- February 12, 2025
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Mainland Prinicpal Melissa Fraine addresses the crowd at the National Signing Day ceremony in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland Athletic Director Terrence Anthony announces the student athletes that have committed to attend various colleges at the National Signing Day ceremony in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Nine Mainland student athletes prepare to announce their college committments to the audience in the performing arts center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Myron Shafer thanks his family for their support (left) as Dray Wood (right) smiles during the signing ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Myron Shafer (left) announces that he will be playing football at Bethune-Cookman University at the sigining ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Myron Shafer (left) announces that he will be playing football at Bethune-Cookman University at the sigining ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Drayden Wood announces that he will be playing football at Warner University during the signing ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Caleb Geathers announces that he will be playing football at St. Thomas University during the signing ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Caleb Geathers signs to play football at St. Thomas University on National Signing Day. Photo by Michele Meyers
On National Signing Day, Mainland running back Edward Williams passes the microphone to Eddie Lake after he announced that he will be playing football at St. Thomas University. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Eddie Lake tells the audience in the Perfoming Arts Center that he will play football at Warner University as his parents Eddie Lake (left) and Paula Lake clap for their son on National Signing Day. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland H-back George Armstrong jokes around as he announces he will be playing football at Webber University during the signing day ceremony held in the Performing Arts Center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Eddie Lake tells the audience in the Perfoming Arts Center that he will play football at Warner University during the National Signing Day ceremony. Photo by Michele Meyers
Kyle Moore thanks people in the audience for helping him throughout his time at Mainland and announces he will be attending Webber International University where he will play football. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland guard Shilah-Rayn Lord (center) thanks everyone for her success mom Ashley Lord (left), twin brothers Ace (left) and Deuce Lord (right) and coach Zykia McNair (right) support her on National Signing Day. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland guard Shilah-Rayn Lord (center) announces she will be playing basketball at The Apprentice School with support from mom Ashley Lord, twin brothers Ace (left) and Deuce Lord (right) and coach Zykia McNair Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland volleyball player Sophia Martindale speaks to the audience on National Signing Day with support from her parents Tara Gardner (left) and Jeff Martindale (right). Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland volleyball player Sophia Martindale announces she will be attending Clarendon College during the National Signing Day ceremony with support from her parents Tara Gardner (left) and Jeff Martindale (right). Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player and track athlete Kyle Moore (left) and Mainland Athletic Director Terrence Anthony (right). Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland coaches and players get together for a photo op at the National Signing Day ceremony held in the performing arts center. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland guard Shilah-Rayn Lord and one of her twin brothers Deuce Lord. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland volleyball player Sophia Martindale (center front) grabs a photo op with her mom Tara Gardner (left), her dad Jeff Martindale (right) and her coach Lauren Valle. Valle congratulated all the thletes and said the biggest compliment to a coach is watching their players thrive. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland wide receiver Eddie Lake (center), his father Eddie Lake (left) and his mother Paula Lake (right) are all smiles at the National Signing Day ceremony. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland linebacker Myron Shafer (left) and teammate Drayden Wood. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland football player Drayden Wood (right) is committed to play at Warner University where his dad Snap Wood (left) is the offensive coorddinator and quarterbacks coach. Photo by Michele Meyers
Mainland High School held its National Signing Day ceremony in the school’s performing arts center on Feb. 5. Nine Buccaneers took the stage to announce their commitments to colleges located in Florida, Virginia and Texas.
Principal Melissa Fraine opened the ceremony by thanking the parents, guardians and coaches for supporting the athletes as they strove to reach academic and athletic excellence throughout their high school careers.
Athletic Director Terrence Anthony followed with an introduction of the signees.
“This is probably one of the most fulfilling signing days in a while because we had not only football players but we got a chance to see a basketball player and a volleyball player get rewarded for their hard work as well,” he said. “Regardless of whether or not I coach them, they’re still my kids. Any day our student athletes can get celebrated and get recognized is a good day for Mainland High School.”
Seven of the athletes committed to play football at Florida colleges. Running back Edward Williams and defensive lineman Caleb Geathers signed to play with the St. Thomas University Bobcats in Miami Gardens.
Geathers transferred from Atlantic High where he was ranked third on the team in sacks his junior season. Williams finished his senior year with eight touchdowns, 1,018 rushing yards and 52 receiving yards. He was No. 1 on the team in rushing with 92.5 yards per game.
Drayden Wood and Eddie Lake will head to Warner University in Lake Wales where Wood’s father Dwayne “Snap” Wood is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
This is probably one of the most fulfilling signing days in a while because we had not only football players but we got a chance to see a basketball player and a volleyball player get rewarded for their hard work as well.
—TERRENCE ANTHONY, Mainland athletic director
Lake went on an official visit to Warner in January and said he loved the campus and coaching staff. His mother, Paula Lake, said they are an athletic family and have always supported his athletic endeavors starting with his flag football debut at 5 years old. His father, Eddie Lake, played defensive back for the University of Florida.
“This is something he’s always looked forward to,” Paula Lake said of her son. “He’s been an athlete since he came out of the womb running.”
Defensive tackle George Armstrong and wide receiver Kyle Moore signed with Webber International University in Babson Park. Moore said he has earned everything he set out to achieve in high school including becoming a better person.
“I’ve always wanted to go to college,” Moore said. “It means everything to me. My mom and dad have always contributed to my success. I wanted to help my mom retire so she could stop working.”
Linebacker Myron Shafer will join his Mainland teammates Phillip Moore and Kwasie Kwaku Jr. at Bethune-Cookman University. He led the Bucs his senior year with 79 total tackles (46 solo, 33 assists) and 31 tackles for loss. Shafer said he has always wanted to go to a college that is close to home so he could be close to his family.
“It makes it that much better going to my hometown college,” Shafer said. “I take pride in being from Daytona Beach. I’m going to bring what I have been bringing — leadership and physical mentality.”
Shafer’s mother, Crystal Vicole, said her son started playing flag football at 4 years old. He said his mom is his why — his purpose.
“She is my purpose for playing football, my purpose for doing anything in life,” he said. “When you have a why, you’re going to go harder. I’m more likely to do something for my mom than for myself.”
Basketball player Shilah-Rayn Lord and volleyball player Sophia Martindale chose out-of-state colleges. Lord will be attending The Apprentice School in Newport News, Virginia, and Martindale committed to Clarendon College in Clarendon, Texas. They both said they are excited for the new opportunities.
“I feel so blessed,” Lord said. “It just affirmed that I’m deserving. I had to develop a lot of self love. I’ve had amazing people in my life like my mom who lifted me up, but I mostly relied on God and kept my eyes fixated on my mission and my goal to get where I have to be.”
Lord was the lone senior leading five freshmen, two sophomores and one junior with new girls head basketball coach Zykia McNair. She led the team in points (255), rebounds (95), assists (40) and steals (33). Martindale led her volleyball team with 579 assists and 56 serving aces.
Running backs coach Arthur Westbrook said the main goal is not to win games but to give kids the opportunity to further their education.
“You want to win football games but this is the biggest victory — when you see these kids on stage and they’re signing,” he said. “And not just signing, I tell every kid, in the next three to five years I want them to come back and hand me a college degree. Then it’s time to get ready for the game of life.”
