6)
For Middleton, Chamberlain and Blake 2012 is a season for rebuilding and hoping to point the program in a positive direction. For the Terriers, it’s a season of sight change. Long time defensive coordinator and assistant coach Dean Eychner accepted a head coaching job at Brandon, so Hillsborough will have to fill his void as the DC.
Who to watch:
Jordan Sherit, Hillsborough 2013 DE
Nigel Harris, Hillsborough 2013 LB
Jeremiah Green, Hillsborough 2013 DB
DeAndre James, Blake 2013 RB
Josh Vizcanio, Blake 2014 OL
John Franklin, Blake 2013 DE
Justo Polanco, Middleton 2015 OL/DL
Jajuan Stewart, Middleton 2015 OL
Xavier Johnson, Chamberlain 2013 RB
East Bay Cluster
Riverview (1-9) vs. Lennard (2-8)
Spoto (6-4) vs. East Bay (4-6)
Riverview and Lennard are rebuilding while Spoto and East Bay are talking playoffs. Don’t blink or you may miss the Spoto – East Bay matchup. Between Eric Moate, Bradon Byrd and Quaeshawn Laurent there will be a ton of speed on the field.
Who to watch:
Brandon Byrd, East Bay 2013 RB
Eric Moate, Spoto 2013 RB
Quaeshawn Laurent, East Bay 2013 RB
Chris Carpentier, East Bay 2014 QB
Traverrian Williams, Spoto
Akilies Johnson, Spoto
King Cluster
Wharton (5-6) vs. Tampa Bay Tech (8-4)
Freedom (2-8) vs. King (4-6)
The top player in Tampa Bay will be playing an unfamiliar spot with Chase Litton not expected to play to do a hand injury. Vernon Hargreaves III is expected to play quarterback for the Wildcats – Team Tampa teammate Richard Benjamin is hoping to log an interception during the jamboree.
Who to watch:
Vernon Hargreaves III, Wharton 2013 DB
Richard Benjamin, Tampa Bay Tech 2013 ATH
Taylor King, Freedom 2014 QB
Deon Thompson, Tampa Bay Tech 2014 RB
Zach Romp, Freedom 2013 SR
Nate Godwin, Freedom 2013 DB
Isaac Tanner, Freedom 2013 LB
Brody Flanagin, Freedom 2013 LB
Brandon Harris, King, 2013 DB
Anfernee Moore, King 2013 DB
Leto Cluster
Jefferson (6-4) vs. Robinson (9-3)
Plant (14-1) vs. Leto (0-10)
Jefferson is working on getting back to its 2010 form, while Robinson is looking to make another run at the playoffs. Plant faces Leto for the second year in a row, a game that no one expects to be much of a contest. The defending 8A sate champions will look to make another state title run in 2012.
Who to watch:
Richy Klepal, Plant 2013 OT
Wesley Bullock, Plant 2013 RB
Aaron Banks, Plant 2013 QB
Deiondre Porter, Jefferson 2014 QB
Bruce Hector, Robinson 2013 OL
Richard Bush, Plant 2014 OL
Andre Simpson, Leto 2013 RB
Jonathan Dublin, Leto 2013 RB/WR
Vidal Woodruff, Robinson 2013 QB
Plant City Cluster
Durant (7-4) vs. Strawberry Crest (1-9)
Armwood (15-0) vs. Plant City (7-3)
Former Armwood assistant John Kelly has taken over the Chargers squad and hopes to get things on track early against Durant. The Cougars are in line to do exactly what they did last year – make the playoffs. Armwood is currently surrounded by turmoil and questions regarding its 6A state title, but no one will be able to stop them from playing tonight as they square off against a talented Plant City team.
Who to watch:
Kyle Gibson, Armwood 2014 DB
Alvin Bailey, Armwood 2013 SR
Leon McQuay III, Armwood 2013 S
Jameel Garrett, Durant 2013 DB
Devyn Salmon, Plant City 2013 DT
Joe Davis, Plant City 2013 WR
Karel Hamilton, Strawberry Crest 2013 WR
Seth Crowell, Plant City 2013 OL
Chris Smith, Durant 2013 LB