Vote: Who should be SBLive's North Central Florida high school football defensive player of the week (9/26/2023)?
High school football is back in the Sunshine State and so begins our Player of the Week polls for areas all around the state. Teams started off the regular season with some great individual performances in Week 5.
As such, we have eight athletes nominated this week for the SBLive’s North Central Florida high school football defensive player of the week award from September 21-22 and we ask you, the fans, to help decide who should indeed be the top athlete selected. Voting will conclude on Saturday, September 30 at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced in next week's poll.
Here are this week's nominations.
Skyler Forella, LB, Ocala Christian: The linebacker made a team-high 19 tackles and a sack in the team’s 38-26 win over Florida School of the Deaf and Blind.
Ethan Thomas, LB, Santa Fe: Thomas had a strong game despite the Raiders falling 49-21 to Gainesville, making six tackles and four went for a loss.
Earick Williams III, LB, Hawthorne: Williams was in the backfield plenty in Hawthorne’s 50-2 win over P.K. Yonge as the linebacker totaled six tackles, threw for loss and two sacks.
Luke Phillips, DL, The Villages: The defensive lineman made some plays in the Buffaloes 55-14 loss to Leesburg, making five tackles and three going for a loss.
Jacob Jenkins, DL, Union County: Jenkins racked up seven tackles, four going for a loss and two sacks in the Fightin’ Tigers’ 22-21 loss to Orlando Christian Prep.
Elian Godin, DB, Forest: The strong safety was all over the field in a 49-20 loss to Dunnellon, as Godin made a game-high 17 tackles.
Chris Henry, DB, Dunnellon: Henry was a part of the stout defensive effort for the Tigers as the cornerback had a couple of tackles and an interception.
Wyatt Hester, LB, Newberry: The middle linebacker made sure Newberry held on to the shutout effort in a 34-0 win over Chiefland. Hester had a team-high 11 tackles, two for loss and a sack.
-- Andy Villamarzo | villamarzo@scorebooklive.com | @sblivefl
