Leon County Alum Lee Poppell finished his second round with a final score of 142 (-2), just four shots behind the fourth qualifier. Although Poppell did not qualify, he finished under par with a round of 70 (-2) on the first day and a round of 72 (E) on the second, finishing in 13th place out of a field of 71 golfers.

Poppell advanced to final qualifying after shooting a 4-under 68 to tie for second place at a local U.S. Open qualifier at The Plantation at Ponte Vedra. He carded six birdies during the round, including four on the back nine after making the turn at even par.

The qualifier capped a strong junior season at Troy University, where Poppell posted a 72.06 stroke average, recorded 15 under-par rounds and finished inside the top 25 in eight of 11 events.

Jamarin Simmons – Clemson

Godby wide receiver Jamarin “Waffle House” Simmons, a five-star prospect in the Class of 2027, has established himself as one of the most accomplished football recruits in Leon County, culminating in his commitment to Clemson in May.

Simmons enters his senior season coming off a standout junior campaign in which he recorded 59 receptions for 932 yards and 14 touchdowns while helping lead the Cougars. He also showcased his versatility by adding a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown on offense, while contributing defensively with 25 tackles, six pass breakups, and three interceptions.

His production has been consistent throughout his high school career. As a sophomore, Simmons hauled in 49 receptions for 996 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging more than 20 yards per catch. He also saw varsity action as a freshman, giving him three years of experience against top competition entering his final season.

Beyond Friday nights, Simmons has earned recognition on the national recruiting circuit. He was named an “Alpha Dog” at Under Armour Orlando in 2026 and participated in The Opening Finals, one of the country’s premier showcase events for high school football prospects. Recruiting services rank him among the top wide receivers in Florida and one of the highest-rated prospects in the nation.

His recruitment drew interest from some of the nation’s top programs, including Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Colorado, Miami and LSU, before he ultimately chose Clemson. The commitment marks a significant milestone for both Simmons and the Godby football program, as the dynamic playmaker prepares for what could be a memorable senior season before heading to the ACC.

Davion Crumitie – Vanderbilt

Rickards athlete Davion Crumitie, one of the top multi-sport prospects in Florida’s Class of 2027, announced his commitment to Vanderbilt in May after reopening his recruitment with a decommitment from Syracuse on Feb. 3. The decision came after Crumitie emerged as one of the state’s most dynamic athletes, drawing interest from programs across the country.

Crumitie enters his senior season following a productive junior campaign in which he contributed in all three phases of the game for the Raiders. Playing both wide receiver and safety, he recorded 52 receptions for 776 yards while adding 26 tackles and an interception on defense. He also made an impact on special teams with both a kickoff return touchdown and a punt return touchdown.

His versatility has been a hallmark of his high school career. As a sophomore, Crumitie contributed as both a receiver and defensive back, finishing the season with 22 catches, four interceptions, and a forced fumble. Through two varsity seasons, he has totaled 74 receptions for more than 1,000 receiving yards while also making plays on defense and special teams.

While his football accomplishments have drawn the attention of college recruiters, Crumitie has also established himself as one of Florida’s premier track and field athletes. As a junior, he captured FHSAA Class 3A state championships in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dash and helped Rickards win a state title in the 4×100 relay. He also claimed Florida indoor state championships in the 60-meter and 200-meter dash, further cementing his reputation as one of the fastest athletes in the country.

His combination of speed, athleticism, and versatility attracted more than 30 scholarship offers from programs across the nation, including Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and Syracuse, before he ultimately chose Vanderbilt. The commitment represents another major recruiting victory for Rickards and gives the Commodores one of the state’s most dynamic athletes as Crumitie prepares for his senior season.

The performance continued a strong junior season for Poppell at Troy, where he posted a 72.06 stroke average and a 0.25 score versus par. He led the Trojans with 15 under-par rounds in 32 total rounds and finished inside the top 25 in eight of 11 events, including a tie for 18th at the Sun Belt Championship entering U.S. Open qualifying.

Before his collegiate success, Poppell built an impressive high school and junior golf résumé in Tallahassee. He finished second at the 2022 Florida Junior Tour Championship and tied for 34th at the 2022 Florida Amateur Championship while competing against many of the state’s top amateur golfers. He also captured the 2022 Big Bend Championship in dominant fashion, firing a 7-under 65 to win by six strokes in one of the premier tournaments in the Florida Panhandle. Later that spring, he shot a 2-under 70 to win a district championship title. Poppell also earned multiple victories on the Southeast Junior Golf Tour in 2021, winning events at Wynlakes and Sea Palms while adding a fourth-place finish at the Ben An Junior Championship.

Lincoln battled through pressure from the Bears throughout the night, using timely hitting and key pitching performances to finish the season on top. The Trojans scored five runs on five hits while drawing five walks to help manufacture offense in the championship matchup.

Senior Cody Garber led Lincoln offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Luke Thomas added a hit and drove in two runs, while junior Carson Koch recorded an RBI hit and scored once. Freshman Robert Quinn also contributed an RBI for the Trojans. Junior Jayson Parker reached base three times on walks and scored a run, helping Lincoln keep offensive pressure on Winter Springs.

On the mound, sophomore Jacob Rabion earned the win after pitching four innings in relief, allowing four runs on six hits. Junior Chase Fuller delivered a strong outing in relief, striking out one and allowing just one hit in 1.2 scoreless innings, while junior Zachary Burch added 1.1 scoreless innings to help close out the championship victory.

Lincoln’s defense also came through in crucial moments despite a pair of errors, with freshman Robert Quinn recording eight putouts and Tyson Bailey adding six defensive outs. Bailey also stole a base for the Trojans.

The championship victory capped off a memorable postseason run for Lincoln, as the Trojans finished the year with a state title and cemented themselves among the top baseball programs in the state.

In high school weightlifting, the Traditional and Olympic categories use different lifts to determine an athlete’s total score. Traditional weightlifting combines the bench press and squat, focusing more on overall strength and powerlifting-style movements. Olympic weightlifting combines the snatch and clean and jerk, which emphasize explosive power, speed, technique, and full-body coordination. Athletes can compete in one or both categories during meets and championships.

Class 1A

Florida High and Maclay athletes delivered multiple podium finishes at the FHSAA 1A Boys State Weightlifting Championships, highlighted by a pair of runner-up performances from Florida High’s Jason Harville and strong Olympic showings from both Tallahassee programs.

Florida High placed seventh overall in the Traditional competition with nine points and fifth overall in the Olympic standings with 12 points. The Seminoles were led by Harville in the 219-pound class, where he earned second place in both disciplines. Harville totaled 635 pounds in the Traditional competition and followed with a 545-pound total in Olympic lifting to secure another state runner-up finish.

Jason Aliche also produced a standout performance for Florida High in the 238-pound class, finishing third in both categories. Aliche recorded a 635-pound total in Traditional lifting before adding a 540-pound Olympic total for another pair of podium finishes.

In the Unlimited class, Micah Deem added points for the Seminoles with a fourth-place finish in Olympic lifting after totaling 510 pounds. Luis Rodriguez competed in the 119-pound division and placed 10th in Traditional with a 305-pound total, while Antonio Dickey Jr. finished 11th in the Olympic standings of the 154-pound class with a 385-pound total.

Maclay also saw success at the state meet, led by Justin Murphy’s podium finish in the Olympic competition. Competing in the 183-pound class, Murphy placed third with a total of 480 pounds after also finishing eighth in Traditional lifting with a 530-pound total.

Andrew Guyer added a ninth-place Olympic finish in the 169-pound division with a 420-pound total, while Nic Streety placed 12th in the 199-pound Olympic field after totaling 430 pounds. Abram Wildrick rounded out Maclay’s state qualifiers with an eighth-place finish in the Unlimited Olympic division, recording a total of 480 pounds.

Class 2A

Lincoln and Godby represented Tallahassee at the FHSAA 2A Boys State Weightlifting Championships, with Lincoln earning a top-five finish in the 169-pound class.

Lincoln tied for 25th overall in the traditional standings with three points, led by Javon Johnson’s fourth-place finish in the 169-pound division after totaling 590 pounds. Kaylen Rogers also competed for the Trojans in the 183-pound class, placing 11th with a total of 565 pounds. Both Lincoln lifters competed exclusively in the Traditional category.

Godby’s Tre Stenson competed in the unlimited class and finished ninth in the Traditional competition with a total of 625 pounds.

Strouble contributed 10 points for UNF as he set a PR of 2.09m (6′ 10¼”) in the high jump as a freshman during his first conference championship appearance. The Ospreys men’s track and field team fell short of first place with 164 points behind Central Arkansas who placed first as a team with 229 points.

During his freshman outdoor season at the University of North Florida, Strouble continued to compete against strong collegiate competition in the high jump. Strouble placed 11th at the UCF Knights Invite after clearing 1.96 meters before earning a fourth-place finish at the Dick Roberts Seminole Invitational with a mark of 1.95 meters. He later matched his season-best clearance of 1.96 meters to place 16th at the Georgia Tech Invitational and finished 10th at the East Coast Relays with a jump of 1.93 meters.

During his senior season with Leon in 2025, Jayvin Strouble established himself as one of the top high school high jumpers in the state. Strouble dominated the postseason, winning both the FHSAA 3A District 2 and Region 1 championships with matching jumps of 1.97 meters to qualify for the state finals. He also won seven outdoor meets overall, including the Tommy Taylor Invitational with a season-best clearance of 2.05 meters. Strouble added victories at the FSU Relays and the Chiles Capital City Track & Field Classic with jumps of 2.03 and 1.97 meters, respectively. At the FHSAA 3A State Finals, Strouble placed fifth with a mark of 1.92 meters before going on to finish ninth nationally at New Balance Nationals Outdoor and third at the AAU National Club Championship after clearing 2 meters.

See previous high school coverage of Jayvin Strouble here: Leon County Track & Field State Championship Results and Top Leon County Performances in Boys Track and Field

Lincoln opened the regional final series with an 8-4 victory over Niceville High School behind a balanced offensive performance and strong pitching relief. Lincoln finished with nine hits, including doubles from sophomore Luke Thomas, Bennett Malone and Tyson Mortham. Thomas led the Trojans offensively, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Jayson Parker added two RBIs and Carson Koch and Tyson Bailey each drove in a run.

Lincoln used four pitchers in the win, with sophomore Jacob Rabion earning the victory after tossing a scoreless final inning. Senior Eyhan LaFuria handled the bulk of the work on the mound, allowing three earned runs across four innings with two strikeouts. Chase Fuller struck out two batters in a scoreless opening inning, and Zachary Burch also appeared in relief.

Defensively, Lincoln committed just one error and recorded 11 assists in the field. Carson Koch led the defense with four assists, while Robert Quinn finished with eight total chances without an error. Maddox Smith also added a stolen base and scored a run in the win.

Niceville answered in game two with a 9-1 win, limiting Lincoln to four hits. Cody Garber drove in the Trojans’ lone run, while Bennett Malone, AJ Johnson and Robert Quinn each added hits. Colin Walsh and Will Lizotte combined for 6.2 innings on the mound in the loss.

With the regional final series tied at one game apiece, Lincoln responded with a dominant 9-2 victory over Niceville High School in the decisive game three on May 9th to clinch the regional championship and advance to the state semifinals.

Lincoln’s offense broke through with eight hits and nine runs, highlighted by a home run from Chase Fuller, who finished with three RBIs. Bennett Malone delivered one of the biggest performances of the night, going 4-for-5 with a double, triple and RBI. Cody Garber added an RBI triple, while Carson Koch, AJ Johnson and Lucas Cannady each drove in runs. Maddox Smith scored twice, and Robert Quinn reached base three times while scoring once.

The Trojans also showed patience at the plate, drawing seven walks and finishing with a .421 on-base percentage in the win. Tyson Mortham reached base three times, while Quinn posted a perfect 1.000 on-base percentage.

On the mound, sophomore Jacob Rabion threw a complete game to earn the win, allowing just two earned runs on six hits across seven innings while striking out four batters. Defensively, Lincoln committed only one error and turned a double play behind Rabion. Robert Quinn led the defense with nine putouts, while Luke Thomas and Chase Fuller helped turn the Trojans’ double play.

With the regional final victory, Lincoln High School advanced to the state semifinals, where the Trojans will face Mater Academy Charter School on May 18.

Class 3A

The Rickards track and field team had two standout performances from Davion Crumitie on the boys side and Journee Belcher on the girls side. Crumitie won two individual state titles placing first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.3 and placing first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 20.79. Crumitie also took home gold in the 4×100 Meter relay alongside teammates Aaron Johnson Jr., Christian Randolph and Demari Bouie with a total time of 40.96. On the girls side, Belcher came back to Tallahassee with three state titles and a third-place finish. Belcher placed first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.60, placed first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 53.19, placed first in the high jump with a height of 1.72m and placed third in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.70. Rickards’ Sacori Gardner also competed in the 100-meter dash placing second with a time of 11.64.

Chiles had three athletes place in the top three in their respective event including Allison Davenport, who was the only Chiles athlete to bring home a state title placing first in the girls pole vault with a height of 3.6m. Chiles’ Lelia Jones also competed in the girls pole vault placing third with a height of 3.45m. On the boys side, Joshua Hicks placed second in the 3200 meter run representing the Timberwolves with a time of 8:56.84.

Lincoln had three athletes with notable performances including Kennedy Scott who won a state title placing first in the girls discus with a throw of 47.14m. Lincolns Anthony Vail placed second in the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 13.88 while also placing third in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.77. Matthew Hauser represented the Trojans in the 3200 meter run placing third with a time of 9:17.64.

Class 2A

Florida High’s Micah Deem brought a state title back to Tallahassee as he placed first in the boys shot put with a throw of 16.59m. Deem was the only Seminole to place in the top 3 in their respective event.

Class 1A

Maclay had two athletes bring home medals during the state meet with Priscilla Izuegbu placing third in the girls high jump with a height of 1.62m, and Regan Pickles placing third in the girls pole vault with a height of 3.15m.

Chiles Beats Lourdes in the FHSAA 2A State Semifinals

Chiles reach the state final after defeating Lourdes on May 8th with a dual score of 5-0 in the FHSAA state semifinals, advancing to the state finals against Merritt Island.

Set Scores

1. Meg Hearn/Natalie Gibson: 21-9, 21-9
2. Lindsay Smith/Sterling Carlisle: 15-21, 21-12, 15-7
3. Loganne Abernathy/ Riley Warmath: 21-4, 21-6
4. Riley Boykin/Callie Rowse: 21-16, 21-19
5. Anna Holman/Jensen Glenn: 21-17, 21-13

Chiles

The Timberwolves started out strong winning a point at the first position, while Meg Hearn and Natalie Gibson beat Bishop Kenny’s Chiamaka Nduka and Liana Sumpter in straight sets with set scores 21-9, 21-12. Bishop Kenny evened the dual winning the second position in a tight match with team captain’s Claire Newell and Alexis Sowers just beating Chiles’ Lindsay Smith and Sterling Carlisle 16-14 in the third set. Chiles found another point at the third position with Loganne Abernathy and Riley Warmath beating Maggie Zahariadis and Aleena Lundy convincingly in straight sets with set scores of 21-10, 21-12. Bishop Kenny won at the fourth position beating Chiles’ Riley Boykin and Callie Rowse with set scores 21-15, 21-12. In dramatic fashion, the duel came down to the fifth position as Bishop kenny forced a third set after winning the second set 21-17. Chiles’ Anna Holman and Jensen Glenn fought off Bishop Kenny’s Maria Patelli and Sienna Selfors in a third set with set scores of 25-23, 17-21 and 15-13 sending the Timberwolves to the state semifinals as they beat Bishop Kenny 3-2.

Chiles will play Lourdes Academy At the Florida State University beach volleyball courts in Tallahassee, FL on May 8th with a chance to advance to the state finals.

Florida High

Florida High came into the regional final match against episcopal with a record of 16-4 carrying momentum from their last win against Williston. Episcopal got off to a good start winning the first set on the fourth position and the fifth position. Florida High’s Olivia woods and Addison Mayernick were able to win the first set at the two’s position but lost the match in a third set with set scores of 21-17, 17-21, 9-15. Sophie Ashworth and Tess Kyvik made a strong push for the Seminoles during the second set at the fifth position but were not able to win the match, losing 21-6, 21-17. Episcopal found their third and final point of the dual at the fourth position beating Florida High’s Annaliese Schoen and Mackenzie Taber with set scores of 21-14, 21-18. Since Episcopal clinched the dual winning three points, they opted to not play the first and third positions.

Game 1

The rivalry series between Lincoln High School and Chiles opened with Lincoln taking an 8-3 win in Game 1 on May 2 behind a strong offensive showing.

Lincoln totaled 11 hits and hit .379 as a team, led by junior Jayson Parker, who went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs. Carson Koch and Chase Fuller each scored twice, while the team also drew six walks to keep pressure on Chiles throughout the game.

Chiles was led by senior S. Dinkelman, who went 3-for-3 with two runs and a home run, but the team managed just six hits overall.

On the mound, senior Ethan LaFuria allowed three runs over 5.1 innings, and sophomore Jacob Rabion closed with 1.2 scoreless innings to secure the win. Chiles pitchers combined to allow 11 hits and eight runs, as Lincoln took a 1-0 lead in the series.

Game 2

Game 2 of the series between Lincoln High School and Chiles flipped the momentum completely, as Chiles won a 1-0 pitchers’ duel.

Chiles was powered by senior pitcher Noah Chavez, who delivered a dominant outing, throwing 6.2 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts while allowing just four hits. Connor Borges also contributed in relief, helping close out the shutout and secure the win.

Offensively, Chiles managed just four hits, but junior Preston Ritchie delivered the game’s only extra-base hit with a double, driving in the lone run of the game. Senior S. Dinkelman added three walks, helping keep pressure on Lincoln throughout.

Lincoln’s offense struggled after Game 1, managing only five hits and no runs. Junior Colin Walsh took the loss despite a solid outing, allowing just one run over five innings while striking out two. Zachary Burch was effective in relief, tossing two scoreless innings.

Both teams played clean defensively, but Chiles’ pitching edge proved decisive, evening the series at 1-1 heading into the final game.

Game 3

Game 3 of the series between Lincoln High School and Chiles saw Lincoln respond with an 8-4 win on May 3 to clinch the series.

Lincoln’s offense was sharp again, totaling eight runs on eight hits with a .286 team batting average. Junior Jayson Parker continued his strong series, going 2-for-4 with a double, while Cody Garber and Chase Fuller each drove in runs as part of a balanced lineup effort. Lincoln also capitalized on patience at the plate, drawing five walks and consistently putting pressure on Chiles’ pitching staff.

Chiles scored four runs on seven hits, including a home run, but struggled to fully contain Lincoln’s lineup in key innings. Despite the offensive production, Chiles could not keep pace late as Lincoln separated the game in the middle innings.

On the mound, sophomore Jacob Rabion earned the win for Lincoln, allowing three runs over 5.1 innings while striking out four. Fuller also provided a key inning of relief, helping stabilize the game early. Chiles’ pitching staff allowed eight runs overall, with Lincoln’s lineup delivering consistent contact and situational hitting throughout the game.

Lincoln’s defense held steady behind a perfect fielding performance, helping secure the final game and the series win after dropping Game 2.

Chiles High School opened its FHSAA 3A regional semifinal with an early spark, taking a 7-0 lead on a double-pass touchdown to Kaitlyn Fagan with 6:30 left in the first quarter, followed by a successful one-point conversion run by Kendall Sadberry. The defense immediately backed it up with a critical fourth-down stop late in the opening quarter to keep Niceville off the board heading into the second.

Momentum continued in the second quarter when Charlotte Reynolds intercepted a pass for Chiles, setting up another quick score as Sadberry punched in a rushing touchdown to make it 14-0. Niceville responded later in the quarter with a passing touchdown to cut the lead to 14-7, but Chiles regained control right after halftime when Sadberry added another rushing score to push the lead to 21-7. Defensively, Sadberry also came up big with an interception in her own end zone to prevent a Niceville scoring chance, and Chiles sealed the game despite a late fourth-quarter interception, holding on for the 21-7 win and a trip to the state championship.

Stats

Sadberry led the way with 124 passing yards and added two rushing touchdowns, finishing as the central dual-threat option for Chiles. The passing game was spread across multiple targets, with senior Kaitlyn Fagan providing the biggest impact through the air, recording 62 receiving yards and a touchdown. Sophomore Ellis Smeltzer also contributed a passing touchdown, while the offense finished with 194 passing yards and 51 rushing yards, consistently moving the ball and capitalizing in key scoring situations.

Defensively, Chiles controlled the game with pressure and playmaking, holding Niceville to just seven points while forcing two interceptions. Sadberry added a pick on top of her offensive production, and senior Charlotte Reynolds returned an interception for 25 yards to swing momentum. The defense totaled 24 flag pulls and limited explosive plays throughout the game, with multiple players contributing pass breakups and steady containment.

With this win the Timberwolves will face off against the top seeded Ponte Vedra (16-0) in the regional finals looking to give the Sharks their first loss of the season. That game will be held in Ponte Vedra on May 7th.