GAINESVILLE (April 4) – John Leon of Martin County High School has been named the 2022 Florida Dairy Farmers Boys’ Basketball Coach of the Year following a final round of voting by a statewide panel of high school basketball coaches and media representatives.
Leon led his team to a 27-4 record and the Class 6A state championship, the program’s first state title since 1979. In 12 years at Martin County he has compiled a 266-62 record and in 15 years overall (three years at Paxon) he has a record of 296-113.
Leon, who was selected as the Class 6A Coach of the Year in a previous round of voting, finished with 123 points to win the overall award ahead of Class 3A COY Charlie Ward of Florida High (104) and Class 7A COY Andrew Moran of Miami Columbus (86).
Class 5A COY Edward Schuler of Stranahan finished fourth (58), followed by Class 4A COY Cilk McSweeney of Ft. Lauderdale Calvary Christian (37), Class 2A COY Treig Burke of Orlando Christian Prep (30) and Class 1A COY Sampson Jackson of Starke Bradford (6).
The Florida Dairy Farmers High School Sports Awards program exemplifies Florida Dairy Farmers’ commitment to the state’s youth. This is the 30th year of these awards as we honor the state’s top athletes and coaches in all FHSAA sanctioned sports. The program also emphasizes to young people the importance of keeping dairy products a primary part of their diet in their overall nutrition plan.
2022 FINAL VOTING RESULTS (Area winners in bold)
Coach Total Points 1st-place Votes
John Leon 123 8
Charlie Ward 104 2
Andrew Moran 86 4
Edward Schuler 58 3
Cilk McSweeney 37 1
Treig Burke 30 0
Sampson Jackson 6 0
Past Boys’ Basketball Coaching Winners:
1993 – Bernard Wilkes, Jacksonville Ribault
1994 – John Ellerbee, Malone
1995 – Bob Carroll, Bradenton Southeast
1996 – Wade Edmond, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely
1997 – Joey Pons, Fort Walton Beach
1998 – Bruce Rosebrock, Jacksonville Wolfson
1999 – Vernon Eppinette, Port St. Joe
2000 – Anthony Long, Gainesville High
2001 – Mark Rickman, Orlando Boone
2002 – Ricky McCullough, Chipley
2003 – Mark Lieberman, Miami Pace
2004 – Mike Gaudy, Cocoa Beach
2005 – Danny Wright, Lakewood
2006 – Matt Hixenbaugh, Winter Park
2007 – Steve Kohn, Winter Park Lake Howell
2008 – Lawton Williams III, Miami Norland
2009 – Kelly Beckham, Gainesville High
2010 – Eli Bryant, Tallahassee Rickards
2011 – Fred Ross, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer
2012 – Billy Washington, Lake Wales
2013 – Melvin Randall, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely
2014 – Ed Kershner, Oviedo
2015 – Melvin Randall, Pompano Beach Blanche Ely
2016 – Shane Whitsett, Poinciana
2017 – Darryl Burrows, Dillard
2018 – Sean Campbell, Leesburg
2019 – Greg Watson, Crestview
2020 – Terrence McGriff, Bartow
2021 – Terrence McGriff, Bartow
