High school notebook: Bradford's Manny Covey commits to Cincinnati
Bradford rising senior running back Manny Covey announced his commitment Monday to Cincinnati football, the latest in a growing line of Northeast Florida players to select the Bearcats.
At 5-11, 175 pounds, Covey is a three-star prospect in the 247Sports composite, which ranks him as a top-60 running back nationwide for the 2023 class.
In his first season with the Tornadoes, he excelled in a versatile role, gaining 558 yards as a rusher, 399 as a receiver and 126 as a kickoff returner and scoring 10 touchdowns in all. He averaged 5.5 yards per carry and 14.8 per reception.
Covey also gained 810 yards rushing in his sophomore season while at Union County in 2020.
He's the fourth area player to commit to Cincinnati football within the last two years, following Fletcher running back Myles Montgomery, Raines wide receiver Quincy Burroughs and Columbia wide receiver Marcus Peterson.
Covey is among a half-dozen recruits to commit to the Bearcats within the past week, vaulting Cincinnati to sixth in the early 247Sports composite rankings for the 2023 class.
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Clay's Lee selects Cavaliers
Clay cornerback Jarvis Lee is heading to the ACC.
Lee committed Sunday to Virginia football, following a strong regular season and an excellent Green Cove Springs spring.
Listed at 5-11 and 173 pounds, Lee is ranked as a three-star recruit and a top-75 national prospect at corner. His other offers had included the likes of Iowa State, Washington State, Missouri and Pittsburgh.
Lee has recorded three interceptions in each of his last two seasons entering his senior campaign, and also owns a pair of touchdowns in the return game. In addition to his football career, he has also played basketball for Clay.
Keystone's Moncrief named top scholar-athlete
On top of his success in four sports, Keystone Heights senior Caleb Moncrief is officially a shining star off the field.
Moncrief received the Florida High School Athletic Association's Ronald N. Davis Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for boys during Monday's banquet in Gainesville.
Ranked first in his class and student government president at Keystone, he competed in football, basketball, weightlifting and track.
He helped Keystone to a pair of state championships in boys weightlifting, won district track titles in the discus and shot put and also contributed to the team's playoff campaign in football.
The award includes a college scholarship worth $4,600, in addition to the $1,700 in scholarship money that comes with selection to the Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State team.
Moncrief, a Phi Theta Kappa College Honor Society inductee and a member of the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, plans to study biomedical engineering beginning in the fall at the University of Florida.
Hannah Squier of Hobe Sound Pine School received the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for girls.
Around the area
Old Plank Christian Academy won both baseball and softball championships in the Southeastern Christian Conference, which includes independent programs across both Florida and Georgia. Defenders baseball won its title by defeating Valdosta (Ga.) Open Bible Christian 10-5, while softball overcame Corinth Christian Academy of Jasper 13-6 to follow the school's earlier SECC championship in volleyball. ... Mandarin senior sprinter Terren Peterson, the Class 4A champion in the girls 400-meter dash, signed Saturday with South Florida women's track and field. ... Raines seniors Rashaad Hall and Reshawn Latimer both signed with Florida A&M men's track and field. ... White's Destiny Whitmore committed to Warner flag football. ... Ponte Vedra rising senior defender Olivia Bestic committed to Davidson women's soccer. ... Beachside named its inaugural soccer coaches: Ron Messick moved from Menendez boys soccer to assume the Barracudas' girls soccer job, and Mark Forrester was hired for the boys soccer job. ... Fleming Island named Laura Anderson as its next coach of girls basketball. ... Former Sandalwood defensive lineman DeAnte McCray committed to Western Kentucky football, after initially committing to Navy in December. ... Bolles' Emily Rohan hit a two-run double to lead the North offense against the South in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Classic for softball. ... Bartram Trail infielder Justin Nadeau was named MVP of the North team at the FACA baseball All-Star Classic. ... Clay named former Orange Park head coach and Fleming Island defensive coordinator Craig Nosse as the Blue Devils' new football defensive coordinator. ... Monday's list of Northeast Florida's 2021-22 state champions inadvertently omitted one of this year's FHSAA champions: St. Johns Country Day's Addison Frisbee, Class 1A girls weightlifting champion in the snatch at 129 pounds.
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: High school notebook: Bradford's Manny Covey commits to Cincinnati
