On Monday, Dec. 8, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission hosted the 34th annual Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award Celebration, presented by the Orange Bowl, at the West Palm Beach Marriott. The winner of the Palm Beach County High School Player of the Year Award was Levi Champion from the King’s Academy.
Champion, a junior, is primarily an outside linebacker on defense, but he was also a running back on goal-line plays on offense and played on special teams, too. This year, Champion led by example on the practice field and the playing field.
According to TKA head football coach Dan Burack, Champion’s statistical totals as an outside linebacker are impressive. On defense, Champion averaged 16.5 tackles a game. Over the course of the season, he had eight quarterback hurries, three quarterback sacks, three caused fumbles and two interceptions. As a running back, Champion had three rushing touchdowns.
According to Burack, Champion was well aware of his role on the football team. He’s a leader who knows how to lead by example.
“Levi is a great player and was great in big-game situations,” said Burack, now in his third year as head coach at TKA. “He’s got four NCAA Division I offers, the biggest being from Liberty University.”
Not only is Burack proud of Champion’s level of play on the field, but he was particularly impressed with his mindset and attitude throughout season.
“Being at a Christian school, it shows how we at the King’s Academy want our student-athletes to be in a Christ-like environment here in Palm Beach County and beyond,” Burack said. “With the changing landscape in all levels of football and the ‘me’ culture surrounding young players, it’s great to see our players steering clear of the pressures of the outside world and focus on being part of something genuine and pure. Our program is about being a brotherhood and a family. Levi has committed to being part of that family. Levi is a team leader with high character. He’s a great football player.”
Previous recipients of the Player of the Year Award from local high schools include Ahmmon Richards (2015, Wellington High School), Akeem Dent (2018, Palm Beach Central High School) and Markel King (2021, Palm Beach Central).
According to George Linley, the executive director of the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, a number of former Player of the Year Award winners later played in the National Football League. Some of them include former and current NFL stars, such as Fred Taylor (Glades Central High School), Anquan Boldin (Pahokee High School), Jacoby Brissett (William T. Dwyer High School) and Lamar Jackson (Boynton Beach High School).
Taylor and Boldin are now retired, but Brissett plays for the Arizona Cardinals and Jackson is a member of the Baltimore Ravens.
The sports commission also announced the winners of the other Lou Groza High School Awards. Jimmy Robertson (St. Andrew’s School) was honored as the Palm Beach County Coach of the Year, Jupiter High School earned the title of the Palm Beach County High School Team of the Year and Gavin Boyd (Dr. Joaquín García High School) was recognized as the Palm Beach County High School Placekicker of the Year.
The sports commission also announced the three finalists for the national Lou Groza Award presented to the nation’s top collegiate placekicker. Those finalists were Aidan Birr of Georgia Tech, Kansei Matsuzawa of the University of Hawaii and Tate Sandell of the University of Oklahoma.
This year’s winner was announced live on ESPN during the Home Depot College Football Awards on Friday, Dec. 12. The winner was Sandell. The winner of the Lou Groza Award is decided by a national panel of college football experts, who are assembled by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission.
