Vote Now: Who should be SBLive’s Central Florida Defensive Player of the Week (Sept. 28-30)
Defensive players made the stops and then some last week across Central Florida.
Athletes from seven counties turned in strong performances during Week 6 games. We looked at teams from Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, Volusia, Brevard, and Indian River counties and nominated 19 athletes for this week’s SBLive Central Florida Defensive Football Player of the Week from Sept. 28-30.
We ask you, the fan, to decide who should be the top player selected. Voting will conclude on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced in next week’s poll.
Congratulations to last week’s winner: SBLive congratulates Bishop Moore Catholic CB/FS Cristian McElwee for winning the Central Florida Defensive Player of the Week for Sept. 21-23.
Editor’s note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. The poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other player that may not be mentioned in our poll.
Here are this week's nominations:
Ethan Pritchard, LB, Seminole (Sanford): Junior made 10 tackles, three solo, to help the Seminoles (5-1) beat Apopka, 21-3, in a key Class 4 Metro, District 2 game.
Jabari Smith, FS/CB, Wekiva: Athletic junior made two interceptions for the Mustangs in a close 29-22 Class 3M-3 loss to Edgewater.
Eli Straker, MLB, Lake Mary: Junior was all over the field, making 10 tackles, four solo, in leading the unbeaten Rams (5-0) past Jacksonville Mandarin, 34-16.
Brandon Dumezil, DT, Olympia (Orlando): Senior made two big interceptions to lead the Titans to a 61-7 rout of Windermere in a Class 4M-5 game.
Larry Miles, WR/ATH, West Orange (Winter Garden): Returned a punt 45 yards for a TD to lead the Warriors past Ocoee, 26-14, in a Class 4M-5 contest.
Ayden Pouncey, FS/CB, Winter Park: Sophomore made a key interception to help the unbeaten Wildcats (5-0) edge Hagerty, 14-0, in a key Class 4M-3 game.
Anthony White, DE/RB, Hagerty (Oviedo): Junior had a stellar game with 12 tackles, five solo, and one sack in a narrow loss to Winter Park.
Josh Demosthenes, DB, Orlando Christian Prep: Senior made two interceptions, including a pick-6, to lead the unbeaten Warriors (6-0) past The First Academy (Orlando), 44-24, and win the Class 1M-2 championship.
Bryson Blanford, FS/OLB, Oviedo: Senior turned in a solid effort with six tackles, two for loss, and a pick-6 to lead the Lions past East River (Orlando), 55-7, in a Class 3M-2 game.
Izayia Williams, OLB, Leesburg: Super sophomore made seven tackles, including two tackles for loss, to lead the Yellow Jackets past Tavares, 55-7, in a Class 3S-5 game.
Ramone McCollough, DE, Mainland (Daytona Beach): Stellar senior lineman (6-foot-3, 260 pounds) recorded 10 tackles, including four for loss, and a fumble recovery to lead the unbeaten Buccaneers to a 45-0 victory against Pine Ridge (Deltona) in a 3S-9 game.
Louis Figueroa, LB, Tohopekaliga (Kissimmee): Super sophomore had a terrific game with 13 tackles, five solo, four tackles for loss, and two sacks in a 42-0 Class 4S-10 victory against Celebration.
David Bozeman, MLB/RB, Lyman (Longwood): Junior turned in a stellar performance with five tackles, four solo, two tackles for loss and two interceptions in a 40-0 Class 3M-2 victory against Winter Springs.
Emmanuel Small, ATH, Eau Gallie (Melbourne): The stellar junior athlete, who has an offer from Miami, had a strong night with 12 tackles, six solo, two tackles for loss, and two sacks in a 12-11 Class 3S-10 victory against Merritt Island.
Samadrae Hawkins, MLB, Cocoa: The super senior turned in yet another superb performance, recording 12 tackles, eight solo, two tackles for loss, to lead the defending Class 2S state champ Tigers to a 38-0 blowout of Class 4S Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie).
Wyatt Votava, DB/WR, Melbourne: Junior turned in a spectacular effort in a 14-0 Class 4S-1 victory against Harmony, recording 14 tackles, 12 solo, one tackle for loss, and one sack, and also had 100 yards in kickoff and punt returns.
Jeremy Pittman, RB/LB, Palm Bay: Had a 15-yard scoop-and-score and a 53-yard TD run to lead the Pirates past Astronaut (Titusville), 49-13, in a Class 2S-12 game.
Aidan Vite, MLB, Titusville: Senior made six tackles, one solo, one tackle for loss, and one sack to lead the Terriers to a 62-0 victory against Space Coast (Cocoa).
Jamarcus Giscombe, WR/FS, Rockledge: Freshman had a superb game with a 38-yard pick-6 and a TD catch in a close 19-13 overtime loss to longtime state power Jacksonville Trinity Christian.
