Seminole High (Sanford) captures Florida High School 7v7A State Championship

THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA – Bokey turned out to be red-hot this summer, especially on the football field.

Seminole High, which long has treasured and used the historical name of Bokey, which became the rallying call for migrant workers riding the train to the coveted stop of Sanford decades ago, rode the hot hand of quarterback Luke Rucker to go 10-0 and win the Florida High School 7v7A State Championship at The Villages Polo Grounds on June 24-25.

The two-day tournament, which consisted of two days of pool-play action and a single-elimination tournament, drew dozens of schools from across Florida. It marked the second unbeaten finish this summer for Seminole, which also won the Florida State University 7v7 Tournament on June 15.

Seminole, which last fall advanced to the Class 8A regional finals before losing to Apopka in overtime, competed in five 7v7 events this summer, winning two and finishing as runner-up in another.

“We did not lose more than once in any tournament,” Seminole High coach Eric Lodge said. “At the tournaments we won, we went undefeated. The normal guys that play in the fall are the same ones that play 7v7.

“Playing 7v7 allows us to sharpen our skills as an offense with our passing game and allows us to get a ton of reps in coverage as a defense."

Seminole opened the summer by advancing to the tournament quarterfinals of the UCF 7v7 on June 8. The next day, Seminole lost in the final of the USF 7v7 in Tampa.

Bokey then traveled to Tallahassee where it defeated 7v7 power Ocala Vanguard for the FSU 7v7 championship on June 15. The next weekend, Seminole ventured to Gainesville where it lost in the UF 7v7 semifinals on June 22.

Seminole used the nickname “Bokey” in winning the FHS7v7A title. Bokey went 5-0 on the first day of pool play, beating Umatilla, 31-9; Mount Dora, 25-0; Bishop Moore Catholic, 16-12; Wesley Chapel-Wiregrass Ranch, 26-0; and West Orange, 18-17,

In the single elimination tournament, Bokey beat South Lake, 29-10, in the second round; Columbia, 26-6, in the third round; and Palmetto, 33-6, in the fourth round.

Bokey then edged Port St. Lucie Centennial, 14-9, in the semifinals and beat St. Augustine, 24-14, for the championship. St. Augustine had stunned two-time defending champion Ocala Vanguard, 24-19, in the other semifinal.

Joining Rucker as the main players on Bokey’s offense were Goldie Lawrence, Michael Key, Marvin Brown, Justin Rosado, Deon Butler, and Kenyon Holden on offense.

Rucker is committed to Florida Atlantic University, while Lawrence, a wide receiver, is committed to FSU.

On defense, the top players for Bokey were Ethan Pritchard, Jordyn Perkins, Tavari Hampton, Daravious Williams, Antonio Simpson, Cori Smith, Juan Berchal, and Chasen Johnson.

Seminole, which won the state title in 2020, is expected to be ranked in the top 10 in Florida’s biggest class (4 Metro) this fall. The Seminoles return 13 players from a team that went 11-2 and narrowly missed advancing to the Class 8A state semifinals.

Lodge said 16 players from last year’s squad signed college scholarships. Star defensive player Kameron Moore and twin defensive backs Ja’cari and Demari Henderson both went to UCF.