Derek Wingo left Naples for STA to play for the best. He found a mentor in Jason Taylor
Derek Wingo screamed it on the sideline.
“Let’s go and get this done,” he yelled.
With his team protecting a five-point lead against Orlando Edgewater in the Class 7A championship game Saturday with three minutes left, coach Roger Harriott had just made a big decision. It was fourth and maybe two inches for the Raiders at their own 30-yard line and a first down might have salted the game away, but Harriott has had confidence in his defense all season long and showed it here as the Raiders defense, led by Wingo, managed to make a big play on the game’s final play to preserve St. Thomas’ 28-23 win and record-tying 11th state title.
“The trust was there in us and we had to go out there and do our part and keep them out of the end zone on that last drive,” said Wingo, who plans to sign his National Letter of Intent with the Florida Gators on Wednesday. “They knew our leaders would step up and we did.”
It was a fitting way for Wingo to close out his high school career, one he bookended with state championships in 2016 and 2019.
A five-star defensive end in the Rivals.com rankings, Wingo made several big plays Saturday night recording two sacks, a strip fumble, three tackles, two for loss and three more assists. He finished the season with a total of 17 sacks, and was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Florida, the Miami Dolphins Player of the Year for Broward County and a finalist for the Nat Moore Trophy.
But the journey for Wingo to get where he was, standing there celebrating with his teammates with a state championship medal around his neck was hardly your average one.
Wingo actually grew up and played his youth ball in Naples. Four years ago, his father picked up stakes and moved his son to Broward County, so he could play for one of the top high school programs in the country. Wingo actually played quarterback for the Raiders as a freshman and sophomore before he eventually transitioned over to the other side of the ball before his junior year.
“This is a program that’s held to a much higher standard,” said Wingo. “They have so many people that have come through here that have gone on to the next level and beyond and I wanted to do whatever it took to be a part of that. I wanted to be a part of the best coaching staff in the nation and look how far it’s gotten me. That was a big step in my life and probably one of the best moves I ever made.”
Wingo isn’t kidding about the “best coaching staff.” Aquinas’ defensive line coach happens to be someone who was a pretty good defensive end himself: former Dolphins great and Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. He and Wingo ran off to one end of the field when the game was over, doing chest pumps and embracing.
“Derek is just a heck of an athlete, a heck of a kid, has become a really really good leader and his football IQ is off the charts,” Taylor said. “He played so many different positions for us, including rush linebacker spot which I played when I played for (Nick) Saban. He’s hungry, wants to be the best and just works, and works and works at it.”
Taylor was then asked if Derek Wingo reminded him of his self when he was 17.
“I’d pay big money to be where he’s at when I was 17 years old,” said Taylor before admitting that perhaps there were some comparisons. “Yeah, the athleticism, the body type, the way he works, the way he leads, yeah, maybe there are a lot of similarities.”
But while Taylor admitted about the similarities, he wasn’t the least bit interested in taking any credit for his success.
“I don’t take any credit for what Derek Wingo is doing,” said Taylor. “That kid has earned every bit of what he’s accomplished. I’m just here to facilitate, organize, point him in the right direction. He’s going to go to Gainesville and be a special player.”
As grateful as Wingo was to Taylor’s guidance along with the rest of the St. Thomas staff over the last four years, the two he was most thankful for were his parents.
“I’m more grateful to my parents than anybody because they’re the ones that truly made the sacrifice to move over here,” said Wingo. “They did everything for me to be able to be here and be a part of this and thank not only them but everyone who helped me do this.”
