We look back at some of the top high school sports moments of the 2016-2017 school year from around the First Coast area. Whether its football, volleyball, swimming or cross country, we look back at another amazing year in high school sports.
We begin with the fall and continue in Part II with the winter and Part III with the spring; before releasing our top ten stories of the year.
October
- Going into the 2016 football season, five schools began the season with lengthy losing streaks. By the time the season ended only two remained on the list. Harvest Community, Middleburg and Wolfson all entered the season on a 14 game losing streak; but Harvest quickly ended its streak in the first game of the season with a 20-7 win over Bishop Snyder and Middleburg ended its 15 game losing streak with a 14-12 win over Ridgeview in Week 2. Having its streak reach 19 consecutive losses, the Wolfpack finally ended their streak with a 27-18 win Sept 30 over Parker. Duval Charter ended its 17 game losing streak the final game of the season with a 54-0 win over Avant Garde. While those streaks ended, Creekside (22) and Jackson (18) both continued, while Ridgeview (18) join the lists going into the 2017 season.
November
- After finishing in the top two at the District 1-1A tournament, both Fletcher and Sandalwood advanced to the state girls bowling tournament held Nov 2-3 at the Boardwalk Entertainment Center in Orlando. However, both made early exits with two straight losses. Sandalwood seeded No. 12 lost 3-1 to the eventual state runner-ups No. 5 Lincoln Park Academy, while Fletcher seeded 15 lost to No. 2 Titusville 3-0 in the first round. In the loser’s bracket, Sandalwood dropped a tough 3-2 loss to Cambridge Christian; while Fletcher dropped a 3-1 loss to Orange City University.
- At some point the FHSAA needs to consider changing the state swim meet to the Bolles Invitational as both again swept the boys and girls state swimming titles. For the 29th consecutive year, the boys won the team title easily with a 384-209 win over runner-up Berkeley Prep. The title moves Bolles into a tie for the second longest streak in the nation for consecutive state title. While the boys cruised to their title, the girls had a tough time but held off Pine Crest 270-260 to win their 26th straight state title.
- With three guys finishing in the top seven, Creekside easily cruised to the Class 3A boys cross country state title Nov 12 at Appalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee with an 18 point win over runner-up Chiles. Seniors Matthew Clark (15:35.13), Nicholas Deal (15:35.71) and Joseph Storey (1605.93) finished second, third and seventh respectively for the Knights.
- While Creekside stole the show on the weekend, the area had a really nice showing at the boys meet as several teams had top ten finishes including Bolles (second), Bishop Kenny (fifth), Bartram Trail (sixth) and Providence (sixth).
- The girls which ran the same weekend as the boys in Tallahassee, also had another solid showing with Creekside (fifth), Ponte Vedra (fourth), Nease (ninth), Bolles (second), St. Johns Country Day (sixth) and Ponte Vedra (seventh) all finishing in the top ten. In addition to the team success, Fletcher runner Kaley Delay finished second at the Class 4A meet.
- In what continues to be one of the most consistent sports in the area, volleyball fans were not too disappointed by area team’s performances this past season. Three local teams including Bolles, Bishop Kenny and Ponte Vedra all made the Final Four, while Creekside fell in the Elite 8. Ponte Vedra eliminated BK 3-0 in the semifinals, before falling 3-0 to Bishop Moore in the state championship game.
- A day after Thanksgiving, fans were thankful for more turkey and dressing but for also the Game of the Year as well. In a regional final showdown with the winner advancing to the state semi-finals, both Bartram Trail and Lee gave the fans a game to remember with a back and forth 51-49 playoff game. How big was this game, both Andre and myself were at other playoff games in the area that night and sitting in the pressbox or parking lot watching the end of this game on our phones thanks to fans at the game showing the game live on Facebook.
December
- Who would have thought when Bolles stepped on to the field at Camping World Stadium back on December 8, that would be the last time anybody would see legendary coach Corky Rogers coach a football game? On that night Bolles was overwhelmed by a star studded Cocoa team 31-17 in the title game giving up an overwhelming 425 rushing yards to deny the Bulldogs their twelfth state title. Three months later Rogers, 73, announced his retirement March 8 shocking the statewide football community. Over 45 years, Rogers compiled a 465-84-1 record between jobs at Lee (1972-1988) and Bolles (1989-2016).
