The accolades continue for Alachua County football.
The finalists for the 2023 Florida Dairy Farmers Mr. Football and Football Coach of the Year have been announced following balloting by a statewide panel of high school football coaches and prep media representatives.
Following an unbeaten season and a second straight Class 1R state title, Hawthorne quarterback C.J. Ingram has been named the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 1R Player of the Year, while Buchholz linebacker/running back Myles Graham has been named the 4S POY.
Ingram, who is 25-0 as a starter, led the Hornets to a 13-0 record this past fall by completing 128-of-199 passes for 2,618 yards with 38 TDs and 7 interceptions. He also rushed for 333 yards on 62 carries (5.4 AVG) with 6 TDs.
Despite three picks in the title game, Ingram and the Hornets defeated Madison County, 22-13, to win their second straight state championship.
“We faced some adversity,” Ingram said following the game. “I had a bad first half but with the teammates and coaches that I have it wasn’t even work no more. I was just having fun. They took all of the pressure off of me and I’m just happy to have them as teammates…throughout the week my dad said you shouldn’t want the game to be easy.”
His dad, head coach Cornelius Ingram, was named the 1R Coach of the Year.
In eight years, he has compiled an 83-19 record with a pair of state titles including back-to-back state runner-up finishes in 2020-21.
Ingram, who was named the Mainstreet Daily News Coach of the Year last year for the third straight year, was also recognized as the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 1R Coach of the Year last year.
Graham, who signed with the University of Florida on Tuesday, was second on the Bobcats with 82 tackles and he was third on the team with nine tackles for a loss. He also added three sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble.
“He’s a guy that leads by example,” said first-year Buchholz head coach Chuck Bell, who finished second in the voting for the Class 4S Coach of the Year. “Since day one he was the first one in the weight room in the morning, the last to leave the locker room in the evenings, a guy that showed people that if you want to be one of the best in the country it’s more than just showing up.”
Graham, who is the son of former Gator running back Earnest Graham, is the No. 13 overall senior in Florida according to 247Sports.
In addition to his play on the defensive side of the ball, he also rushed for 598 yards on 62 carries (9.65 yards per carry), including 204 yards and a career-best 97-yard touchdown run in the 4S-District 3 opener against Creekside (St. Johns).
“It was fun,” Graham said. “There’s nothing like scoring touchdowns. I’m mainly a defensive player but running and scoring touchdowns was fun too.”
Buchholz came up just short of its first trip to the state title game since 1990, falling at home to eventual state champion Lakeland, 21-20, in the 4S state semifinals.
“They had an unbelievable year,” the elder Graham said. “It was an amazing season. They’ll talk about it for a while, the one they let get away, but it doesn’t take away from what they did. They definitely made history this year.”
Every finalist was the leading vote-getter in his classification, making each one the Player of the Year or Coach of the Year in his class. The two overall winners (Mr. Football and Coach of the Year) will be announced following a final round of balloting by coaches and media.
Bradford (Starke) coach Jamie Rodgers was runner-up for the Class 2S Coach of the Year behind Ryan Schneider of Cocoa. The Tornadoes (14-1) won a program record 14 games before losing to Cocoa in the 2S state championship game.
Williston’s Robby Pruitt, who led the Red Devils (11-1) to their second straight unbeaten regular season and a spot in the 1R-Region 4 Final, finished third in the voting for the 1R COY, while Fort White’s Demetric Jackson finished fifth.
Oak Hall coach R.J. Fuhr was fourth in the voting for the Independent COY.
2023 Mr. Football Finalists:
Tramell Jones, Junior, Quarterback, Mandarin, Class 4M Player of the Year
Led his team to an 11-4 record and a state runnerup finish by completing 183-of-302 passes for 3,195 yards with 33 TDs and 7 interceptions. Jones has committed to Florida State University.
Myles Graham, Senior, Linebacker-Running Back, Buchholz, Class 4S Player of the Year
Led his team to a 13-1 record and a spot in the state Final Four, rushing for 600 yards on 62 carries with 17 TDs while on defense he had 82 tackles (36 solo), 9 TFL, 3 sacks and 7 hurries. Signed with the University of Florida.
Joshua Townsend, Senior, Quarterback, Homestead, Class 3M Player of the Year
Led his team to a 12-2 record and a state runner-up finish by completing 186-of-266 passes for 3,533 yards with 42 TDs and 10 interceptions. Also rushed for 496 yards and 4 TDs.
Lawal (LJ) McCray, Senior, Defensive End, Mainland, Class 3S Player of the Year
Helped team to a 14-1 record and the Class 3S state championship with 77 tackles (48 solo) and had 37 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, 3 caused fumbles, a fumble recovery and an interception. Signed with the University of Florida.
Ennio Yapoor, Junior, Quarterback, Norland, Class 2M Player of the Year
Helped his team to a 14-1 record and a state runner-up finish by completing 205-of-297 passes for 4,270 yards with 30 TDs and 4 interceptions. Rushed for 793 yards on 102 carries (7.8 avg.) with 12 TDs.
Jayvan Boggs, Junior, Wide Receiver, Cocoa, Class 2S Player of the Year
Helped his team to a 14-1 record and the Class 2S state championship with 93 receptions for 1,493 yards (16.1 avg.) and led the state with 23 TD catches. Boggs has committed to Ohio State University.
Cedrick Bailey, Senior, Quarterback, Chaminade-Madonna, Class 1M Player of the Year
Last year’s Class 1M Player-of-the-Year led his team to a 14-0 record and its second straight Class 1M state title by completing 215-of-301 passes for 3,125 yards with 47 TDs and 6 interceptions. Rushed for 253 yards with 2 TDs. Signed with North Carolina State University.
J.P. Pickles, Senior, Quarterback, North Florida Christian, Class 1S Player of the Year
Led his team to a 9-4 record and the state Final Four by completing 198-of-355 passes for 2,891 yards with 27 TDs and 9 interceptions. Rushed for 1,249 yards on 150 carries and 13 TDs. Signed with University of Texas-El Paso (UTEP).
C.J. Ingram, Junior, Quarterback, Hawthorne, Class 1R Player of the Year
Led his team to a 13-0 record and a second straight Class 1R state championship by completing 128-of-199 passes for 2,618 yards with 38 TDs and 7 interceptions. Rushed for 333 yards on 62 carries and 6 TDs.
Anthony Barbar, Senior, Quarterback, Westminster Academy, Independent Player of the Year
Completed 192-of-276 passes for 3,212 yards with 32 TDs and 7 interceptions. Rushed for 607 yards and 9 TDs.
2023 Football Coach of the Year Finalists:
Dave Dunn, Miami Columbus, Class 4M Coach of the Year
Led his squad to a 13-2 record and its second straight Class 4M state title. In seven years at Columbus he has compiled a 74-17 record, including another state title in 2019.
Marvin Frazier, Lakeland, Class 4S Coach of the Year
In his first year as head coach after replacing 8-time state title winner Bill Castle, Frazier led his team to a 12-3 record and its second straight Class 4S state title.
Roger Harriott, St. Thomas Aquinas, Class 3M Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 14-1 record and the Class 3M state title, its fifth consecutive championship. In nine years at Aquinas, Harriott has posted a 112-11 record with seven state titles and two state runner-up finishes.
Travis Roland, Mainland, Class 3S Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 14-1 record and the Class 3S state title. It was the school’s first state championship since 2003. In three years at Mainland, Roland has posted a 30-10 record with a state runner-up finish in 2022.
Dominick Ciao, Berkeley Prep, Class 2M Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 13-2 record and the Class 2M state championship. It was Berkeley’s first state title, and the first in Ciao’s 34-year coaching career. In 17 years at Berkeley, Ciao has compiled a 135-54 record, including a state-title game appearance in 2021. His overall career record is 267-114.
Ryan Schneider, Cocoa, Class 2S Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 14-1 record and its second straight Class 2S state title. In six years at Cocoa, he has compiled a 63-9 record with state runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2021.
Dameon Jones, Chaminade-Madonna, Class 1M Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 14-0 record and a second straight Class 1M state title. In eight years at Chaminade he has posted a 93-13 record with six state titles and two state runner-up finishes. In 18 years (10 at Hallandale) he has a 167-30 record.
Jared Clark, Cardinal Mooney, Class 1S Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 12-2 record and the Class 1S state title. It was the school’s first state title since 1972. In four years as Mooney’s head coach, Clark has compiled a 28-20 record.
Cornelius Ingram, Hawthorne, Class 1R Coach of the Year
Led his team to a 13-0 record and its second straight Class 1R state title. In eight years, he has compiled an 83-19 record with back-to-back state runner-up finishes in 2020-21.
Garrett Kruczek, The Master’s Academy, Independent Coach of the Year
In his first year as head coach, led his team to a 9-2 record and the Sunshine State Athletic Association title.