2021 SUN Preps All-Area Athletes & Teams
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1466350
www.yoursun.com Page 15 SUN PREPS ALL-AREA FOOTBALL TEAM Venice's Blazek leads impressive squad First Team RB — Jason Hogan (Lemon Bay junior) The Manta Rays' quarterback for much of last year, Hogan became the primary running back and thrived in the role. He helped power an explosive Lemon Bay offense as he ran for over 1,300 yards and 23 touchdowns. WR — Solomon Luther (Port Charlotte senior) It was rare for even a few minutes would pass between Luther's name being called on the loudspeaker on Friday nights. The do-it-all Pirate was a dynamic playmaker on both sides of the ball. He accumulated 1,119 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touch- downs on offense while recording 28 tackles and defending seven passes on defense. "Solomon is one of the most skilled players we have ever had," Port Charlotte coach Jordan Ingman said. "In his career he caught and ran for several touchdowns, made several tackles, has seven blocked kicks, returned kickoffs, punts and made multiple interceptions as a four-year starter. "We will miss his humility and work ethic but look forward to watching his success at the next level." WR — Alex Perry (Port Charlotte junior) After having a breakout season on the basketball court last year, Perry translated that success to the football field this fall. The high-flying junior made the most of his opportunities — turning 28 receptions into 658 yards and nine touchdowns. WR — Jayshon Platt (Venice junior) Platt was likely ready for a breakout role as a sophomore, but two Division-I pass catchers in Malachi Wideman and Weston Wolff made opportunities hard to come by. This year, however, Platt had a chance to show what he could do heading a five-pronged attack. The junior had 54 rec. for 693 yards and six touchdowns and also returned punts — bringing one back 61 yards for a touchdown. TE — Weston Wolff (Venice senior) Few area players have evolved like Wolff has over the years. From an undersized sophomore who had 70 catches, Wolff has transformed himself into a Division-I bound tight end. Along with tough blocking, the senior also contributed 44 catches for 570 yards and nine touchdowns. OL — Ethan Mort (Venice senior) A 6-foot-6, 275-pound left tackle, Mort helped keep Venice quarterback Colin Blazek upright on his way to a re- cord-breaking season for Venice High. The three-star athlete will go on to play at UCF next fall. OL — Abel Marquez Jr. (Port Charlotte senior) The Pirates' dynamic passing attack in 2020 likely wouldn't have been as successful without Marquez Jr. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound tackle bought Port Charlotte quarterback Logan Rogers plenty of time to operate. His success at the position earned him a handful of offers, and he is currently committed to play for Army next year. OL — Everett Baker (Lemon Bay junior) Lemon Bay's explosive offense wouldn't have been possible without a strong offensive line. Baker was a key piece of the puzzle, using his 6-foot-3, 265-pound frame to block for an offense that averaged 36.1 points per game. OL — Biaggio Frattarelli (Charlotte junior) A versatile player who can play any position on the offensive line, Frattarelli was especially valuable to the Tarpons this season. He became the team's center out of necessity late in the season and helped quarterback John Busha run for over 1,000 yards. OL — Michael Raney (Venice junior) Playing alongside Mort, Raney helped fortify a Venice offensive line that paved the way for over 2,000 rush- ing yards and 43 rushing touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 285-pound junior is set to return as one of the Indians' top blockers in 2021. ATH — Steffan Johnson (Venice senior) Johnson was involved in every facet of the game for Venice. He played quar- terback — completing 2-of-4 passes for 63 yards and a touchdown, rushing 64 times for 395 yards and eight touch- downs. He played wide receiver — with 31 receptions for 350 yards and three touchdowns. He played cornerback — recording 15 tackles, defending three passes and recovering a fumble. And he also blocked on special teams and returned a couple of kicks — one for 50 yards. DT — Trenton Kintigh (Venice sophomore) Kintigh took advantage of his first full year at the varsity level — stepping up to instantly become one of Venice's best defensive players. He finished tied for second on the team with 101 tackles and two sacks. DE — Cael Newton (Charlotte sophomore) One of the Tarpons' top tacklers as just a sophomore, Newton led the team Player of the year QB Colin Blazek (Venice senior) Blazek moved to the area just before the season started and it didn't take him long to take control of the Indians' offense. Despite never starting a varsity game, Blazek looked like a polished veteran in the pocket — passing for 2,646 yards and throwing for 27 touchdowns to 10 interceptions across 13 games. He set two single-game passing records for Venice, passing 61 times against St. Thomas Aquinas and throwing for 389 yards in a win over Lakeland. He also threw for the third-most passing yards and second-most passing touchdowns in school history. "Colin had one of the best years in Venice High School history as a quarterback," Indians coach John Peacock said. "No stage was too big for him and he always rose to the occasion." BLAZEK SEE FOOTBALL, 16 By VINNIE PORTELL SPORTS WRITER A t first, no one was sure if there would even be any high school football this year. Then, it was delayed indefinitely. Then shortened, and back on schedule. There were new protocols, less fans and rescheduling that made for some interesting pairings. In the end, two area teams — North Port and DeSoto County — had too few numbers to continue on into the postsea- son, but those left standing shined. Charlotte had a season to remember under first-year coach Wade Taylor. The Tarpons went 7-3, winning several key games over area teams like Braden River, Lehigh and Port Charlotte. Quarterback John Busha ran for over 1,000 yards as he or- chestrated an offense that put up 51 points in a first-round playoff rout of East Lee County before exiting in a loss to Palmetto Ridge. Lemon Bay, which won the final three games of the 2019 season to finish 3-7 and sneak in the playoffs, was a no-doubt playoff contender this year. The Mantas excelled on both sides of the ball, going 8-2 and making it to the regional semifinal round. Henry Schouten, who played in all three phases of the game for Lemon Bay, led a Mantas defense that allowed teams to score over 10 points just three times. His perfor- mance has made him a Sun Preps Player of the Year Finalist. Coach Don Southwell, who has been instrumental in the Mantas' turnaround, is the Sun Preps Coach of the Year. Venice didn't win a regional championship for the first time in five years, but only because St. Thomas Aquinas stood in the way. The Indians finished 10-4, ranked No. 24 in FL by MaxPreps. This was possible in large part due to an offense that averaged 39 points per game behind the arm of senior quarterback Colin Blazek, a Sun Preps Player of the Year finalist. Port Charlotte played one of the area's more difficult schedules and had an up-and- down season beginning with a blowout win over Hardee and ending in a 21-point loss to Palmetto Ridge in a first-round playoff game. Solomon Luther, who scored 14 touchdowns and broke up several passes on defense, is a Sun Preps Player of the Year Finalist. Here's how the rest of the area looked this year: