By Kyle Coppola
South Sumter Raider Football Players Sign Letters of Commitment!
Raider Football Players Headed To Next Level
The South Sumter Raiders went 10-0 in the regular season this year! One of the best teams the Raiders has ever had in recent memory, has resulted in a handful of players getting an opportunity to play at the next level. Raiders head coach Ty Lawrence did an incredible job coaching these young men this season. This was an entire team effort to get the Raiders to the Regional Championship. The players you are about to see earned the right to play at the next level. Down below you will see where the players are headed next!
Eian Finkley – Iowa Central Community College
Finkley had a fantastic year, it’s no wonder he gets an opportunity at the next level. The Quarterback for the Raiders was a serious threat to teams all season long. Finkley attempted 152 passes this season for a total of 1,420 yards of total offense. Finley also added 18 touchdowns while averaging 19 yards per throw.
Eian Finkley
Finkley often left the pocket and ran the ball as well. The duel threat quarterback had nearly 500 yards on the ground. His total amount of offense was right around the 2,000 yard mark. He added 6 touchdowns on the ground this season which means he scored 24 touchdowns overall.
This player meant business this year and it’s the reason he will get an opportunity to excel at Iowa Central. This is a big time in Finkley’s life as he transitions from High School to the next level. We wish Finkley and his family the best of luck as he continues his Academic and Athletic career! Congratulations Eian!
Jawarrren Corbin – Iowa Central Community College
Corbin was a force to be reckoned with this season. His defensive mindset was incredible. He is one of the main reasons that South Sumter won 12 games in a row. Corbin was one heck of a defensive standout. He had a team leading 78 total tackles while assisting with 56 of them which also lead the team.
(Corbin played in the FACA All-Star Game in December.)
Corbin had 6 sacks this season and pressured the opposing quarterbacks often. He was a standout because of his quickness. He was able to instantly recognize plays, which allowed him to rush to the ball carrier and get him to the ground. Corbin should do very well at Iowa Central.
What a week it’s been for ICCC! They get two amazing athletes coming to their program both from The South Sumter Raiders! We want to congratulate the Corbin family on Jawarren’s continued academic and athletic career. We can’t wait to see what this kid is capable of.
Elijiah Adams – Southeastern University
Adams is headed to Southeastern University. Adams played wide receiver for the Raiders this season. He totalled 14 receptions for 284 total yards and 4 touchdowns. Don’t let the low volume fool you, this guy is a great open field player. South Sumter ran the ball a lot this year.
(Adams stands with his family on senior night.)
Adams was second in receiving yards only to sophomore Stanley Young who had 332 yards. Adams was always reliable and he averaged 20 yards per catch which are amazing numbers considering the low volume coming his way. Each game Adams made the most of his opportunities and it showed.
Adams heads to Southeastern to further his playing and academic career. We are proud of Elijiah for representing Lake & Sumter Counties all these years and we want to congratulate him and his family on this next chapter! We look forward to seeing what Adams is capable of later this year!
Filiberto Pedraza – Warner University
Pederaza was a standout defensive player for The Raiders. He had 61 total tackles on the season while assisting in 41 of them. Pedraza also had 7 sacks on the year. He is a nimble player with a ton of upside. Warner University is getting a really good bargain of a player.
(Pedraza during warmups for a South Sumter home game.)
Pedraza is a smart player, he was tied with a few players for leading the team in fumble recoveries. Padraza should make an instant impact with Warner University. This is a program that will help elevate Pedraza academically and athletically over the next few years! Congratulations to the Pedraza family!
Photos Provided By –
South Sumter High School
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.
