October 30, 2024
All-Pro in the Making? Mount Dora’s Shaddiel Torres Excels on the Field and in the Classroom
By Kyle Coppola
All-Pro in the Making? Mount Dora’s Shaddiel Torres Excels on the Field and in the Classroom
Mount Dora, FL — Mount Dora High School offensive lineman Shaddiel Torres has proven himself a dominant force on the field and in the classroom. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 300 pounds, the senior anchor of Mount Dora’s offensive line has not allowed a single sack in two consecutive seasons, a testament to his technical skill and formidable physical presence. Torres’ protection has helped running back Tymir Gaines produce a stellar season, highlighted by a recent 315-yard rushing performance with five touchdowns.
(Torres and the offensive line have helped junior running back Tymir Gaines to run for over 1,500 yards and 24 touchdowns in just 9 games. Photo Credit – Joe Ott Photography Fan Zone.)
Gaines has become a powerhouse in Mount Dora’s offense, racking up 1,553 total yards and 24 touchdowns. His breakout season owes much to the relentless blocking of Torres, who clears the way for big plays with his disciplined and precise execution at the line of scrimmage. This junior has been blocking NCAA Division 1 talent this season. “Shaddiel is a great kid. The last two summers he’s shown up before practice to work on his craft. He’s one of the nicest young men on campus but flips the switch on Friday nights. Shaddiel is an incredible leader and student of the game,” says head coach Luke Hutchinson.
(Torres #66 absolutely demolishes a South Lake High defender opening up a huge gap. Photo Credit – Joe Ott Photography Fan Zone.)
Speaking about being a student, Torres is equally committed to his academics, maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA. His dedication on and off the field makes him a standout student-athlete, setting a high standard for excellence as he eyes opportunities to continue his career at the collegiate level. This is the kind of player who NCAA college’s need to be scouting. He has quick footwork, is athletic for his size and he does not let defensive players into the backfield. ZERO SACKS allowed in two years against the talent he’s been going up against is amazing.
With both Torres and Gaines leading the charge, Mount Dora’s offensive unit continues to be a force to be reckoned with. Sitting at 8-1 and senior night coming up on Friday against The Villages, Mount Dora is looking to cap off an incredible regular season. Mount Dora High looks almost assured to make the FHSAA Playoffs ranked #14 in class 3A. A win against The Villages would likely assure a home playoff game as well which would be very exciting for the school.
As far as Torres goes we are so excited for this young man’s future. Love seeing our Lake County athletes having great success! Way to go Canes!
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
