Mike Pickett (St. Johns)
As a high school coach, he has led St. Johns Country Day School to nine state championships (2005, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) as well as a state runner-up finish in 2004.
This past season, the Spartans finished 25-0 and were named National Champions by USA Today and NSCAA and ranked No. 3 by Max Preps.
They have appeared in 13 Final Fours, winning 13 Region Championships along the way. They have also won 14 consecutive district championships from 2004 to 2017. Pickett has a 15 year career record of 300-51-26 at St. Johns CDS.
He was named Florida State Coach of the Year in 2009, 2011, and 2013 by the Florida Dairy Farmers Association. In 2005 and 2013, he was named State Coach of the Year by the NSCAA and Region Coach of the Year in 2009. Three of his St. John’s teams have finished the season with a #10 National ranking in 2009 & 2012 and a #7 in 2013.
Elise Bush (Bolles)
Elise Bush joined the staff at Bolles in 1984 and became the varsity girls’ volleyball head coach in 1986. Bush’s career record as Bolles’ volleyball coach is 634-267 through the 2013 season, guiding the program to a state title in 1989 as well five state runners-up finishes, 21 state Final Four appearances and 22 district titles.
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Matchup #2
Jim Reape vs Matt Tracey
Jim Reape (Clay)
There is only one name that comes to mind when it comes to wrestling in the area and that is Jim Reape. The longtime coach at Clay has been the model of consistency for any sports program locally and statewide. Since taking over the program in 1994, Reape has won 18 consecutive district titles, 16 regional championships, six state runner-up finishes (1999, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017) and one state title in 2004. Reape has also had the pleasure of coaching 22 Individual State Champs, 106 State Placers and 9 Florida Times Union Wrestlers of the Year winners.Reape received the highest honor among coaches in 2016 by being voted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Matt Tracy (Bolles)
Matt Tracy became the Bolles varsity girls’ soccer head coach in 2005 after serving as the junior varsity girls’ head coach in 2004-05. Tracy has led the Bulldogs to great success in his tenure as head coach.
Tracy guided Bolles to back-to-back state titles in 2015 and 2016. He also led the Bulldogs to a state title in 2008, as well as two state runner-up finishes, four additional state semifinal berths and ten district championships.
Tracy earned the Florida Dairy Farmers Girls’ Soccer Coach-of-the-Year award in 2008, 2015 and 2016. Numerous of his players have earned player of the year, All-State and All-Star honors.
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Matchup #3
Frank Pontore vs Jim Lieb
Frank Pontore (OP/FI)
In three short years, Frank Pontore took Orange Park to back-to-back Fina Four appearances including the schools first state title in 2001. A year later only a late goal by Coral Reef in the semifinals kept the Raiders from repeating their title.
After a third round loss in his third year, Pontore left Orange Park to start a brand new program at nearly Fleming Island. Since starting the program in 2004, Pontore has guided the Eagles to 14 straight playoff appearances, including five Final Four appearances (2008, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017).
After coming up short in 2008 and 2011, Pontore won his second state title, first at Fleming Island in 2012 and his third overall this past season in 2017.
Jim Lieb (Bolles)
Jim Lieb became the boys’ varsity soccer head coach at Bolles in 1999. In 2015, the team went 20-8-1 and won the regional title and finished as the state runner-up. In total, Lieb has compiled a 317-102-50 record during his first 16 years on the sidelines. During this time, Lieb has led the Bulldogs to ten District Championships, 11 Regional Championships (Final Fours), two State Championships (2009, 2013) and two State Runner-Up finishes (2006, 2015).
In 2005, Lieb was named the FACA District 6 coach-of-the-year, which covers much of the greater Jacksonville area. In addition, Lieb has been named as the state coach-of-the-year three times, in 2006 and 2009 (3A), and in 2013 (2A). Also in 2009, Lieb was named by the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) as its Private School Coach of the Year for the state of Florida.
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Matchup #4
Dave Silberburg vs Danny Villarreal
Dave Silverberg (Nease/Ponte Vedra)
How many coaches can say they not only won a state title but they have lead two different schools to titles ? Dave Silverburg was the girls varsity soccer head coach at Nease for 7 years, leading them to state titles in 2002, 2005, 2006, and 2008.
After that, he was named head coach of the girls varsity program at newly opened Ponte Vedra in 2008. Silverberg has coached the team to state championships in 2009 and 2012, while also state semi-finalist in 2011 and and state runner-up finish in 2013. Between both programs, Silverburg has been to 9 Final Fours, won 6 state titles (02, 05, 06, 08, 09, 12) and finished as state runner-ups once.
Daniel Villarreal (Ponte Vedra)
Since opening in 2008, Danny Villarreal has quickly made Ponte Vedra into a boys soccer state power.
Since 2010, the Sharks have made the playoffs every year and are a perfect 4-0 in state final games, winning state titles in 2010 and 2016.
Villarreal was named the 2013 Florida Dairy Farmers Coach of the Year recipient. Last season the Sharks were 15-5-3 and were one win away from advancing to its third state championship but fell 2-1 to host Seabreeee in the state semi-final game.
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