The 2012 season of Florida high school football is officially over. As usual, it was filled with great players, great teams, and a few surprises! Let us now recap the Sunshine State's prep football season.

2012 State Championship Games

The South Florida corridor was well represented at the 2012 state championship games. Broward and Miami Dade counties each sent three teams to Orlando and both counties came home with two championships and one state runner-up finish. The Big Bend area in North Florida also sent three teams to Orlando and they returned home with one state championship and two state runner-up finishes. The First Coast area had two teams play for state championships, they won one state championship and had one runner-up finish. The North Central area had two teams that played for championships, but they both finished as state runner-ups. The Orlando Metro and Panhandle areas each sent one team to the state championship games and both teams returned as state champs. The Southwest area had one team to play for a state championship, but finished as a runner-up.

Numerous players, teams, and coaches receive post season accolades for their performance on the field and Florida Gridiron Preps has a few awards that we would like to give.

2012 GRIDIRON COACH OF THE YEAR AWARD
MIAMI CENTRAL HEAD COACH TELLY LOCKETTE


Coach Lockette led the Rockets to the 6A state championship, thumping Gainesville 37-14 in the championship game. He also led them to a runner-up finish in Class 6A in 2011 and a Class 6A state championship in 2010.

In just five years as coach, Lockette's Miami Central team has removed Miami Northwestern, his alma mater from atop the Dade county football perch. His Rockets have beaten Northwestern six straight times, including three playoff victories and he has transformed Central into a state and national power.
2012 GRIDIRON TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD
MIAMI CENTRAL ROCKETS
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After a 35-3 defeat at the hands of Loganville (GA) Grayson to open the season and a 44-34 loss to Bradenton Manatee in week three, Central was sitting at 1-2 and many people were saying that the Rockets would not launch this season. However, the Rockets took off on an eleven game winning streak and captured the Class 6A state championship.

2012 MR. GRIDIRON AWARD
Yulee RB Derrick Henry

Henry has been putting up big numbers for his entire career. This season, he ran for 4,260 yards on 464 carries, both state records and he also scored 55 touchdowns. Henry ended his career with 12,121 yards rushing on 1,389 carries, which are both national records! His 153 career touchdowns are second best in the state and his 47 consecutive 100-yard games is another national record!

2012 NO FEAR (TOUGHEST SCHEDULE) AWARD
Miami Central Rockets

Miami Central's stalwart RB Joseph Yearby en route to claiming the 6A State Championship in Orlando. (Photo ©: Florida Gridiron Preps)

The Rockets took road trips to Loganville (GA) to face Grayson and Bradenton to take on Manatee. They also were the only team to defeat Class 4A state champion Miami Booker T. Washington! Overall, Central faced six playoff teams during their nine game regular season. Add in district foes Miami Carol City(7-3) and Homestead(6-4) and you can see how tough the road to the Class 6A state championship was!

2012 HOTBED AWARD (Awarded to the area that played the best football)
Miami-Dade Area

Miami Dade once again flexed their muscles on the gridiron. Miami Dade county is home to perhaps the top two teams in the state in Class 6A state champion Miami Central and Class 4A champ Miami Booker T. Washington. Miami Dade Christian was the Class 2A state runner-up, Miami Christopher Columbus advanced to the state semifinals in Class 8A and Miami Jackson made it to the semifinals in Class 5A. So with two state championships, one state runner-up, and two semifinalists, Miami Dade county was the best hotbed on the gridiron in 2012.

2012 BEST OFFENSIVE PERFORMANCE AWARD
Yulee RB Derrick Henry

On September 22nd which was Homecoming night for Yulee, Henry carried the ball 48 times for a state record 502 yards rushing! He also had six touchdowns to lead Yulee over Jacksonville Andrew Jackson 45-28! Henry broke the previous record of 501 yards rushing by Tampa Bay Tech's Shawn Smith in 1985.

2012 BEST DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE AWARD
Dade City Pasco's Defense

From September 8th until October 19th, the Pirates did not give up a single point, a streak that lasted for 41 days! Dade City Pasco pitched a shutout in five consecutive games during the regular season, they also added a sixth shutout in the regular season, and added another in the Class 5A playoffs! The Pirates posted seven shutouts during their 12-1 season!

2012 ALL GRIDIRON TEAM (OFFENSE)

QB-Cord Sandberg 6-2 200 Bradenton Manatee

RB-Derrick Henry 6-3 243 Yulee

RB-Kelvin Taylor 5-11 216 Belle Glade Glades Day

WR-Ahmad Fulwood 6-4 190 Jacksonville Bishop Kenny

WR-Stacy Coley 6-1 175 Oakland Park Northeast

TE-Travis Johnson 6-3 231 Tampa Jesuit

OL-Laremy Tunsil 6-6 295 Lake City Columbia

OL-Denver Kirkland 6-4 333 Miami Booker T. Washington

OL-Roderick Johnson 6-6 316 Delray Beach American Heritage

OL-Ira Denson 6-4 317 Madison County

OL-Lucas Crowley 6-3 270 St. Augustine Nease

ATH-Greg Bryant 5-11 200 Delray Beach American Heritage

2012 ALL GRIDIRON TEAM (DEFENSE)

DL-DeMarcus Walker 6-4 280 Jacksonville Sandalwood

DL-Caleb Brantley 6-3 304 Crescent City

DL-Maquedius Bain 6-5 285 Fort Lauderdale University

DL-Joey Bosa 6-4 260 Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas

LB-Matthew Thomas 6-3 205 Miami Booker T. Washington

LB-Daniel McMillian 6-2 220 Jacksonville First Coast

LB-Jermaine Grace 6-1 210 Miramar

DB-Vernon Hargreaves III 5-11 185 Tampa Wharton

DB-Mackensie Alexander 5-11 175 Immokalee

DB-Leon McQuay III 6-2 185 Seffner Armwood

DB-Artie Burns 6-0 183 Miami Northwestern

KS-Sean Covington 6-1 175 St. Petersburg

Congratulations to all of the players, coaches, and fans for making 2012 another season to remember for Florida High School football.