Top Texas coach to Florida? Electronic National Signing Day? Top national high school sports stories (3/27/2025)

High School On SI National High 5: Duncanville boys basketball coach David Peavy is reportedly headed to Southeastern Prep; Esports scholarships are on the rise

Duncanville vs. Houston Bellaire UIL Class 6A Division 1 championship game. Duncanville prevailed 54-52 but reportedly has lost his head coach David Peavy who has accepted a job in Florida. / Danny Grant

Welcome to the National High 5 from High School on SI, a daily look at five of the country's top, most talked about high school sports stories.

When applicable, we'll offer texture, context and even a little opinion. Enjoy the fifth installment.

1. Top Texas coach to Florida?

David Peavy, who recently departed his position as boys basketball coach at Duncanville (Texas), is reportedly set to be named the new head coach at Southeastern Prep in Florida. / David Peavy Instagram

The line from Texas to Florida and vice versa usually relates to football, but David Peavy, one of the nation's most renowned boys basketball coaches from Duncanville (Texas), is apparently making a move to The Sunshine State. Via High School On SI ace Andy Villamarzo, who is based in Florida, reports that Peavy will accept the head boys basketball job at Southeastern Prep in Orlando. That's according to Charles Campbell of HoopDFW.com. Peavy led the Panthers (27-7) to a state 6A-1 title earlier this month following a 54-52 win over Houston Belaire. He made national headlines in 2021-22 while leading Duncanville to a 35-1 record and another state 6A title, but he was then suspended the following season for using an ineligible player. Duncanville was also stripped of its state title. Since Peavy took over Duncanville in 2018, the Panthers have gone 200-32.

2. Esports rising

Head coach of the Lanphier esports team Adam Martin, seated, and team captain Christian Schneider, third from left, along with some of the other members of the esports team in their esports team area room Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. / Thomas J. Turney/The State Journal-Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With athletic scholarships for non elite high school standouts waning due to college transfer portals, new eligibility rules at junior colleges and sweet NIL deals, more kids are turning to esports (electronic sports), according to this report in the Post-Record of Southwest Washington. Participation has tripled over the last three years in Clark County, with Prairie High School sporting two varsity and one JV team. Colleges are now offering esport scholarships, one which was gobbled up by Prairie senior team captain Cody Sigler to Winthrop in South Carolina. "I played video games a lot growing up, but I never considered that it would help me get into college," he told the newspaper. Does that mean we'll be having National Electronic Signing Day?

3. Mater Dei new (flag) football power?

Mater Dei girls flag football celebrates after stunning previously unbeaten Orange Lutheran during the 2024 season. / Mater Dei Athletics

Southern California juggernaut Mater Dei has been a perennial national juggernaut on the gridiron for decades, and now the Monarchs think they can do the same sporting flags and ponytails while ditching the helmets. High School On SI SoCal ace Tarek Fattal reports that the hiring of new coach Kevin Morton signals a shift from local success to, well, as Morton says "what I believe will become the premier girls flag football program in the nation." Aim high, grab flags!

4. All that Jazzy

Clackamas senior Jazzy Davidson is the Mt. Hood Conference girls basketball player of the year. / Dan Brood

Nobody can spin a profile any better than High School on SI staff writer Todd Milles out of the great Northwest. With the McDonald’s All-American game less than a week away, he spent time with Clackamas (Ore.) super shooter, driver, distributor, defender Jazzy Davidson to get her impressions of future West teammates in New York. Remember to follow High School On SI's Myckena Guerrero who is in Brooklyn to cover all the McDonald's games festivities, starting Saturday.

5. Witches or Syrupmakers?

The Salem Witches (Massachusetts) take on the Cairo Syrupmakers (Georgia) in Round 2 of our national high school mascot tournament. / Graphic by Jesus Baca

Round 2 of High School On SI VP of Content Mike Swanson's national high school mascot bracket is underway, and one of this week's matchups pits the Salem Witches of Massachusetts against the Cairo Syrupmakers from Georgia. Talk about sweet and scary.

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