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Offensive Player of the Year: ATH Nick Venezia

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Naji Tobias New Era Prep Staff Writer

JENSEN BEACH – There is no player like Nick Venezia in the Treasure Coast area.

This is something that can generally be agreed upon. We say this because Venezia’s level of impact on a team goes far beyond the numbers – even though the Jensen Beach senior athlete has those to back up quite well for himself.

Let us get right to Venezia’s statistics from this past season.

Here they are below:

•53 receptions 

•1,003 receiving yards

•12 touchdowns 

•1,035 all-purpose yards

In addition to this, we will highlight all of Venezia’s accomplishments to date.

•ESPN Top 63 selection

•TCPalm Super 11 selection

•New Era Prep Offensive Player of Week 11 and Week 12

•TCPalm All-Area First Team: WR

•Jensen Beach single-season record holder for receiving yards; first receiver in school history to reach 1,000 yards in a season

•Jensen Beach single-season record holder for receiving touchdowns

•No. 1-ranked wide receiver for yardage in District 12-3S

•No. 4-ranked wide receiver for yardage in Class 3S

•No. 23-ranked wide receiver for yardage in all of Florida

Venezia played a big role in Jensen Beach winning 10 games for the first time in school history. His Falcons team finished the season at 10-3, winning two playoff games for the first time in school history and reaching the Class 3S-Region 3 final round.

As a result of his accomplishments on the field, the speedy wide receiver (4.51 in the 40-yard dash) and team leader has earned six offers to date from the likes of Keiser, St. Thomas, Wabash, Ithaca, Allegheny College, and Concordia.

Venezia’s quarterback, fellow senior and record holder Gio Cascione, spoke quite highly of him in more ways than one.

“Well first, Nick was a outstanding athlete who could line up against anyone,” said Cascione, who led the Treasure Coast with his own school record of 2,607 passing yards and 22 touchdowns in 13 games played.

“He would lead by example,” Cascione continued. “He had an amazing understanding of what we were trying to do on the offensive side of the ball. Any ball that would come his way he would catch, his size did not equate to the way he could play. Also he had amazing football IQ and route running ability.”

Cascione had more to say about Venezia.

“His impact on the team was huge,” Cascione said. “He was a vocal guy in the locker room. He pushed the underclassmen to play at a higher level and he challenged everyone on the field in practice. He was a huge leader on our team and stayed positive always. He was huge reason we were able to have such a successful season this past year.”



Jensen Beach head coach Timothy Caffey raved about Venezia’s overall impact on the team.

“He was the alpha male of our team”, Caffey said. “He came from Virginia, but has a heart of the size of Texas. He’s one of the best slot receivers to ever come out of Jensen Beach and one of the best I’ve ever seen.”

Venezia spoke on what his favorite individual play was of this past season.

“The best play for me was my first touchdown against Martin County,” Venezia said. “Because right when I scored, I looked over at the student section and they were just going crazy. There were so many people at the game and I had just made a huge influence on the game. Everyone was cheering and jumping and there were cameras everywhere. A feeling like that I cannot explain. But trust me, it was so amazing.”

Venezia shared his best moment of this past season at Jensen Beach.

“The best moment of the season was beating Sebring in overtime in the playoffs,” Venezia said. “We all just came together as a team so well and relied on each other up until the final whistle and had each others back the whole way through. The feeling of winning another playoff game with my boys and just having at least another week together was amazing.”

Venezia spoke on how he feels about being selected as the Treasure Coast’s Offensive Player of the Year.

“I am just so honored,” the 5-foot-10, 170-pound athlete said. “I been under looked my whole life and I feel like the only way out of that stigma was to ball out. The only way to do that is work as hard as possible and be in the right situation with my teammates and coaches. My goal at the beginning of the season was to leave my name at Jensen and the Treasure Coast to live on way after I graduate. Now I am ESPN Top 63, TC Palm Super 11, district champion, leading receiver in my district, fifth in my region, 23rd in the state, all-time single-season receiving, catching and receiving touchdowns in a single season at my school and of course New Era Prep OPOTY.”

Venezia did not stop there.

“There are so many blessings that I have had in the past year,” Venezia said. “I owe it all to God, my mom, my family, my teammates and coaching staff, and to everyone who didn’t believe in me because they have maybe pushed me the most. I’m so honored and so blessed and so grateful to be here today and be in the position I am. Thank you.”

VIDEO CREDITS: Brandon Berry and Shane Robinson (HurriShane)

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