Keys football teams faced an uphill battle this season, with opponents who took advantage of a more open transfer policy, allowing numerous mainland teams to recruit large pools of talent. Geographically incapable of much open transferring, Monroe County teams played with the athletes they had and still managed quite a bit of success against teams spanning from Fort Myers to Miami.
Coral Shores was the only school to boast a winning record this year, going 6-4 including a win against Marathon. The ’Canes had an arsenal of weapons on both sides of the ball and managed to outscore their opponents 319-202. Coral Shores graduates multiple seniors, many of whom were key this season, but returns plenty of talent for the 2024 season.
Key West ended its season 3-7, going 1-2 in a district that spans a five-hour driving radius. The Conchs had a full schedule of FHSAA District 16 2S (Suburban) action and did not play against another Monroe County team this season. They graduate numerous multi-year varsity athletes, including their quarterback and star kicker, but should be able to heal in the offseason to reinvigorate their depth chart, which suffered due to a multitude of injuries. When fully healthy, the Conchs look to be a strong contender next fall.
Marathon went 2-8 this season as they fought hard to hang with larger schools and rosters with greater experience. The young team graduates just two seniors, and the vast amount of playing time the underclassmen experienced will certainly help them next fall. The Fins showed tenacity and an unwillingness to back down whatever the odds. Look for Marathon to improve in each of their next three seasons – 11 of their 31 rostered athletes were freshmen.
MVP
AJ Putetti
Junior, Coral Shores
Running Back/Free Safety
Coral Shores’ AJ Putetti stacked up an incredible 735 yards on the ground with 9 rushing touchdowns, 14 receptions for 172 yards in the air and 1 receiving touchdown. Quick on his feet with agility to boot, Putetti’s greatest quality just might be his physicality. When opponents did manage to catch him, they had a lot of trouble bringing him down. When the quarterback went down with an injury, Putetti went 3 for 5 in passing in a role he quickly added to his repertoire. Defensively, Putetti had 42 solo tackles, 21 assists, 6 pass breakups, 1 forced fumble and 3 interceptions, two of which he took to the house. After success in running, passing and tackling, Putetti added kicking to his skillset, tacking an extra point onto a touchdown he scored. He has a natural leadership quality which sets him apart from the pack even further.
Yemcel Moreno
Junior, Coral Shores
Quarterback/Linebacker
The starting signal caller for Coral Shores saw action in eight games this season before an injury sidelined him. Moreno amassed 356 passing yards and 161 rushing yards and had 5 touchdowns credited to him. His ability to break a tackle and go the extra distance on offense, coupled with his ability to deliver hits on defense, made Moreno an asset for the Hurricanes.
Robert “RJ” Dube
Senior, Coral Shores
Running Back/Linebacker
Offensively, Dube rushed for 101 yards this season and had five catches for 51 yards and a pair of TDs. Defensively is where he had the greatest impact, though. Dube chalked up 61 solo tackles and was part of 25 others. He wreaked havoc with his pass-rushing by breaking up 6 passes, blocking 2 punts, causing a fumble and catching an interception.
Eddie Holly
Junior, Coral Shores
Offensive Lineman/Linebacker
Holly, a 6’3”, 220-pound lineman, proved that the big guys can also move. He was credited with 83 solo tackles, had part of 51 more and added pressure to the opposition all season long. Holly’s stats include 3 sacks and a forced fumble in his role as linebacker. Offensively, his blocking was crucial to the ’Canes’ scoring this season.
Jamoris Davis
Junior, Coral Shores
Wide Receiver/Linebacker
Davis was an adept receiver on a team full of offensive weapons. He managed to shine brightest on defense with 50 solo tackles, 29 assists and 19 pressures of the opposing QB. Davis sacked the quarterback 11 times this season and recovered a fumble as well.
Dantay Diorio
Junior, Coral Shores
Wide Receiver/Linebacker
At wide receiver, Diorio had 9 receptions for 170 yards and 2 touchdowns. He rushed 80 times for 750 ground yards and 14 rushing TDs, totaling 920 all-purpose yards this season. Diorio’s stats do not end there; on defense he racked up 39 solo tackles, 9 assists, 3 tackles for losses, a pair of pressures, 5 blocked passes, a sack and an interception. Much to the dismay of his opponents, Diorio returns next season for the ’Canes.
Isaac Holmes
Senior, Coral Shores
Wide Receiver/Linebacker
Holmes was responsible for a total of 8 touchdowns for the ’Canes in his senior season. He had 8 catches for 202 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He rushed for 383 yards on the ground, scoring four TDs on his feet, and was 12 for 27 passing, hooking up with other receivers twice for an additional pair of passing touchdowns. Davis was also credited with a 2-point conversion, making him an offensive threat in all manners of play.
Eddie Moline
Senior, Key West
Offensive Tackle/Linebacker
Senior lineman Eddie Moline created wide swaths of real estate to help the Conchs rush for nearly 3,500 yards this season. His stats include 43 tackles, three of which were for a loss.
Walson Morin
Junior, Key West
Running Back
Morin rushed for 966 yards this season. The agile junior averaged 11 yards per carry, resulting in 11 touchdowns. A truly stealthy athlete with plenty of speed, Morin returned one kickoff 95 yards for a Conch TD. Morin returns next season for more action with Key West.
Adrian Mira
Senior, Key West
Quarterback/Linebacker
Key West’s signal caller chalked up 284 passing yards this season, connecting for 7 touchdowns in the air, but speed and brutish running were Mira’s strong suit this season. He ran for 689 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground, giving Key West a dual-threat QB.
Noah Mercer
Sophomore, Key West
Tight End/Defensive End
Just a sophomore, Key West’s Noah Mercer disrupted opposing teams with 48 tackles, seven for a loss, plus a pair of sacks to his credit. Offensively, the tight end had two receptions, both for touchdowns and a total of 56 receiving yards this season. Mercer returns for two more seasons to further develop his skills with the Conchs.
Marco Davila
Senior, Key West
Kicker
In his three years on Key West’s roster, senior kicker Marco Davila has been consistent, making the point-after attempts an afterthought for the Conchs. This season he tacked on 31 in 32 attempts. In his career, he was 55 for 60. He booted the ball into the end zone 23 times on kickoffs this season alone, a number which, when added to his previous numbers, set a new record for Key West. Davila now holds the career touchback record with 43. Multiple colleges are wooing Davila in hopes of adding the dynamic kicker to their rosters.
Clerff Alexandre
Senior, Key West
Running Back/Cornerback
Clerff Alexandre helped lock down the Conchs’ defense with 30 tackles this season. The senior running back rushed for 524 yards, averaging over 10 yards per carry. Using his explosive speed, Alexandre crossed the goal line twice this season for a pair of TDs.
Jaden Fox
Junior, Key West
Running Back/Linebacker
Truly a workhorse, Key West’s Jaden Fox rushed for 507 yards this season, despite missing multiple games due to a series of injuries. The junior running back refused to go down, earning extra yards for the Conchs with each carry. He racked up four touchdowns for Key West this season, averaging 6.8 yards per carry. On defense, he registered 27 tackles, two of which were for losses.
Carlos Lezcano
Junior, Marathon
Tailback/Linebacker
Marathon’s go-to man on offense, Lezcano is a dependable passer and rusher. The dual-threat tailback led the Fins in both this season, passing for 371 yards and rushing for 558 for 929 all-purpose yards for Marathon. Lezcano is a dedicated athlete who was praised for never missing a single practice all season and always showing up ready to work.
Braulio Garcia
Junior, Marathon
B-Back/Linebacker
Garcia was a two-year lineman for Marathon and made the transition to B-back and linebacker appear effortless. He improved each game, becoming one of the Fins’ deadliest threats on the ground, refusing to go down and willing extra yards for his team with each carry. The honor student is described as tough and with good instincts, which helped him amass 392 yards on the ground and 7 touchdowns this season. Defensively, he had 22 tackles, 13 of which were solo.
Tanner Ross
Junior, Marathon
Fullback/Linebacker
Fins fullback Tanner Ross ran for 311 yards for Marathon this season, using his speed and physicality to break tackles and move the chains for his team. He is as strong mentally as physically and used his intellect to find success for Marathon in situations which otherwise seemed hopeless. The hard-working junior gives 100% effort 100% of the time. His coach describes his greatest asset as his heart, saying that he conducts himself in a manner which inspires others on and off the field.
Eduardo Garcia
Sophomore, Marathon
Lineman
Just a sophomore, Ed Garcia is already a staple for Marathon’s offensive and defensive lines. Garcia spent the summer in the weight room preparing for his sophomore season, and his hard work proved worthwhile, helping him register 6 solo tackles and a sack while holding the line for Marathon. He is described as an excellent student athlete who is dependable and hard-working with an unstoppable motor.
Fabbianho Louis Jeune
Junior, Marathon
Wingback/ Safety/Kicker
A jack of all trades, Louis Jeune, known by most as simply “Fab,” never left the field this season. Offensively, he rushed for 344 yards and received another 301 for 645 all-purpose yards for Marathon. Defensively, he boasts 50 tackles, 37 of which were solo, plus 2 interceptions. As the Fins’ kicker, he had 9 extra points and 1 field goal. He made that one count, though, as it split the uprights at 51 yards out for a new school record. His team looks to him as a leader and Fins fans look to him as a playmaker, knowing that when Fab has the ball, anything can happen.
Matthew Delgado
Sophomore, Marathon
Lineman
Delgado anchored the offensive line at Marathon this season, playing outside tackle in the single wing offense, a position described as the “tip of the spear.” The Fins’ entire running game hinged on Delgado’s ability to do his job, and he did not disappoint. Just a sophomore, he improved each game and has been putting in the work this offseason to lay the groundwork for a solid junior campaign.
