Mandarin clinches district title as ‘Gater’ Herring helps set the standard heading into Bartram Trail

Mandarin is a district champion again.The Mustangs clinched the district title with a blowout win over Beachside, extending a run coach Toby Bullock says has become the program’s expectation.“It’s huge,” Bullock said. “We came into the season wanting it and we got it.”Inside the locker room, coaches say a lot of that week-to-week consistency starts with a steady leader in the secondary: Keion “Gater” Herring.“It feels great,” Herring said. “That’s my fourth district championship ... This is my second year starting as a DB and then fourth year here at Mandarin. Knowing the whole defense everywhere to play on the defense and where everybody lines up.Mandarin’s first-year defensive backs coach Tre Herndon, a former NFL defensive back, said Herring’s leadership shows up in the small moments during the week.“He’s kind of a quiet guy here, but he knows how to step it up and turn it on when it’s time to,” Herndon said. “He’s a great leader … a jack of all trades for our defense.”Herndon said