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Former Blue Darter wins award

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Ivey fuels 24-10 Florida win over Georgia

While the undefeated Apopka Blue Darters await their first playoff game on November 11th, a former two-time state champion offensive lineman for Apopka won an award for the Florida Gators last week.

Martez Ivey Martez Ivey

Martez Ivey has been named the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week, the Southeastern Conference announced Monday. Ivey received Florida's first SEC Player of the Week honor after the league's Week 9 games.

In Florida's 24-10 victory against Georgia, which moved the team to 6-1 overall and 4-1 in the SEC to lead the East, Ivey anchored a Gator offensive line that helped UF reach 100 yards rushing. Wide receiver Antonio Callaway scored a rushing touchdown, becoming the first player in school history and 21st FBS player since 1996 to score a touchdown in five different ways in a career – rushing, receiving, passing, returning a punt and returning a kickoff. In addition, Jordan Scarlett scored a rushing touchdown in his sixth-consecutive game, tying Kelvin Taylor (2015) and Tim Tebow (2009) for the longest streak by a Gator since Percy Harvin did the same in the final seven games of the 2008 season.

Throughout the 2016 season, Ivey and the offensive line have also done well in protecting quarterbacks Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby, allowing just nine sacks in seven games, which ranks second-lowest in the league.

The Gators rank ninth in the SEC in rushing offense, averaging 170.1 yards per game, and have totaled 1,191 net rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.

In 2015, Ivey was named to the SEC Coaches All-Freshman team and helped pave the way for running back Kelvin Taylor to rush for 1,035 yards. Taylor became just the ninth player in school history to break the 1,000-yard mark.

While at Apopka, Ivey was named a Parade All-American, was selected to the MaxPreps All-America First Team, was named a 2013 and 2014 Class 8A All-State First Team selection, A MaxPreps Junior All-American in 2013 and helped lead Apopka to the Class 8A state title as a senior in 2014 and also as a sophomore in 2012.

Apopka Blue Darters, Florida Gators, Martez Ivey

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