Athletics

This year, 35% of the Class of 2021 have signed athletic scholarships to play at the next level! In the worst college athletic recruiting year in history, MDCA pushed through, overcame adversity, and signed 14 studentathletes to play at the college level. The Class of 2021 now holds the record for the most athletic signees at MDCA, as well as the most in both Lake and Sumter counties.

Hailie Amrhein Softball Ohio Christian University Austin Drinkwater Football Wofford College Nikolas Gibson Cross Country Lake Sumter State College

Leah Marshall Softball Southeastern Louisiana University

Hannah Leto Volleyball Columbia International University

Katelynne Sanders Volleyball Southeastern Community College

Erick Seabrook Football Ave Maria University Bladen Bunce Football Keiser University

Rodney Bryant Basketball University of West Florida

Jenna Sees Track & Field Harding University

Kavon Ellis Football Iowa Central Community College

Ty'Quan Wiggins Football St. Thomas University

Mitchell Curtis Cross Country, Track & Field Daytona State University Ryan Wilson Football Presbyterian College

ATHLETICS Track and Field Takes State

The boy's track and field team claimed the FHSAA Class 1A state championship title in May, but it did not come without some challenges.

Head track and field coach, Darnell Harrison, said, “We started as a small, but talented team. Most of our athletes played other sports, so we couldn’t all be together at the beginning. There was no chemistry or trust at first, so it was tough to get everyone to buy-in. I knew that we had hard-working, smart, intelligent, and respectful kids! The biggest thing we had going for us was our successful distance program.”

As the season continued, the team competed in their individual events. They would run, jump, and throw amazing results individually, so other teams did not see them as a threat.

“Midway through the season people were starting to notice that we were a good team, and the pressure began. It’s easy to get to the top, but it’s hard to stay there.”

Right before regionals, the Bulldogs were faced with some obstacles. They had guys with sinus infections, dropped the baton in relays, and had two guys fall in the 110 hurdles. None of this had happened all season, so it was the team’s first sign of a setback. The Bulldogs held on, despite the mishaps, and pulled off the regional championship! As the state championship approached, they still had guys with sinus infections, and only a handful qualified from regionals. “It wasn’t looking good, but we trusted in our team motto, “we can do all things through Christ”. We just went out there and gave it our all.” Every individual on the team scored in the state meet, and they were all vital to the state championship. Ultimately, it came down to the last event of the night, the 4x400 relay. This event is usually the last one of the day, so athletes are tired from a six-hour day of competing in the hot sun. The boys had to make the top three in this event to have a place in the state championship. Coach Harrison combined two of his best sprinters and two of his best distance runners to make a school recordbreaking team for this event. It all came down to seniors Rodney Bryant and Mitchell Curtis plus Noah Musselwhite and Isaiah Bryant.

Their ability to run the 4x4 relay became a secret weapon to help the team win state. The Bulldogs led the race most of the way and crossed the line in 3:23.59, putting them in second place for the relay, and in first place in the State Championship!

“The community of Mount Dora, our school, the kids, their families, our coaches, administrators, faculty, staff, and our amazing athletic director deserved this. We could not have done it without all of their support. Most importantly, we thank God, to whom we give the glory!”

The Bulldogs finished the meet with a total of 45 points. The boys track and field team won the state title in 1983 and 2009, making this the third time MDCA has claimed the championship title.

Baseball and Softball Make the Final Four

Mount Dora Christian Academy's softball and baseball teams competed in the Final Four this year, making MDCA the first school from Lake and Sumter counties to have both teams reach the Final Four within the same year.

The Lady Bulldogs made it to the Class 2A state semifinals (the final four) in 2016, 2017, and 2019, in addition to this year. Since 2016, the Lady Bulldogs have compiled a 115-40 record.

Both teams fell short of reaching the state championship but they finished their seasons strong. The baseball team ended with a 22-7 record and softball 20-9. "Last year was a special year for our MDCA Baseball program for so many reasons. Our Varsity program made it to the Final Four of the State Championship Series in Fort Myers, falling one run short of earning an opportunity to play for the State Championship. As a coach, I have had the opportunity to be around many successful teams, but this Bulldog team was much different. We were unique because there was such a family feeling in our dugout, a camaraderie that is like nothing I have witnessed. I have had super tight-knit teams before, but the 2021 Bulldogs were more than that. They cared for each other, they rooted for each other's success, and they picked each other up when things went bad. Naturally, our Varsity squad played well, but the tightness of the team and the ability to never give up and continue to fight for seven innings made the season a special year." -Coach Jason Sanders