Prep football: Trent Miller to be a preferred walk-on at USF

(photo by Paul Videla)

Trent Miller said he is headed to USF as a preferred walk-on.

"I'm real excited," Miller said Tuesday night from Buffalo, N.Y.

Miller visited Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y., and while he loved it - "Just a beautiful campus," he said - the Bulls were his choice.

"I couldn't pass up USF," he said.

Miller moved to Florida from Buffalo after working under Chris Weinke at the IMG Football Academy. Miller's mother moved back up to Buffalo earlier this year and he was going to stay down here, but that plan change when his mother got sick, and Trent moved back up to help take care of her while his dad worked in New York City.

Miller made the most of his lone year in Florida, passing for 2,449 yards and 30 touchdowns in helping the Tigers reach the Class 5A state final four.

Prep football: Two more Hurricanes to sign Wednesday

Manatee will have seven players signing during Wednesday's National Signing Day in the Davis Building.

Coach Joe Kinnan said wide receiver Ryan Taylor and running back Antonio Agurs will sign with Ferris State University, a Division II school in Michigan.

They will join running back Leon Allen (Western Kentucky), linebacker Hershel Caywood (Brown), defensive back Clinton Heaven (North Carolina) and linebacker Darius White (Iowa State) during Wednesday's 9 a.m. ceremony in the Davis Building.

Manatee won the Class 7A state title this year, its fifth overall and first since 1992.

Prep football: Palmetto's Dallas Jackson to sign with Jacksonville

Palmetto defensive back Dallas Jackson will sign with Jacksonville University, a FCS (formerly Division I-AA) school during Wednesday's National Signing Day.

Jackson had 42 solo tackles (55 total) and a team-best seven interceptions this year in helping the Tigers reach the Class 5A state final four.

Joining Jackson on Wednesday will be linebacker Daqual Randall (Western Kentucky), offensive linemen Kevin O'Brien (preferred walk-on at FAU) and Trai Sanders (preferred walk-on at USF), and tight end Kevin Healy (Massachusettes Martitime Academy).

Palmetto's signing ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday in the school's auditorium.

Prep football: Manatee's award winners

Manatee's football team handed out its team awards during Monday night's banquet.

The winners are:

Booster President’s Character Award.......... Chase Sandberg
Charles Brown, Sr. 110% Effort Award......... Blake Keller
12th Man Award ................................................ Kelvin Carter
Big Play Award Offense.................................. Anthony Lauro
Big Play Award Defense................................. Rhoshaun Goff
Most Improved - Defense................................ Willie Smith
Most Improved - Offense................................. Jakob Sperko
Comeback Player............................................. Brent Yancy
Hammer Award................................................. Clint Heaven
Ironman Award................................................. Marquis Dawsey
Coaches’ Award - Offense.............................. Garrett Waiters
Coaches’ Award - Defense............................. Hershel Caywood
Outstanding Special Teams Player............... Nicolas Tankersley
Outstanding Offensive Back.......................... Leon Allen
Outstanding Defensive Back......................... Jalen Holmes
Outstanding Receiver...................................... Ryan Taylor
Outstanding Offensive Lineman................... Thor Miller
Outstanding Defensive Lineman.................. Derrick Calloway

Most Valuable Player - Offense..................... Cord Sandberg
Most Valuable Player - Defense.................... Darius White

Allen (Western Kentucky), Caywood (Brown), Heaven (North Carolina) and White (Iowa State) will sign letters of intent Wednesday during National Signing Day.

The ceremony is scheduled for 9 a.m. in the Davis Building.

Prep soccer: Boys regional pairings

(photo by Paul Videla)

Braden River's Fabio Vasconcellos, left, and Manatee goalie Jonathan Hernandez are back in action Tuesday when the regional quarterfinals get underway.

Hernandez's Hurricanes beat Vasconcellos' Pirates during last week's Class 4A-District 11 final and will be at home, while Braden River is on the road.

Listed below are the local pairings. All games start at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Winners of each game advance to Friday's regional semifinals.

CLASS 4A-REGION 3

Naples Barron Collier at Manatee

Braden River at Naples Gulf Coast

CLASS 3A-REGION 3

Tampa Leto at Palmetto

CLASS 1A-REGION 2

Tampa Prep at Saint Stephen's, 3:30 p.m.

Out-of-Door Academy at Largo Indian Rocks Christian

Prep wrestling: Manatee claims county crown

Manatee went 4-0 during Thursday's county wrestling championships at Lakewood Ranch, giving the Hurricanes their 15th title in 16 years.

Palmetto, Lakewood Ranch and Southeast went 2-2, and Braden River was 0-4.

Bayshore did not participate.

Listed below are the county champions for each weight class.

106 pounds - Mike Anolfo, Lakewood Ranch

113 - Evan Dipsiner, Lakewood Ranch

120 - Anthony Viscomi, Palmetto

126 - Dakota Dawsey, Manatee

132 - Blake Riley-Hawkins, Lakewood Ranch

138 - Jesse Fulk, Manatee

145 - Wesley McMullen, Manatee

152 - Brett Barber, Manatee

160 - Tyler Williford, Palmetto

170 - Kevin Healy, Palmetto

182 - Kevin Garza, Lakewood Ranch

195 - Stacy Williams, Palmetto

220 - Kane Takacs, Southeast

285 - Jake Stickler, Manatee

Most Outstanding Wrestler - Jesse Fulk, 138, Manatee

Prep soccer: Boys district finals pairings

(photo by Paul Videla)

Manatee's Valentin Garcia, right, and the Hurricanes are one of five area boys soccer teams playing for district championships Friday night.

Listed below are the matchups.. Both finalists advance to the regional tournament, which gets underway Tuesday, with the champion hosting and the runner-up hitting the road.

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 11

Manatee at Braden River, 7 p.m.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 10

Dunedin at Palmetto, 7 p.m.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 8 AT OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY

Saint Stephen's vs. Out-of-Door Academy, 7 p.m.