Vote: Who should be SBLive’s Central Florida Offensive Player of the Week (11/6/2023)?
Central Florida players took it to the house and then some on the final Friday of the regular season.
Athletes from seven counties turned in head-turning performances during Week 11 games. We looked at teams from Orange, Osceola, Lake, Seminole, Volusia, Brevard, and Indian River counties and nominated 27 athletes for this week’s SBLive Central Florida Offensive Football Player of the Week from Nov. 2-4.
We ask you, the fan, to decide who should be the top player selected. Voting will conclude on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be announced in next week’s poll.
Congratulations to last week’s winner: SBLive congratulates Seminole RB Trey Clark for winning the Central Florida Offensive Player of the Week for Oct. 26-28, 2023.
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 nominees:
AJ Howard, WR, Edgewater (Orlando): Prolific senior wide receiver caught seven passes for a whopping 141 yards and two touchdowns to lead the unbeaten Eagles (10-0) past rival Boone, 42-14, in the “Battle for the Spirit Battle.” Edgewater is seeded first in its region for the Class 3 Metro playoffs.
Caden Harshbarger, WR, Lake Mary: Fleet-footed senior caught four passes for 102 yards and three TDs to lead the Rams (9-1) past previously unbeaten and defending Class 3 Suburban state runner-up Mainland (Daytona Beach), 31-0. The Rams are seeded No. 1 in their region for the Class 4M playoffs.
Dereon Coleman, QB, Jones (Orlando): Sophomore dual-threat ran for a 15-yard TD and threw a 20-yard TD pass to lead the Tigers past Dr. Phillips (Orlando), 37-10.
Juan Gainous, QB, Olympia (Orlando): Senior threw TD passes to three different players to lead the Titans past South Lake (Groveland), 28-0.
Kevens Charles, RB, South Lake (Groveland): Star senior ran for 59 yards to pass 1,000 rushing yards for the season in a loss to Olympia (Orlando).
Dane Thompkins, RB, Lake Minneola: Powerful junior (5-foot-9, 180 pounds) ran 38 times for 202 yards and five TDs to lead the Class 4S playoff-bound Hawks (7-3) past Lake Gibson (Lakeland), 43-36.
Chris Peterson, QB, Evans (Orlando): Star dual-threat ran 10 times for 94 yards and three TDs and completed 6 of 9 passes for 114 yards and one TD to lead the Class 4M playoff-bound Trojans past Lake Nona (Orlando), 28-14.
Lashawn Williams, WR/CB, Eustis: Senior turned in another stellar effort with nine receptions for 62 yards and three TDs, six rushes for 52 yards, and a 97-yard kickoff return for a TD in a wild 32-28 victory against Merritt Island.
Nathan Jenkins III, RB, Apopka: Senior ran for two second-half TDs, including the game-winner from 27 yards in the fourth quarter, to lead the Blue Darters past rival Wekiva (Apopka), 29-28, and win the Mayor’s Cup.
Ty’Ray Davis, QB, Wekiva (Apopka): Threw two TD passes and ran for another score in a loss to the Blue Darters.
Jackson LaTour, QB, Oviedo: Senior completed 21 of 29 passes for 304 yards and four TDs to lead the Class 3M playoff-bound Lions (8-2) past crosstown rival Hagerty, 48-14, and win the Mayor’s Cup.
Bjorn Jurgensen, QB, Bishop Moore (Orlando): Talented junior completed 11 of 13 passes for 220 yards and five TDs, and rushed two times for 42 yards to lead the Class 2M playoff-bound Hornets (7-3) past Kathleen (Lakeland), 49-14.
Isaiah Baker, WR, University High (Orange City): Junior caught three passes for 110 yards and two TDs to help the Class 4S Titans (9-1) shut out Deltona, 41-0.
TJ Moore, QB, DeLand: Athletic senior check ran for 91 yards and a TD and passed for 120 yards and two more scores to lead the Class 4S playoff-bound Bulldogs past Flagler Palm Coast, 58-23.
Kwasie Kwaku, RB, Atlantic (Port Orange): Talented junior scored three TDs to lead the Class 2S playoff-bound Sharks past Pine Ridge (Deltona), 55-13.
Josiah Smith, SB/OLB/MLB, Taylor (Pierson): Senior ran for TDs of 46 and 33 yards to lead the Wildcats past Father Lopez (Daytona Beach), 28-24.
Jacob Lohman, QB, Father Lopez (Daytona Beach): Threw three TD passes for the Green Wave in a loss to Taylor (Pierson).
Akeevin Anderson, OLB/RB/KR, Orlando Christian Prep: Star sophomore ran five times for 50 yards and two TDs, and caught four passes for 97 yards and a score to lead the Class 1M playoff-bound Warriors past Northside Christian (St. Petersburg), 35-16.
Jake Sepe, QB, Mount Dora: Junior signal-caller completed 14 of 19 passes for 206 yards and one TD, and ran for 16 yards to lead the Hurricanes past Lake Howell (Winter Park), 28-24.
Brady Hart, QB, Cocoa: Sophomore completed 18 of 30 passes for 200 yards and three TDs to lead the defending Class 2S state champ Tigers past rival Rockledge, 26-0, in the Barbecue Bowl.
Bradyn Cook, RB, Palm Bay (Melbourne): Ran for three TDs to lead the Pirates past Satellite (Beach), 35-21. The Pirates (7-3) gave coach Dan Burke his 250th career win, the most by a high school football coach in Brevard County.
Tayshawn Benson, RB, Heritage (Palm Bay): Ran for two TDs to lead the Class 4S playoff-bound Panthers past rival Bayside (Palm Bay), 47-7.
Mari Crooms, QB, Eau Gallie (Melbourne): Talented junior passed for 129 yards and three TDs to lead the Class 3S playoff-bound Commodores past rival Melbourne, 50-0.
Jamarion Stephens, RB, Titusville: Athletic junior rushed 12 times for 107 yards and one TD to lead the Class 2S playoff-bound Terriers (9-1) past Viera, 35-28.
Genesis Grimstead, CB/WR, Merritt Island Christian: Senior scored on a 15-yard TD run, a 66-yard TD catch and a two-point conversion run to lead the Cougars past Countryside Christian (Gainesville), 24-22, in a Sunshine State Athletic Association playoff game.
Buddha James, RB/OLB, Sebastian River: Junior ran 17 times for 139 yards and a TD to lead the Sharks (6-4) past Paxon School for Advanced Studies (Jacksonville), 15-14, and win the Sunshine State Athletic Association Atlantic championship.
Joseph Goho, DE/ATH, Winter Park: Senior ran 13 times for 219 yards and four TDs in a 47-24 win against Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs).
