1. Sean Hermann
Durant Baseball
With nine wins, three saves, 135 strikeouts over 78.1 innings pitched and an earned run average of just 0.36, Sean Hermann was one of the most dominant pitchers in the state this past year.
With the ninth-lowest ERA and third-most strikeouts in the state of Florida, Hermann not only cemented himself as an instrumental part of Durant’s run to the State Final Four, but as one of the area’s best athletes in 2021. Hermann later committed to the University of South Florida but signed with the New York Yankees after being selected in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft.
2. Jackson Knotts
Plant City Football/Track and Field
Jackson Knotts played football for Plant City High School, ultimately committing to Texas Tech as a long snapper where he earned the starting spot this past fall season. But despite his success on the football field, it was arguably his second-most impressive achievement in terms of high school athletics.
This past March, as a member of Plant City’s Track and Field team, Knotts attended the Bob English Invite in Lakeland where he set a new FHSAA state record in the javelin throw with a 57.23 meter toss – a throw that cleared the state’s previous record by two meters.
3. Leo Tabakovic
Durant Football
En route to an 8-3 record for Durant football in 2021, the Cougars’ defense allowed the fewest points in the district, a huge part of that effort coming from senior defensive end Leo Tabakovic.
Garnering a first-team All-Conference selection, Tabakovic totaled 48 tackles while his 18 tackles for loss were good for fourth-best in the district and his 11.5 sacks led the district.
4. Ezra Carpenter
Strawberry Crest Soccer
Strawberry Crest’s Ezra Carpenter led Strawberry Crest to a 13-3 record and a district championship during the 2020-2021 season, leading the Chargers with 23 goals and netting both goals in a 2-0 victory over Bloomingdale in the District Finals.
To start the 2021-2022 season, the junior forward has picked up right where she left off last year. Despite playing in just six of Strawberry Crest’s first eight games, she leads the district with 12 goals and garnered Hillsborough County Girls Soccer Player of the Week by PrimeTimePreps.com following her five-goal performance against King High School on Nov. 16.
5. Marcus Miguele
Durant Football
Quarterback Marcus Miguele was the definition of a dual threat for the Cougars as he led Durant to an 8-3 record under first-year head coach Claybo Varnum, the team’s highest single-season win total since 2016, and their first Redman Cup victory since 2017.
Miguele finished the year with 15 passing touchdowns, tied for the district lead with Plant City’s Clint Danzey, and just six interceptions. He also finished the year with 1087 passing yards, 674 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. His 1,761 total yards led the district while finishing sixth in the district in rushing yards and fourth in the district in rushing touchdowns.