Recruiting update: Bolles, Fleming Island, Mandarin athletes announce college commitments
Mustangs' Shack commits to Liberty
Mandarin wide receiver Jeremiah Shack confirmed his college destination over the weekend, announcing his commitment Saturday to Liberty.
The three-star receiver, listed at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, has also received major-college interest during the recruiting cycle from the likes of Georgia, Miami and Michigan State.
He caught 25 passes for 300 yards last season for the Mustangs, who return rising sophomore quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. behind center.
In 2022, Shack is scheduled to form one part of what could be an excellent Mandarin receiving corps, with 2025 wideout Jaime Ffrench already picking up interest from schools including Alabama.
Shack would become Liberty's third Mandarin graduate on the roster, following wide receiver Demario Douglas and safety Jerome Jolly. Both were key players on the Mustangs' 2018 Class 8A state championship team.
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Gamecocks for Cox as Bolles TE commits
Connor Cox is ready to go from Bulldog to Gamecock.
The Bolles tight end announced his college destination over the weekend, committing to SEC football at South Carolina.
The 6-5, 220-pound Cox is a three-star recruit, ranked as a top-40 tight end nationally by On3 and in the top 60 by 247Sports.
Last year, Cox caught seven passes for 148 yards in an offense that emphasized the ground game with now-graduated running back Kade Frew.
Fleming Island LB Wright picks Rutgers
Fleming Island linebacker Abram Wright also confirmed his college plans, committing to Rutgers after a strong spring that has made him one of Clay County's fastest-rising recruits.
At 6-2 and 225 pounds, Wright is ranked as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and a top-70 linebacker in the nation. He garnered fresh attention a week ago by running a 4.58 40 — which would be a faster-than-average 40 time even for NFL linebackers.
Wright, who could line up at either outside or inside linebacker, recorded 76 tackles, seven sacks and an interception last season with the Golden Eagles.
Middleburg's Forrester, Houston win honors
Middleburg pitcher Mallory Forrester received the Class 5A player of the year award and the Broncos' Ashley Houston was selected as Class 5A's coach of the year in the annual Florida Dairy Farmers awards for softball.
The pair now enter the overall balloting for Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Softball and the softball coach of the year. The overall award winners will be announced this week.
Forrester allowed only two runs in 39 innings of playoff softball, striking out 66 batters and achieving shutouts over Naples in the semifinal and Groveland South Lake in the championship game.
Fourth-year Broncos coach Houston led Middleburg's memorable playoff run after the team stood 11-11 in late April.
Only two Northeast Florida players, Mandarin's Kellie Wilkerson (1997) and Fletcher's Erin Schuppert (2009), have won the Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Softball award since the state adopted fast-pitch softball. Oakleaf's Christina Thompson, in 2017, is the only coach of the year selection from Northeast Florida.
University Christian sophomore pitcher Sophia Kardatzke placed third among players in Class 2A, with Fort White freshman Kadence Compton third in Class 1A.
Also finishing in the top three in coach voting were University Christian's Keith Stroud, second in Class 2A, and Fort White's Michele Padgett, second in Class 1A, while Baldwin's Jennifer Shields was third in Class 3A.
Spartans' Hodges named best in 2A
St. Johns Country Day senior pitcher Bradley Hodges was voted the top player in Class 2A in the Florida Dairy Farmers baseball awards.
He enters the voting for the statewide Mr. Baseball award, to be announced this week. Hodges could become Northeast Florida's first Mr. Baseball since Bishop Kenny's Tony Richie in 2000.
Hodges, signed with Virginia, batted .500 with 11 doubles, nine home runs, 32 RBI and a 1.481 OPS. On the mound, he went 10-0 with a 1.28 ERA and 114 strikeouts in 60 innings pitched.
Suwannee's Justin Bruce finished third in Class 4A coach of the year voting, with Fort White's Rick Julius third in Class 1A.
Pickett, Munoz earn national soccer calls
Two of Northeast Florida's top soccer standouts of the past decade are gearing up for international action.
St. Johns Country Day graduate Carson Pickett, the Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Soccer winner in 2012, received her call-up to the United States women's national team for games on June 25 and June 28 against Colombia.
Pickett, who plays for the National Women's Soccer League's North Carolina Courage, was a finalist for the NWSL defender of the year award in 2021. The former Florida State defender would be representing the full national team for the first time.
Former Bolles midfielder Ariana Munoz also received a call-up to represent Peru's national women's team for matches June 25 and 28 against Mexico in preparations for the Copa America Femenina next month in Colombia.
Munoz scored three assists last year during her senior season at the University of North Florida, a campaign that was cut short due to injury.
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Around the area
Nease rising senior quarterback Marcus Stokes was selected to the Elite 11 competition for Class of 2023 quarterbacks, scheduled for the end of the month in Los Angeles. ... Former Oakleaf quarterback Walter Simmons III announced his transfer to Bethune-Cookman football, after one season at East Carolina. ... Raines seniors DeQuon King and Ja'Quon King both committed to Bethune-Cookman men's track and field. ... Raines senior Selket Reid-El signed with Fort Scott Community College women's track and field. ... Episcopal senior Allie Alton placed sixth in the women's singles final at Sunday's U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota. At the same event, First Coast Rowing Club's women's under-16 coxed fours placed sixth in their A final. ... Montverde Academy's Micah Larry won the Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Track award, with Miami Southridge's Alyssa Jones winning Miss Track. ... Niceville's Todd Brigham won the boys track coach of the year, with Miami Northwestern's Carmen Jackson as girls track coach of the year.
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: Football recruiting: Jeremiah Shack, Connor Cox, Abram Wright college commitments
