'Waiting for this all my life': College signing arrives for Ribault's Caleb Williams
It's not every day that Ribault cheers for a basketball star wearing red.
But on Wednesday's spring signing day, Trojan backers savored this moment along with Caleb Williams, even if a red cap after four years in blue felt a little different from the norm.
"I've been waiting for this all my life," he said.
With pen in hand and the red cap of his new college on his head, the Ribault senior signed his national letter of intent Wednesday for college basketball at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, charting a course for the Patriot League after a sterling career on the Trojans' court.
Williams was one of two Ribault honorees in the morning, along with Eureka signee Johnnie Braziel in football.
For Williams and his supporters on stage — his mother, Joi Brinson, his coach and stepfather, Charles Showers, and Ribault athletic director William Griffin — it's a moment that once seemed like a distant dream.
"People told us that he would never play Division I," Showers said. "And that's what he did."
Williams, who led the Trojans to the Florida High School Athletic Association final four in 2022-23, scored more than 1,500 points and 600 assists during his four years at Ribault.
"This has been one of my dreams checked off," Williams said. "Now I'm just ready to get up there to Pennsylvania and make some noise."
More signings from early events during the preceding week through Wednesday morning:
Bolles: Cole Breuer, Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, men's track; Caleb Brigman, Jacksonville University, men's track; Jaden Bunt, Seton Hall, men's swimming; Suki Burgstiner, Tampa, women's swimming; Bryce Hogan, Sewanee, men's lacrosse; Lee Krotee, Air Force, men's lacrosse; Miles Rivera, Iona, men's track; Madison Russell, Nova Southeastern, women's swimming; Carson Shockley, Delaware, football.
Episcopal: Kathryn Almond, Florida Southern, volleyball.
Menendez: Kiali Olivier, Daytona State College, volleyball.
Ribault: Johnnie Braziel, Eureka, football; Caleb Williams, Lafayette, men's basketball.
St. Joseph: Gavin Comer, Trinity Baptist, baseball; Talan McDonald, Trinity Baptist, baseball; Aiden Torrez, New Orleans, baseball.
Bucs' Carns bashes Gateway walk-off
Highlight time arrived at Gateway Conference baseball on Tuesday night, courtesy of Hunter Carns.
The All-First Coast player of the year for 2023 and a nationally-ranked Florida State commit, Carns blasted a walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth to lift First Coast past visiting Wolfson, 2-1.
The homer was the fifth of the year for Carns, who is now one away from 20 on the season despite getting walked more than ever in 2024.
Also in Gateway quarters, Anthony Brown doubled twice and Dominick Patruno pitched into the seventh to down 2023 tournament winner Sandalwood, 4-2; Coron Davis hurled a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts to lead Fletcher past Baldwin, 2-0; and Atlantic Coast turned in a balanced, efficient game at the plate to beat Mandarin, 10-3.
The event now moves to Fort Family Park on the Southside for Thursday's semifinals, with Fletcher to meet Atlantic Coast at 4 p.m. and then Englewood to play First Coast at 7.
UC, Oakleaf score major wins
Tuesday: night of the upset.
Northeast Florida's unbeatens went down in a wild night of baseball and softball to jumble the local rankings.
Gateway Conference champion Baldwin's 18-game softball streak ended, 4-2, at the hands of Oakleaf. The Knights jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with help from an Amya Mirelez home run, and superb pitching by Charlotte Maddox (complete game, four hits, no walks, seven strikeouts) slammed the door from there.
On the baseball diamond, it was the turn of University Christian to inflict a 3-2 stunner against Trinity Christian, which was No. 1 in the state and had yet to lose a game against Florida opposition.
Camden Harnage came through with the game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh, backing up 6 1/3 ace innings from two-way UC standout Caden Worbington.
Suwannee in prime position for weightlifting
Maybe it's time to ready that trophy cabinet in Live Oak.
State boys weightlifting begins Friday at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, one year after Fleming Island, Keystone Heights and Suwannee all took home team championships.
Suwannee enters as the area's main overall title challenger after a dominant performance at their Class 1A regionals two weeks ago. Chris Gonzalez, Marquavious Owens and Sam Wainwright enter as No. 1 qualifiers overall in Class 1A for both Olympic and traditional lifts.
Among the additional storylines is a first regional championship on record for Ponte Vedra boys weightlifting, won in the 238-pound traditional division by Landon Okla.
Locals with No. 1 overall seed weights in their respective divisions include Colton Conner of Hilliard (1A, 139), Wyatt Van Zant of Keystone Heights (1A, 139), Trey Jeffries of Keystone Heights (1A, 238), Josh Senear of Middleburg (2A, 169), Sam Lewis of Nease (3A, 129), Spencer Haak of Providence (1A, 183) and Coen Brehmer of Yulee (2A, 119).
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Caleb Williams: Ribault guard signs with Lafayette College basketball
