Plant’s Harrison, Sunlake’s Smith honored by NFHS

Posted Feb 26, 2013 by Nick Williams

Updated Feb 26, 2013 at 05:52 PM

Plant girls cross country coach Roy Harrison and Sunlake boys weightlifting coach Matt Smith were recently recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Harrison was named the 2011-2012 NFHS Section 3 and Florida girls country Coach of the Year while Smith was named Florida’s Coach of the Year for boys weightlifting.

Section 3 consists of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, North and South Carolina and Florida.

Harrison, who has coached at Plant for 30 years, was one of four Florida coaches chosen as the best Section 3. Other sports were girls volleyball, girls soccer and wrestling.

Harrison led the Panthers to their 26th consecutive state championships in November, where the team finished second in Class 4A to St. Thomas Aquinas. The team won its 17th regional championship last season and third in a row. The program has won 10 state titles overall.

Smith was named the sports NFHS’s Florida’s Coach of the Year after leading Sunlake to a fifth-place finish in the Class 2A boys weightlifting last season.