PAHOKEE – It was a momentous occasion for three of our top senior high school football players from the Muck.
Held at Everglades Prep Academy yesterday morning (Dec. 18) in Pahokee, local pastor Kenny Berry prayed fervently for long-term success on behalf of the Muck players who signed their letters of intent yesterday.
The early signees were as follows:
•DE/LB Latarie Kinsler Jr. (Pahokee; signed with Syracuse)
•WR Ja’Vontae Williams (Glades Central; signed with Syracuse)
•DE Frankie Burgess (Pahokee; signed with Maryland)
After they walked into the school’s cafeteria, they took to the signing table and made their decisions known once and for all.
For Kinsler and Williams, it was all about two things: the right fit and the consistent level of love shown by Syracuse’s coaching staff. For Burgess, it was about the same thing, but on a deeper level.
These three highly touted student-athletes have received a very high level of love, protection, and support from everyone in the Muck over the past few years. It’s only right for them to expect nothing less on the collegiate level.
It was evident from start to finish at yesterday’s Early National Signing Day Ceremony, which ended with the signees and their families gathering together in a big circle for a strong closing prayer by Berry.
When the ceremony ended, Kinsler and Williams took some time to reflect on their collective decision to go with Syracuse. For the record, it was Kinsler who convinced Williams to sign with the Orange.
“I just stayed on him,” Kinsler said of Williams. “I kept tell him we can go up there and do big things together. We could dominate together. What’s better than having two Muck players there?”
Williams echoed Kinsler’s sentiment on the situation.
“He stayed on me and kept me grounded,” Williams said of Kinsler.
It wasn’t too long ago that both Muck standout were strongly considering Miami as their college destination. But as it turned out, location had something to do with their ultimate decision.
“We both wanted to go out of state,” Williams said. “Miami is around the corner from us. It was too close to home.”
Kinsler loved the fact that Syracuse can offer him the best of both worlds in athletics and academics.
“I felt like that was the best place for me,” Kinsler said. “Overall, I felt like with football and academics, the coaches are there for me. I felt like I was home when I took my visit. So that’s why I picked Syracuse.”
Kinsler also spoke on Burgess’s decision to go with Maryland.
“I felt like he made a good decision, not just for football, but for overall,” Kinsler said. “He was telling me about their mentoring program, education, and academics. It’s the top academic program out of all the schools that offered him. So that’s why I felt that he made a good decision.”
Burgess reflected on his own journey, which turned out to be a one-season meteoric rise from an unknown player to a big-time college prospect.
“I felt like I made the best decision for me,” said Burgess, who finished the season with a Palm Beach County-best 25 sacks. “I felt like their scheme fits me perfectly. The coaches made me feel like I was at home when I took my visit, and my parents like the coaches there. I feel like I could play there for the next 3-4 years.”
Burgess spoke up on his decision to de-commit from South Florida on Dec. 2 and reopen his recruiting process, which paved the way for Maryland and other schools.
“Coaching change,” Burgess said of his decision to move on from South Florida. “I had a great relationship with their coaches. But once they fired Coach [Charlie] Strong, I felt like it wasn’t a good decision for me anymore.”
Pahokee senior defensive tackle Jaylon Williams is happy for the three signees, who will enroll at their respective colleges in January 2020.
“It’s good to see my boys get ready for college,” Jaylon Williams said. “I know they’re going to make a name for themselves. I’m ready to see them ball out.”
NOTE: Pahokee senior defensive end Tamarick Best was slated to sign his letter of intent to FIU yesterday morning with Kinsler, Burgess, and Ja’Vontae Williams. But it was announced instead that he’ll be at the Feb. 5, 2020 National Signing Day event in Pahokee with Jaylon Williams, senior offensive lineman/UCF verbal commit Delonus Kabir, and senior athlete Jermaine Roberson.
Stay tuned for further updates on Pahokee’s highly touted 2020 college recruiting class.
