Fred Billy, Tod Creneti finish near top of Florida Dairy Farmers awards

Fred Billy has picked up another honor for his monster junior season at Saint Stephen’s.

The Falcons quarterback, who led Saint Stephen’s to the Sunshine State Athletic Conference championship last month, finished fifth in voting for the Florida Dairy Farmers Independent Player of the Year on Wednesday.

Winter Park International Community quarterback Jarrett Conkling took home the top honors at the independent level after running for 2,187 yards on 200 carries

Billy has started for the Falcons since his freshman year and has rewritten the Saint Stephen’s record book during his three seasons. The quarterback led Manatee County in scoring with 132 points after running for 22 touchdowns in 12 games this fall. He was also among the county’s leading rushers, piling up 1,228 yards on 129 carries, and cracked 1,000 passing yards for the first time. Billy completed 54 of 113 passes for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns.

Billy was a second-team All-SSAC selection. Conkling was the first-team quarterback.

Tod Creneti also finished near the top of the Florida Dairy Farmer’s Independent Coach of the Year balloting. The Falcons head coach finished third, being edged out by West Palm Beach King’s Academy’s Keith Allen. King’s Academy went undefeated this fall and won the Southeastern Football Conference, which includes teams from Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

Creneti was not one of the two coaches honored as the co-Coral League coaches of the year in the SSAC. Lecanto Seven Rivers Christian’s Ray Green and Auburndale Mount Dora Christian Academy’s Jim Nichols shared that honor.

▪ Lakewood Ranch High’s Drew Mitts has an invitation to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game’s national combine, but getting there is the obstacle at this point. Tony Robinson, of O’Fallon, Mo., started a Go Fund Me page for Mitts. The goal is $3,000 and just $25 was donated to date. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl Game’s combine is set for Friday, Jan. 6 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Check-in for players is Thursday, Jan. 5. To donate, check out the Go Fund Me Page at www.gofundme.com/football-soldiers-future?ssid=830418058&pos=2 here.

This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 12:16 AM with the headline "Fred Billy, Tod Creneti finish near top of Florida Dairy Farmers awards."