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2017 Central Florida 85 Nos. 51-68: Big Expectations

By Philip Rossman-Reich

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - April 23: Giles Barnes #14 of Orlando City SC in action during the New York City FC Vs Orlando City SC regular season MLS game at Yankee Stadium on April 23, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - April 23: Giles Barnes #14 of Orlando City SC in action during the New York City FC Vs Orlando City SC regular season MLS game at Yankee Stadium on April 23, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images) /
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66. Linnea Goodman, UCF Softball

Monday, I introduced several players on UCF’s nascent softball program. But no player may be more important to the team than Linnea Goodman. The senior outfielder led the team in hits with 55 hits. She batted .352, second-best on the team and drove in 22 RBIs.

65. Steve Reece, Oak Ridge High School
64. Michael Devoe, Montverde Academy
63. Antwann Jones, Oak Ridge High School

Oak Ridge has struggled to find its fit among the big high schools in the Central Florida area. But they finally broke through last year.

Last year, the Pioneers made their presence felt, going 22-5 and reaching the Regional Finals for Class 9A. O’Neil Lubin, a former player named interim coach, helped turn the program around, it seemed, in his first year. It was a veteran roster and helped Oak Ridge continue on. The team surprisingly decided not to renew his contract, turning things over to Steve Reece.

Reece, a former travel team coach, takes over a very talented team that is hoping to make good on its state championship hopes from last year.

Michael Devoe was the star of that Oak Ridge team. Devoe is a four-star prospect, according to Rivals, with offers from the Florida Gators, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Ohio State Buckeyes and Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He averaged 18.9 points per game and 6.8 assists per game. Devoe transferred to Montverde Academy, a powerhouse in the local area.

The Pioneers will keep Antwann Jones, who was dismissed from the team last year. He is expected to return to the team this year. Jones is a four-star prospect, according to 247Sports, and the 63rd best prospect in the country. But his recruiting has slowed some after the way his season ended last year.

62. Williams Barnes, Apopka High School

Apopka High School continues to be a power in the Central Florida area. The Blue Darters have been a mainstay for the state championship game. Last year was a disappointment after Apopka lost in the first round of the state playoffs to Timber Creek.

But Apopka is still the power for the area. The triple option offense the Blue Darters run still drives everyone in the area crazy and leads to their dominance. And so Williams Barnes anchors the offensive line of one of the best rushing attacks in the state. The four-star offensive tackle is the sixth-rated offensive lineman in the country and the 10th-best overall prospect in Florida.

61. Gersino Lubin, Wekiva High School

Wekiva High School made history last year reaching the state semifinals for the first time in school history. The Mustangs fell to Osceola in the championship game, but no one was upset with their season. The turnaround was surprising after Wekiva went 15-12 in 2016. The Mustangs were a veteran squad last year. A repeat of last year’s surprising state tournament run will be difficult.