Barbara Goleman High School awarded senior football player Antonio Rodriguez the fifth annual Ricky Quintanilla Scholarship award for 2016.
The award honors the memory of late Goleman football coach who died of cancer in 2011.
As an offensive lineman, Rodriguez was a big part of the Gator’s running game, as the team averaged the most rushing yards in South Florida, according to head coach Ariel Cribeiro.
Rodriguez, who’s 6-0 and 220 pounds, scored a two-point conversion last season to cap off a productive four-year high-school football career.
“Coaching him is great because he has a coach’s mind,” said Cribeiro. “He’s an intelligent player and you can do a lot with him. To me, he’s the smartest player I have ever coached.”
Cribeiro said Rodriguez will join his coaching staff as one of his assistants next season while he’s attending college.