For the first time, FloridaHSFootball.com is giving fans a chance to vote for Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year in each classification as part of our 2021 All-State honors.
From now until 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 17, you can vote once per hour, per device to keep the integrity of the poll legitimate and fair for everyone.
Here are the nominees for each category and polls for you to vote in for Class 5A. Please remember to click the share buttons above to share this with your friends and family so they can participate in the fan polls as well.
CLASS 5A
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
UTL Brady Denaburg, Sr., Merritt Island
Denaburg was truly a Utility player for the Mustangs not only serving as the starting quarterback but also showing his strength with his kicking and punting game. As the quarterback, he threw for 3,220 yards, tossing 30 touchdowns while rushing for 277 more yards and a touchdown. As the team’s kicker, he went 19-of-26 on field goals made, his longest of the season coming from 57 yards out. On punting duties, Denaburg averaged 38.9 yards per punt with his longest punt being 60 yards. Of all his kicks, he totaled 55 touchbacks. All that helped lead the Mustangs to a Class 5A State Runner-Up finish and a 13-2 overall record.
WR Dallas Donahue, Sr., Merritt Island
A favorite target of Brady Denaburg, Donahue hauled in 99 catches for 1,022 yards and 13 touchdowns while helping lead the Mustangs to a 13-2 overall record and finishing the season as the Class 5A State Runner-Up.
WR Censere “C.J.” Lee, Sr., Clearwater
When Aiden MacLean needed someone to come down with the ball, Lee’s name was usually the first one that was called up and sure enough, Lee proved to be that guy on the field. For the 2021 season, Lee racked up 1,262 receiving yards on 57 catches, hauling in a whopping 22 touchdowns out of those 57 catches. To add to the resume, he also returned 2 punts for touchdowns as well while helping the Tornadoes reach the Class 5A-Region 3 Final before falling to Sebring in a last-second walk-off, finishing the season 11-2.
QB Aiden MacLean, Sr., Clearwater
MacLean set a new Pinellas County record with the most touchdown passes in a single season with 42 touchdown passes. That broke the previous record that was set in 1993 by former Gibbs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Shawn King who had the previous record at 31. MacLean completed 165-of-246 passes for 2,785 yards and also had 262 yards on the ground and scored 3 rushing touchdowns, leading the Tornadoes to the Class 5A-Region 3 Championship game and an 11-2 overall record.
RB Zamarion Smith, Sr., Crawfordville Wakulla
A dynamic force for the War Eagles’ offense, Smith gashed opposing defenses with over 100 years rushing in every game played in 2021 finishing the season with 1,912 yards on 192 carries and 18 touchdowns. He also added 19 receptions for 484 yards and 3 more touchdowns, while leading the team to a 10-3 overall record before falling to Glen St. Mary Baker County in the Class 5A-Region 1 Championship game.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
DL Rueben Bain, Sr., Miami Central
One of the key forces of the Rockets’ championship defense, Bain made his presence felt all season long with 29.5 sacks to go along with 60 tackles and 48.5 tackles for loss. Bain also forced 5 fumbles and recovered 3 fumbles while leading the Rockets to a 12-2 overall record and the Class 5A State Championship, their third straight state championship.
LB Wesley Bassainthe, Sr., Miami Central
Another key force for the Rockets’ championship defense, Bassaint was all over the field like a magnet racking up over 80 tackles with 15 tackles for loss, collecting 6 sacks, forcing 4 fumbles while recovering 3 fumbles, and intercepting 2 passes. His efforts were part of the reason Miami Central came out on top as the Class 5A State Champions for the 2021 season.
LB Stanquan Clark, Jr., Miami Killian
Clark was a beast for the Cougars linebacking unit, racking up 117 tackles and scoring 4 total touchdowns leading them to a 12-1 overall record, the District 5A-16 Championship, and a trip to the Class 5A-Region 4 Championship before falling to eventual Class 5A State Champion, Miami Central.
DL Orlando Holland, Jr., Glen St. Mary Baker County
When talking about a sack machine, Orlando Holland was one name that got mentioned after having a record performance of 7 sacks against Crawfordville Wakulla in the Class 5A-Region 3 Championship, getting the town of Macclenny where the Wildcats’ stadium is in dubbed “Sack-clenny” by Florida Times-Union reporter Clayton Freedman. Overall, Holland finished the season with a whopping 28 total sacks and racked up 74 total tackles in helping the Wildcats reach the Class 5A State Semifinals for the second time in school history.
LB Omar Graham Jr., Sr., Fort Lauderdale Stranahan
A tackling beast for the Mighty Dragons, Graham racked up 102 total tackles while having 29 tackles for loss. He also collected up 17.5 sacks, forcing two fumbles and recovering fumbles. His efforts helped Stranahan reach the Class 5A-Region 4 Semifinals to Miami Killian.
COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
Hurlie Brown, Merritt Island
In his fourth season as head coach of his alma mater, Brown returned the Mustangs to the state championship game for the first time since 1989. The Mustangs had a combination of weapons that allowed them to take advantage of things to reach the Class 5A State Championship game where they fell to the hands of Miami Central and Brown’s former friend, teammate, and roommate from their days at Miami, Roland Smith. The Mustangs finished the 2021 campaign with a 13-2 overall record.
Ted Kimmey, Satellite Beach Satellite
Kimmey in his fifth year as head coach and returning the Scorpions to the FHSAA State Series competition for the first time in several years, saw the team have its best season in school history with a run to the Class 5A-Region 2 finals along with the school’s first playoff berth since 1996. The Scorpions finished with a 10-3 overall record after falling to district foe and eventual Class 5A State Runner-Up, Merritt Island.
Kevin Mays, Glen St. Mary Baker County
Mays is no stranger to winning football games and getting the most out of his teams. He did it at Melbourne Viera and now has done it at Baker County, taking the Wildcats to their second overall Class 5A State Semifinal appearance in school history. The Wildcats finished the season with the District 5A-2 Championship, the Class 5A-Region 1 Championship, and went 11-3 overall falling to eventual Class 5A State Champion Miami Central in the state semifinals.
LaVaar Scott, Sebring
Scott has been building a program in the middle section of Highlands County for the last decade since being promoted as head coach at his alma mater where he was a standout linebacker in the mid-to-late 1990s for the Blue Streaks. In 2021, the Blue Streaks accomplished their best season since 1967 when the Blue Streaks reached what was called the Semifinal round in Class B which was then the game before a state championship game. However, in the modern era of FHSAA football, no Sebring team had been past the Regional Semifinals round, but that changed this year when they reached the Class 5A State Semifinals before falling to eventual State Runner-Up Merritt Island. Scott and his Blue Streaks finished the season with a 9-4 overall record, the District 5A-12 Championship, and the Class 5A-Region 3 Championship.
Roland Smith, Miami Central
Smith who has been the head coach at Miami Central since 2013, led the Rockets to the third straight state championship, with this 2021 title coming in Class 5A. The Rockets took care of business winning the District 5A-15 Championship, the Class 5A-Region 4 Championship, defeating Miami Northwestern twice in the regular season to finish the season at 12-2 overall.
