DuvalSports.com will preview high school football teams from northeast Florida in preparation for the the 2017 season. This year has already experienced many changes in high school football with legendary coaches retiring, district realignments, a playoff points system, and the full implementation of the Choice in Sports bill, allowing parents to choose which school they’re children plays for in athletics. This year is truly unlike any other, so keep up with all the information following high school Sports in notheast Florida right here on DuvalSports.com.
Today we preview the Mandarin Mustangs.
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2017 Mandarin Mustangs Schedule
Mandarin’s schedule once again features a gambit of gridiron greats in our area. With opponents such as Lee, Raines, Sandalwood, and Fletcher on the schedule, the Mustangs are sure to gain lots of points from the new playoff system if they win. Their out of city schedule is just as tough with teams like Godby ( Tallahassee) and Apopka. They’ll get a chance tune up nicely with juggernaut Bartram Trail in their kickoff classic.
Aug 18 at Bartram Trail (Kickoff Classic)
Aug 25 Atlantic Coast
Sept 1 at Godby
Sept 8 at Lee
Sept 15 Deland *
Sept 22 at Raines
Sept 29 OPEN
Oct 6 Apopka
Oct 13 at Sandalwood *
Oct 20 Spruce Creek *
Oct 27 at Palm Coast *
Nov 3 Fletcher
With three coaching changes in four years you would think this team was struggling to compete; Not the case. In 2015, Mandarin under Head Coach Brian Braddock went 12-1 and reached the State regional finals. When Braddock departed for St. Augustine High, Head Coach Quinn Gray stepped in and led the Mustangs to a 6-2 record, ending in a playoff shootout. Yet when Gray hopped on interstate 10 west to take the coveted Tallahassee Lincoln job, Mandarin was again forced to replace a coach after posting a winning season. In steps the former head ball coach from Yulee Bobby Ramsey to take over as the Mustangs Head Coach. Ramsey is a winner, posting a 64-36 record the last eight years with the Hornets. Ramsey inherits a team with lots of talent across the board, but more impressively he and his players seem to be on the same page.
Returning is #8 TE/WR Stephen Butler, and #11 QB Alec Altman two captains and vocal leaders on the team. Butler is 6ft 3 inches and 200lbs, a big target on offense. Altman is a staple at Mandarin and can be relied upon to lead the team in the huddle when called upon. The offense won’t change much for the Mustangs, which should make for a smooth transition for many of their key starters. Altman will compete with new comer #4 QB Kyle Smith for the starting job. Smith comes over from rival Sandalwood and seems to love the family environment at Mandarin. Look for Smith to start the season with his unique ability to make plays, but don’t be surprised if both rotate similar to what Bartram does with their Quarterbacks. The running game will be a focus for Mandarin as Ramsey emphasized this in Yulee with previous big time running backs. Mandarin will do a running back by committee and look to hit big plays with WR Kris Mitchell who comes over from Bolles. Other offensive players to watch..
Stephen Butler- WR
Kasimir Absolu- WR
Terrell Jennings – RB
Cam Daniels RB
On defense, DE Miguel Perez is a tenacious defender and has added some wrinkles to his game to take his play to another level. The defensive staff feels comfortable to line the Mustangs defenders up in different defenses to matchup against opposing offenses. They look to remain an opportunistic bunch that forces opposing offenses into costly turnovers. FS Dominick Santiago , and LB Tyler Digregorio will be key players on that side of the ball.
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Max Preps Roster
| 4 | Kyle Smith | QB | Sr. | 6-2 | 184 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Kasimir Absolu | WR | Jr. | 5-11 | 175 | |
| 6 | Jj Cruz | RB, CB | Jr. | 6-0 | 180 | |
| 8 | Stephen Butler | TE, WR, FB | Sr. | 6-3 | 200 | |
| 10 | Kris Mitchell | WR | Jr. | 6-0 | 165 | |
| 11 | Alec Altman | QB | Sr. | 5-10 | 168 | |
| 12 | Brandon Blunk | QB | Jr. | 5-11 | 150 | |
| 15 | James Renfrow jr | CB | Jr. | 5-10 | 150 | |
| 20 | James Braxton ii | CB | Sr. | 5-10 | 165 | |
| 21 | Ryan Chase | SS | Jr. | 5-9 | 145 | |
| 22 | Tyler Digregorio | MLB, RB | Jr. | 5-8 | 185 | |
| 23 | Terrell Jennings | RB | Jr. | 6-1 | 216 | |
| 24 | Dominick Santiago | FS, WR | Sr. | 6-0 | 185 | |
| 24 | Javon Brown | CB | Sr. | 6-1 | 183 | |
| 30 | Sy Wilkerson | CB, SS | Sr. | 5-10 | 175 | |
| 34 | Evan Brown | SS, FS | Sr. | 6-1 | 180 | |
| 35 | Deshaun Davis | FS, OLB | Jr. | 6-1 | 190 | |
| 40 | Skye Hilbert | LS | Sr. | 5-8 | 140 | |
| 43 | Ethan Davenport | Jr. | 5-8 | |||
| 44 | Michael Shimko | G | Jr. | 5-10 | 200 | |
| 45 | Nijel Mcgriff | DE | Jr. | 6-2 | 248 | |
| 54 | Gavin Miles | OLB | Sr. | 6-0 | 185 | |
| 61 | Parker Merrell | G, C | Jr. | 6-0 | 275 | |
| 62 | Jake Swisher | C, G | Sr. | 5-11 | 270 | |
| 63 | Nick Harris | DT, DE | Jr. | 5-10 | 255 | |
| 64 | Jacob Ward | G, T | Sr. | 6-1 | 235 | |
| 70 | Brian Maxwell | T, DT | Jr. | 6-3 | 251 | |
| 72 | Brice Watkins | Sr. | ||||
| 72 | Garrett Tower | C, G | So. | 6-2 | 287 | |
| 73 | Matthew Shimko | G, T | Jr. | 5-11 | 260 | |
| 74 | Zachary Mills | T | Jr. | 6-3 | 270 | |
| 75 | Terrance Aquino | OT, DT | Sr. | 6-3 | 250 | |
| 76 | Gordon Estrada | DT, NG | Sr. | 6-1 | 290 | |
| 80 | Coles Guerrier | WR | Sr. | 6-4 | 170 | |
| 84 | Sean Washington | WR | So. | 5-8 | 150 | |
| 88 | William Wells | TE | 8th | 6-3 | 200 | |
| 90 | Miguel Perez | DE, DT | Sr. | 6-3 | 230 | |
| 102 | Connell Mosley jr | CB | Jr. | 5-8 | 145 | |
| 107 | John Rego | OLB, MLB | Jr. | 5-11 | 185 | |
| 109 | Tristan Herdon | MLB | So. | |||
| 109 | Cris Thomas | MLB | So. | 6-0 | 190 | |
| 110 | Derrick Johnson | WR | Jr. | 6-0 | 165 | |
| 113 | Beau Miles | TE | So. | 5-9 | 155 | |
| 116 | Jayvon Fulton | WR, RB | Jr. | 5-6 | 145 | |
| 124 | Jerome Jolly | WR | So. | 5-10 | 172 | |
| 125 | Edward Chavis | RB | So. | 5-6 | 135 | |
| 130 | Sean Boardman | FB | So. | |||
| 134 | Colin Johnson | |||||
| 135 | Daquez Robinson | Jr. | ||||
| 141 | Hunter Adams | Jr. | ||||
| 142 | Ludwick Beauge | OLB | So. | 5-10 | 170 | |
| 145 | Ayden Sciandra | OLB | So. | 5-8 | ||
| 149 | James Allinson | DE | Jr. | 6-1 | 185 | |
| 151 | Christian Warren | DT, DE | Jr. | |||
| 157 | Reese Schad | So. | ||||
| 162 | Darius Allen | DT | So. | 6-0 | 235 | |
| 170 | Brandon Ligon | G | Sr. | 5-6 | 210 | |
| 171 | Trevor Ross | WR | Sr. | |||
| 177 | Caleb Carpenter | T | So. | |||
| 180 | Peyton Wetzel | WR | Jr. | 5-7 | 128 | |
| 181 | Raymond Pasukinski | WR | So. | 5-10 | 143 | |
| 192 | James Rutherford | So. | ||||
| 196 | Kaleb Stalls | TE | So. | |||
| Cameron Daniels | RB | So. | 5-10 | 180 | ||
| Cameron Rothschuh | So. | |||||
| Danny Cobb | DE | So. | ||||
| Danny Sapp | K | Jr. | ||||
| David Allen | WR | So. | 5-8 | |||
| Demario Douglas | WR | Jr. | 5-8 | |||
| Devin Roebuck | CB, SS | So. | ||||
| Donald Clea | ||||||
| Hudson Levine | DE | |||||
| Isaiah Hardy | WR | So. | ||||
| Jalen Tate | 5-11 | 148 | ||||
| Jalon Jones | DE | Fr. | ||||
| Jeremiah Stacy | WR | |||||
| John Hollingsworth | MLB | Jr. | 6-0 | |||
| Jordan Perkins | FS | Fr. | ||||
| Khari Hillman | DT | Sr. | 6-1 | 260 | ||
| Lamont Earnest | WR, TE | Sr. | ||||
| Lamonte Earnest | CB | |||||
| Nathan Groves | Jr. | |||||
| Ryan Miller | WR | So. | 6-1 | 140 | ||
| Travis Moss | OLB | So. | 5-10 | 180 | ||
| Victor Barrera | WR | So. | ||||
| Walker Duke | WR | Jr. | ||||
| Walter Tate | WR | Sr. | 6-3 | 170 | ||
| Zavier Jones | DE | Jr. | 6-0 | 230 |
