Vote: South Florida high school football Player of the Week (11/20/23)?
The high school football playoffs are bringing out the best in players and teams.
South Florida has no shortage of either. The area has state championship-caliber clubs, as well as standout players on both sides of the ball.
SBLive Sports Florida continues to recognize deserving players in our weekly polls.
All season we’ve run two polls each week, honoring top offensive and defensive players. But now that we’re three weeks into the postseason and the number of teams has dwindled, we’ve called our own audible. We’re having one, all-inclusive, Player of the Week poll.
Vote now for the South Florida Player of the Week. Voting concludes Saturday, November 25th at 11:59 p.m.
Reminder, you can vote as often as you’d like. Spread the word!
Congratulations to last week's winners: Khamani Alexander of Miami Belen Jesuit (Offense) and Willis McGahee IV of Columbus (Defense)
Here are this week's nominee:
Patrick Anderson Jr., RB, Cardinal Gibbons: The Chiefs took care of business, 34-9, against Calvary Christian Academy. Anderson has been a big playmaker all year, and he was again this week -- rushing 14 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Gibbons moves on to face American Heritage in Class 2M.
Dia Bell, QB, American Heritage: Just a sophomore, Bell has offers from Florida, Miami and Penn State, as well as others. The list should keep growing. In Heritage’s 49-7 win over King’s Academy, Bell threw for 303 yards (12-for-13) with three touchdowns, and he ran for two more.
Allen Bryant, DB, St. Thomas Aquinas: Since losing the first game of the season, 20-7, to St. John Bosco, St. Thomas Aquinas (11-1) has steadily improved. The Raiders are dominating right now, crushing Blanche Ely, 40-0. We can nominate so many players from this game. This week, we are recognizing Bryant for his interception deep in St. Thomas’ own territory as Ely was driving and trailing just 10-0 in the second quarter. Coconut Creek is next in Class 3M.
Santana Harrison, LB, Monarch: In the Class 4M-Region 3 semifinals, Harrison had 13 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in Monarch’s 50-27 win against Lantana Santaluces. Monarch next faces Palm Beach Central.
Koby Howard, WR/RB, Western: A threat either receiving or rushing, Howard had 137 all-purpose yards (57 rushing, 80 receiving) and he scored two touchdowns in Western’s 19-9 win over Palmetto.
Ezekiel “EJ” Marcelin, LB, Miami Central: As good a linebacker as it gets in South Florida (and probably the state), Marcelin had 14 tackles, including four for losses in Central’s 35-13 win over Booker T. Washington.
Denzel Johnson, LB, Chaminade-Madonna: The Lions blanked Avant Garde Academy, 67-0, running their streak to four straight shutouts. The whole team could be up for individual awards, but we’re singling out Johnson for his 10 tackles.
LaWayne McCoy, WR/CB, Miami Central: Gamer is a word that comes to mind when discussing McCoy, a senior leader who stands out at receiver and in the defensive backfield. The Florida State commit caught two touchdown passes and had an interception in Central’s convincing win.
Willis McGahee IV, LB, Columbus: The bigger the game, the bigger the performance for the Nebraska commit. McGahee had five sacks and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the Explorers’ 34-20 win against South Dade.
Eric Nelson, WR, Miramar: The Patriots advanced to the Class 3M-Region 4 finals with a decisive 31-7 win over Miami Belen Jesuit. Nelson, committed to Florida International University, had a huge game, with 230 receiving yards and he had touchdown catches of 34 and 85 yards.
Zyon Pressley, DB, Western: Defense was the story of the night when Western upended Palmetto, 19-9, in the Class 4M-Region 4 semifinals. Zyon Pressley had an interception that he returned to the Palmetto 23-yard line, setting up a Koby Howard 7-yard touchdown run. The Wildcats next face defending state champion Columbus in the region finals.
Omar Thornton, LB, American Heritage: Thornton has been a standout all season for the Patriots, and the linebacker stepped up with 12 tackles and two sacks in a 42-7 rout of Kings Academy (West Palm Beach).
Joshua Townsend, QB, Homestead: Townsend accounted for four touchdowns – two rushing and two passing in Homestead’s thrilling 35-33 win against Miami Southridge. The senior was 10-for-17 passing for 187 yards, and the Broncos are moving on in Class 3M to face Miramar.
Ennio Yapoor, QB, Miami Norland: It’s hard to find a better all-around player than Yapoor, who has made a strong case to being the top quarterback in Miami-Dade County. The junior threw for 428 yards and four touchdowns, and added 69 yards rushing, including a touchdown, in Norland’s 52-27 win against Monsignor Pace. Norland next faces Central in the Class 2M-Region 4 finals.
