Trinity quarterback Givonni DentGivonni Dent has been selected as the 2010 Southern Sports & Travel Player of the Year. The Trinity Episcopal senior led the Saints to back to back Class A State Championships, in 2009 and this year’s squad that produced an unblemished 15-0 record.
The soft spoken quarterback passed for 22 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions on the season along with 8 rushing touchdowns but playing the quarterback position hasn’t always been his preference. “I didn’t play any football until the 8th grade and the first time I played quarterback was in the 9th grade but I would rather play wide receiver or running back,” said Dent.
Dent’s transformation at quarterback since enrolling at Trinity as a sophomore has been nothing short of remarkable.
“Givonni’s progress since the 10th grade has been amazing,” said Trinity head coach David King. “He has grown leaps and bounds not only on the football field but in the classroom and it’s been because of hard work and dedication.”
Dent’s abilities were on full display in two of Trinity’s biggest wins of the regular season. In week seven Class AA and 2nd ranked River Oaks made the trip to Natchez for a much anticipated matchup between two unbeatens. In that game Dent put together one the best performances of any MAIS player during the 2010 season.
Against the team that would ultimately win the Class AA Championship th
e senior passed for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns, rushed for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns and had 2 interceptions on defense in a 42-21 thumping of River Oaks.
Dent further solidified his standing as one of the premier players in the MAIS the following week as the Saints traveled to Brookhaven to face the defending Class AA Champion and top ranked Brookhaven Cougars. The task was a huge test for Trinity as they looked to halt Mississippi’s longest high school winning streak which stood at 22 games and contain one of the better quarterbacks in the state, Brookhaven senior Chandler Rogers.
Dent directed his squad to a 34-28 upset and in doing so passed for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns.
According to Dent those two wins over the top two teams in Class AA on successive Fridays and a South State Championship win over Sylva Bay will stand out as the biggest wins while at Trinity.
Asked about who has been his biggest influence over the past three seasons Dent said, “It’s been special teams and strength and conditioning coach Bill James. I knew Coach James before coming to Trinity and he has helped me so much with being
mentally and physical ready on the field.”
Having produced a 38-5 record and two state titles as starting quarterback over the past three seasons the senior has received lots of attention from college recruiters. Not only has Dent’s numbers on the offensive side of the football been an attraction but his 12 interceptions and stellar performance on defense has drawn serious looks. Four of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns and a fumble recovery returned for a score upped his total to five defensive touchdowns on the season. The senior picked off interception number 13 during the recent MAIS All-Star game in which he was named the South Defensive MVP.
Dent has received offers from Delta State, Alcorn, Southeastern Louisiana University and Bethune-Cookman but remains undecided and will wait until the national signing date gets closer to make a decision.
When I posed the question that ten years from now when he looks back at his high school football days at Trinity what he would remember most the senior replied, “Most definitely winning back to back state titles.”
The soft spoken quarterback passed for 22 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions on the season along with 8 rushing touchdowns but playing the quarterback position hasn’t always been his preference. “I didn’t play any football until the 8th grade and the first time I played quarterback was in the 9th grade but I would rather play wide receiver or running back,” said Dent.
Dent’s transformation at quarterback since enrolling at Trinity as a sophomore has been nothing short of remarkable.
“Givonni’s progress since the 10th grade has been amazing,” said Trinity head coach David King. “He has grown leaps and bounds not only on the football field but in the classroom and it’s been because of hard work and dedication.”
Dent’s abilities were on full display in two of Trinity’s biggest wins of the regular season. In week seven Class AA and 2nd ranked River Oaks made the trip to Natchez for a much anticipated matchup between two unbeatens. In that game Dent put together one the best performances of any MAIS player during the 2010 season.
Against the team that would ultimately win the Class AA Championship th
e senior passed for 342 yards and 2 touchdowns, rushed for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns and had 2 interceptions on defense in a 42-21 thumping of River Oaks.Dent further solidified his standing as one of the premier players in the MAIS the following week as the Saints traveled to Brookhaven to face the defending Class AA Champion and top ranked Brookhaven Cougars. The task was a huge test for Trinity as they looked to halt Mississippi’s longest high school winning streak which stood at 22 games and contain one of the better quarterbacks in the state, Brookhaven senior Chandler Rogers.
Dent directed his squad to a 34-28 upset and in doing so passed for 283 yards and 3 touchdowns.
According to Dent those two wins over the top two teams in Class AA on successive Fridays and a South State Championship win over Sylva Bay will stand out as the biggest wins while at Trinity.
Asked about who has been his biggest influence over the past three seasons Dent said, “It’s been special teams and strength and conditioning coach Bill James. I knew Coach James before coming to Trinity and he has helped me so much with being
mentally and physical ready on the field.” Having produced a 38-5 record and two state titles as starting quarterback over the past three seasons the senior has received lots of attention from college recruiters. Not only has Dent’s numbers on the offensive side of the football been an attraction but his 12 interceptions and stellar performance on defense has drawn serious looks. Four of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns and a fumble recovery returned for a score upped his total to five defensive touchdowns on the season. The senior picked off interception number 13 during the recent MAIS All-Star game in which he was named the South Defensive MVP.
Dent has received offers from Delta State, Alcorn, Southeastern Louisiana University and Bethune-Cookman but remains undecided and will wait until the national signing date gets closer to make a decision.
When I posed the question that ten years from now when he looks back at his high school football days at Trinity what he would remember most the senior replied, “Most definitely winning back to back state titles.”
*Note*
In selecting the 2010 Southern Sports & Travel Player of the Year seven objective individuals took into consideration 2010 stats, leadership, post season success and value to their team.
