JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Despite the lack of suspense, Signing Day in 2017 is no less thrilling for hundreds of student-athletes and families throughout North Florida and South Georgia. High School sports have become such a focus that schools from all over the country have flocked here to find talent.
There’s no bigger class of signees this year than at Creekside High in St. Johns County. The Knights had 21 last year and this year they have 24 or more signees. And it’s not just football. Six cross-country runners from their state championship team will sign, two of them to the University of Florida. “It’s extremely humbling that this many kids are signing,” Athletic Directory Guy Harris said on Tuesday. “ I hope they take what they learned here at Creekside to the next phase of their lives. Harris has been the AD at Creekside since the beginning. The Knights have two athletes headed to the military academies.
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Right down the road, Ponte Vedra’s Nick Tronti is headed to Indiana. Tronti was named the 5A “Mr. Football” for 2016. It wasn’t until the Sharks headed for the state title game that Tronti received any Division I offers. He picked the Hoosiers over Arizona and others. His teammate, Marshall Few, is headed to Miami.
There’s a distinct military flair to the Bolles signing class with the three signees headed to the academies. Both Amari Terry and Cody Mercer will attend the Air Force Academy Prep School and Jack Lundgren will attend the Naval Academy Prep School. The most high profile signing of the year is the Bulldogs quarterback Mac Jones. He’s headed to Alabama after originally committing to Kentucky. Tide Head Coach Nick Saban dropped in, literally, to the Bolles campus in a helicopter to confirm Jones’ commitment last week.
Episcopal’s QB JoJo Brunell chose Georgetown before the season and is headed to DC to play for the Hoyas. “Excited to be committed to Georgetown University” was how he made the announcement in August on Twitter. The Eagles expect to have 16 signees on Wednesday, including Adam Boselli, their Tight End going to NC State.
Perhaps the most celebrated signing in the area is Rennia Davis going to Tennessee. Davis holds just about every record for the Ribault Lady Trojans basketball team and is a McDonald’s All-American. She scored her 2,000th point for Ribault this year. Joining her in the SEC next year will be teammate Day'Neshia Banks who will attend the University Of Mississippi.
As usual, signings will start early with 8 a.m. ceremonies scheduled at Raines, Sandalwood, and Hilliard. We’ll have full coverage and updates here at News4Jax.com as well as on Channel 4 throughout the day.