First Coast Varsity Weekly: Ed White DB Davaughn Patterson commits to Wake Forest football
Davaughn Patterson is the latest defensive back from White to solidify his plans for college football.
The junior safety committed Monday evening to play college football at Wake Forest, becoming the Commanders' second Division I-bound player at the position in the past year. Last December, the Commanders' Christian Ellis signed with New Mexico.
Like Ellis, Patterson played on both sides of the ball for White last year, lining up at running back and safety. He carried 48 times for 351 yards and six touchdowns, and recorded 88 tackles, seven for loss, with three interceptions and three forced fumbles in an All-Gateway Conference season.
Listed at 6 feet and 200 pounds, Patterson had received more than a dozen offers before choosing Wake.
He becomes the second Jacksonville-area recruit to commit for 2023 to the Demon Deacons, following Brunswick defensive tackle Ka'Shawn Thomas.
Wake Forest continues to remain among the most active out-of-state programs recruiting the First Coast. Last year, Wake signed Riverside's Super 11 guard Derrell Johnson, while the previous Demon Deacons recruiting class included Bartram Trail quarterback Santino Marucci.
Super 11 through the years: All-time selections for Northeast Florida
Magic night for Toros' McCool
With four big hits and an amazing eight, Tatum McCool made Tocoi Creek's first-ever district softball playoff a record-breaker that could stand for a long, long time.
The junior outfielder smashed the softball again and again during Monday night's 11-6 Florida High School Athletic Association District 4-4A opening-round victory against Lake Weir.
The final tally: a home run, a double and two triples, four extra-base hits in all, accounting for eight runs batted in.
Although the Toros finished their inaugural regular season at 3-16, McCool has excelled as a St. Johns County star, batting .484 for the season with 11 doubles, three home runs, 22 RBI and a 1.452 OPS.
As it turned out, she wasn't the only player to whack four extra base hits on the night in district softball. Episcopal sophomore Grace Jones hit three doubles and a triple, with three RBI, in the Eagles' 9-2 victory over Bolles.
Breaking down the bracket: Inside Jacksonville high school softball district tournaments
Breaking down the bracket: Inside Jacksonville high school baseball district tournaments
Sabino, Payne, Davis win All-State
Orange Park's Josiah Sabino won first-team honors statewide in Class 5A for the annual All-State boys basketball teams, selected by the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches and Source Hoops.
Sabino, signed with Jacksonville University, averaged 20.8 points and 6.4 rebounds for the district champion Raiders.
The season isn't finished for Sabino, among Northeast Florida's track and field contenders in the triple jump.
Jackson center Stephon Payne, the power on the inside for the Tigers, won a first-team selection in Class 4A after leading the team to a fourth consecutive FHSAA final four. The Incarnate Word signee averaged nearly a double-double (10.3 points, 9.0 rebounds) in a lineup that often went more than 10 players deep.
Meanwhile, in Starke, Bradford's Shayne Davis received first-team recognition in Class 1A following the Tornadoes' breakthrough state championship.
In Class 6A, Ponte Vedra forward Ross Candelino was selected to the second team after leading the Sharks to their first-ever state final, while Ahman Greenidge of Fleming Island also won a second-team spot and Lajae Jones of Fletcher made the third team.
Junior forward Dominick Scott of Riverside won a second-team pick in Class 5A, and Providence senior Raheem Taplin made the third team in Class 3A in the Stallions' run to the regional finals.
In Class 2A, NFEI's 44-point state semifinal scorer Issac Tevarus earned a spot on the second team, and St. Joseph's Mason Sword made the third team.
All-First Coast: Year of ups, downs and surprises in Northeast Florida boys basketball
Mr. Basketball Adams on the move
Two years after becoming Jacksonville's second winner of the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Basketball award, former Paxon forward Isaiah Adams is transferring from UCF.
Adams announced last week that he is planning to transfer to Buffalo. Numerous schools were in the running to sign him through the transfer portal.
In 2020-21 at UCF, Adams earned a spot on the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman team, averaging 9.9 points and 3.9 rebounds. After showing interest in an early entry to the NBA Draft, Adams returned to UCF and recorded averages of 4.1 points and 2.2 assists this season.
Hoops season: Jacksonville-area players in 2021-2022 NCAA men's college basketball
Weekly trivia challenge
It's time for the latest edition of the First Coast Varsity Weekly trivia section, a look back through the history of high school sports all around the area.
This week's topic: First Coast First-Rounders. Answers will appear in next week's First Coast Varsity Weekly.
1. Of all the first-round NFL Draft picks in Northeast Florida history, which one ended up playing the most career NFL games?
2. Who is the most recent Northeast Florida player from Florida State to be selected in the NFL Draft's first round?
3. What is the only out-of-state college to produce more than two first-round NFL Draft picks from Northeast Florida?
Answers to last week's questions
1. Catcher Tony Richie of Bishop Kenny was Northeast Florida's most recent Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Baseball winner, in 2000.
2. Pitcher Erin Schuppert of Fletcher was Northeast Florida's most recent Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Softball winner, in 2009.
3. Caitlin Collier of Bolles was Northeast Florida's most recent Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Track winner, in 2018.
Around the area
Baldwin celebrated college signings Wednesday for Armale Dubose (Shorter, football), Jordan Rhoden (Olivet Nazarene, baseball), Kayla Robinson (Mississippi Valley State, softball) and Larry Worth (Jacksonville State, football). ... Mandarin defensive lineman Daron Dukes committed to Pikeville football. ... Bartram Trail junior fullback Anna Bachman committed to Mercer women's soccer. ... Trinity Christian's Noah Hewitt committed to Trinity Baptist men's soccer. ... Trinity Christian's Ally Carter signed with Middle Georgia State volleyball. ... Fleming Island guards Avery Cannon and Alyssa Pearson signed with FSCJ women's basketball. ... Bishop Kenny athletes set four school records in the District 4-2A track meet: Robert Porkert's 155 feet in the boys javelin, Gabby Johnson's 25.03 in the girls 200-meter dash and the girls 4x100 and 4x400 relays. ... Trinity Christian's Mikayla Johnson set a school record of 53.06 in the girls 300 hurdles. ... Ponte Vedra's Tom Stanton won his 200th game as Sharks baseball coach in Monday night's 8-4 victory against Atlantic Coast. ... Lemon Bay's Lance Schyck won the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Wrestling award, and Tom McMath of Jensen Beach was named boys wrestling coach of the year. ... Orlando Freedom's Kailey Rees was named the first Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Wrestling, and Orlando Freedom's Mikel Bush won girls wrestling coach of the year. ... The FHSAA reported one opening for a female private-school or charter-school student for its Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for the 2022-23 school year in Section 1, which includes Northeast Florida. The application process remains open through Aug. 25.
Clayton Freeman covers high school sports and more for the Florida Times-Union. Follow him on Twitter at @CFreemanJAX.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: First Coast Varsity Weekly: Davaughn Patterson picks Wake Forest football
