SOUTHSIDE- Mandarin Mustang magic miraculously filled the Morocco Shrine Center from wall to wall. New faces were in familiar and unfamiliar places at the 2018-2019 Gateway Conference All-Sports Awards Banquet.
The Mustangs embodied mirror images of victory when the boys and girls teams would both become the Gateway Conference All-Sport Champions.
With an accumulated total of 181 points, Mandarin girls obtained a massive lead over runner up Sandalwood whom earned 156.5 points.
The Mandarin boys produced a slim lead of 135.5 points compared to Fletcher whom were close on the Mustang’s heels with 132.5 points.
Earlier in the year, head football coach Bobby Ramsay ignited the momentum by leading the football team to capture its first ever state title when they would defeat Columbus 37-35 in Orlando.
Quarterback Carson Beck, a University of Georgia commit, would be crowned Mr. Football in the state of Florida; while Demario Douglas caught a record breaking four touchdowns in the title game. Along with Beck and Douglas, Darien Oxendine, Zach Mills, Christian Warren, Kas Absolu were all named on the All-Conference football team.
Hopping onto the Mustang victory train, head coach Jason Cooley would lead the boys soccer team to a Gateway Conference title by defeating Fletcher. Ethan Alesch, Armin Cordic, Eddie Gomez and John Mason were all named on the All-Conference soccer team.
Natalia Rodriguez spear headed the softball team to win the Gateway Conference title by facing off against First Coast to capture the Gateway Conference Championship, their first since 2015-2016. Hallie Kern, Serena Hernandez, Jessica Urrutia and Ashley Wiebenga were all honored on the all-conference softball team. Kern received all-conference recognition all four years of her career.
Flag Football would defeat Stanton 18-7 to be crowned the Gateway Conference champions. Led by head coach Larry Yudin, Olivia Altman, Alexis Erb and Logan Gonzales were all honored as members of the all-conference team.
Mike Dingfield would dive into action with a double whammy when the boys and girls swim teams both won the Gateway Conference swim championships. The All-Conference girls swim team would consist of Allie Brinton, Kate Dingfield, Kameryn Mallison, Victoria Ortiz and Madison Price. Luke Dingfield, Sage Green, Gage Hulbert and Leo Matuszak would be named to the All-Conference boys swim team.
Once again, Mandarin would display Gateway Conference dominance as Sidney Dent would coach the Lady Mustangs into championship victory in girls cross country. Mikaela Brown, Sarah Brunnee, Genesis Ernest, Ajmone Myers and Alyssa Wyatt were each named as members of the All- Conference cross country team.
Jim Schmitt brought home two more conference titles as Mandarin succeeded in obtaining championships in both girls and boys track. Mikaela Brown, Katherine Harland, DaMoni Kelly, Ajmone’ Myers and Alyssa Wyatt were named to the All-Conference girls track team; while Jacques Guillaume, Connell Moseley, Jordan Perkins and Daquez Robinson were all named to the All-Conference boys track team.
Lifting heavy, the Lady Mustangs, coached by Kelly Townsend, won the Gateway Conference girls weightlifting championship by force. Shaquirah Bass, Hallie Kern, Viktoria Kim, Allie Newell and Zoe Newell were all named to the All-Conference weightlifting team.
Mandarin head coaches Jason Cooley, Jim Schmitt, Natalia Gonzalez, Larry Yudin , Sidney Dent and Mike Dingfield all received the Mike Houser Outstanding Coaches Award.
The Mustangs would make a bold statement stampeding through the season leaving behind whirlwinds and clouds embossed with remnants of green ,orange and white while many other witnessed a year which was out of sight.
