High school recruiting watch: Jackson OT Deryc Plazz commits to Penn State football
Deryc Plazz is heading from the St. Johns River to Happy Valley.
The rising senior offensive lineman at Jackson became Jacksonville's latest football star to commit to Penn State, announcing his plans for the Nittany Lions on Twitter.
The 6-foot-5, 280-pound Plazz, who is often projected as a tackle but has the versatility to play guard as well, becomes the city's third Penn State commit in the class. Mandarin defensive back duo A.J. Belgrave-Shorter and Jon Mitchell previously selected Penn State.
The 247Sports composite and On3 industry ranking both list Plazz as a three-star prospect and a top-75 offensive tackle recruit nationwide, and his commitment helped boost Penn State to sixth in the 247Sports team recruiting ranking.
Plazz helped the Tigers to a district championship in 2022, and also lined up on the interior on the court for Jackson's perennially strong boys basketball program.
Penn State already has one Northeast Florida player on the roster in Cam Miller from Trinity Christian, who signed in the 2022 class.
Carns, Daneault, Fernald named All-State
Prep Baseball Report named three Jacksonville-area athletes to its All-State first team for the 2023 season.
First Coast junior catcher Hunter Carns, St. Johns Country Day junior outfielder Kody Daneault and Columbia senior pitcher/infielder Josh Fernald all received first-team selections.
The second team included St. Johns Country Day junior outfielder Kyle Boylston and Sandalwood senior pitcher Cooper Whited, while third-team honorees included Providence pitcher/third baseman Brett Dennis, Trinity Christian outfielder Brady Harris and Bishop Snyder pitcher Aidan King.
Fernald also placed second in balloting for the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 5A player of the year award, behind only Wes Mendes of Tampa Jesuit.
First Coast Varsity Weekly: Spring football win worth wait for University Christian
Kardatzke, Stroud score softball awards
University Christian is picking up two more softball honors.
Junior pitcher Sophia Kardatzke was voted Florida Dairy Farmers Class 2A player of the year after leading UC to its first-ever FHSAA championship, and longtime head coach Keith Stroud won Class 2A coach of the year.
Kardatzke finished the year 21-1 with a 1.35 ERA and 219 strikeouts, along with a .662 batting average, 13 doubles, seven home runs and 50 RBI, and Stroud won his first FHSAA head coaching title after more than three decades leading multiple sports.
Both now move into the statewide balloting for later this month.
Baldwin's Jennifer Shields also finished third in voting for Class 3A softball coach of the year.
Episcopal's Adams wins scholar-athlete award
Episcopal senior Kate Adams received the Florida High School Athletic Association's top academic honor Tuesday, the Ronald N. Davis Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, along with Hyatt Criser of Tampa Plant.
A four-sport athlete who has competed in basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball and lacrosse for the Eagles, Adams earned recognition as a National Merit Scholar, an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction and recipient of two Silver Keys at the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
The award includes $4,600 in scholarship money in addition to the $1,700 scholarship that comes from selection to the Florida Dairy Farmers Academic All-State team.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Deryc Plazz: Jackson offensive tackle commits to Penn State football
