The Santa Fe (Alachua) volleyball team entered the 2023 FHSAA state playoffs as 2-time defending state champions.
Senior Jordan Czaplewski helped put her team in position to make another run by leading the Raiders to a pair of regional wins last week.
She has been recognized as the Pavlik Orthodontics Athlete of the Week for the week of Oct. 23.
The senior had 40 kills in two games as the Raiders won a pair of regional playoff games to advance to the Class 4A-Region 2 Final.
Czaplewski had 23 kills in a 25-12, 25-11, 25-16 win at home last Tuesday against Titusville in the opening round of the 4A state playoffs, followed by 17 kills and 20 digs in a sweep of McKeel Academy (Lakeland) in the regional semifinals.
“She carried our team, especially against McKeel because they were way more talented than people thought they were,” said Santa Fe coach Eric Marshall. “They were the team we were really concerned about, so for her, she carried our team front row and back row.”
She was leading the Raiders in kills with 340 heading into Wednesday night’s regional final at top seed Bishop Moore (Orlando).
“Jordan comes from not being known as a leader because she’s never had to be, to being forced into that role on my team and she handled it very well,” Marshall said. “She played her heart out last night too. She always gives me 100% and what I love most about her is that she is very similar to me in the fact that she is so competitive. She hates to fail and lose. I love coaching kids like that.”
Santa Fe’s season came to an end last night in the Class 4A-Region 2 Final with a 25-11, 28-26, 27-25 loss against the Hornets (22-8), who advanced to next week’s final four in Winter Haven. The Raiders’ season ended at 21-9.
Czaplewski becomes the 10th athlete to be selected for the weekly award.
Last week’s winner was Jace McDonald of the Williston football team.
McDonald rushed for 222 yards and four touchdowns on only nine carries as the Red Devils defeated previously unbeaten Class 2S Hudson, 49-18, to improve to 8-0. The senior averaged 24.7 yards per carry and also added a tackle and defended a pass on defense.
Other winners include Nash Lantinen of the St. Francis Catholic Academy football team, Oak Hall setter/right side hitter Cassidy McDonald, Oak Hall quarterback Dakota Brower, GHS quarterback Kane Smith, Buchholz football player Myles Graham, Hawthorne wide receiver Alvon Isaac, Chiefland running back Osten Jones, and Newberry volleyball player Hailey Tharp.
Coaches can email their nominations each week, along with stats, no later than Sunday night to mike.ridaught@mainstreetdailynews.com