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Mainland hired within the family Wednesday to fill its sudden football coaching vacancy — in more ways than one.
Jerrime “Squatty” Bell, who led Atlantic to the District 8-2S championship and a return to the Florida High School Athletic Association playoffs last fall, told The News-Journal on Wednesday afternoon that he has accepted an offer to take over at his alma mater. Bell, 40, is the first cousin of Travis Roland, his predecessor who departed for Kingsland (Ga.) Camden County last month.
“This is, 100%, a dream job,” said Bell, who posted a 10-19 overall record in three seasons at Atlantic. “My emotions are all over the place. I’m excited. I’m happy and ready to get to work. But, man, what we built over at Atlantic, it’s tough leaving those kids.”
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In Roland’s third and final season, Mainland won the FHSAA Class 3S championship with a 21-19 victory over St. Augustine at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee — the school’s first state title in 20 years. The Bucs face a difficult task in repeating after the FHSAA’s board of directors scrapped the Metro-Suburban split in December, grouped into Class 5A along with fellow state champions Lakeland and St. Thomas Aquinas, among others.
“The goal was to get the best person in here to keep the program in the direction it’s going,” Mainland athletic director Terry Anthony said. “Mainland is Mainland. Mainland is going to move on, regardless of who is the head coach, principal or athletic director. We’re going to keep moving forward.
“Coming from Treasure Coast, (Bell) was part of a successful program, and he’s done a tremendous job in the three years that he’s been at Atlantic. The track record of getting kids into school, he’s done a great job. We heard all great…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/state-champion-mainland-chooses-atlantics-184539912.html
Author : Daytona Beach News-Journal
Publish date : 2024-03-20 18:45:39
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