Allen Ups Production, Gets Offer

The playoffs are usually a better barometer of a player’s capabilities than compared to a mundane regular season opponent. The pressure to succeed is amplified in the postseason and the talent level of the opposing teams starts to become greater. Glades Day has fought through the first two rounds of the 1B playoffs, defeating an athletic, yet thin, MacArthur North team and downing two time defending state champions Jupiter Christian in thrilling fashion.

While freshman phenom running back Kelvin Taylor will always be the key component in the Gators’ run oriented offense, junior wide receiver Davonte Allen has increased his production this postseason, which will only balance out the Gator offense as they eye a state championship.

The 6-foot-1, 180-pound Allen averaged only 16 yards per catch in the regular season for a total of 352 yards. In his first two playoff games he has hauled in six ball for 159 yards, a 26 yard per catch average, one of catches going for a 30 yard touchdown in the opening round game against MacArthur North.

“We are balancing the ball a little bit more,” said Allen on his increased production.

Several weeks ago, one college liked what had seen in Allen and the West Virginia Mountaineers offered the 2011 wide receiver.

“I like the program and I was really glad they offered because I’m really thinking about going there,” said Allen. “I like the way they run their offense.”

Allen got a chance to see the Mountaineers as a fan a season ago when they played in the Meineke Car Car Bowl in Charlotte, NC against the North Carolina Tarheels.

“It was nice, a lot of good people embrace you, and they have some good fans,” said Allen on his experience at the game.

Tennessee is another school in contact with Allen, but they have yet to offer.

Glades Day and Allen travel to Sarasota to take on Out-of-Door, a game where the winner heads to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando for the state championship.