OAKLEAF – Lakeside Junior High’s David Detwiler and Oakleaf Junior High’s Shaq Quarterman were, at certain points, combatants, teammates and defenders of their sphere of people. That defensive skill set has put both Clay County graduates in very unique life positions.

Detwiler, 21, U.S. Naval Academy First Class Midshipmen, has recently completed his third year of school at the prestigious Naval Academy in Annapolis with a stint in Key West as a backseat pilot on an F-18 as part of his training this past June.

Quarterman, most notably and arguably one of the best NCAA linebackers for the University of Miami, has led the Hurricanes defense to annual national rankings with the three year starter about to begin his final season under a new head coach.

In 2012, both were football players in junior high school, Detwiler a guard and linebacker under coach David Starr at Lakeside; Quarterman a bruising running back and linebacker at Oakleaf for coach Bill Milner.

Also in 2012, under the track coaching of Oakleaf Junior High’s Mike Ford, Quarterman and Detwiler were teammates and junior high school state club track champions under the banner of the Sunny Runners Track Club. Quarterman would win a state title in the shotput while Detwiler excelled in middle distance races. Detwiler’s major accomplishment as a junior high trackster was to win the Bob Hayes Invitational 800 meters as an eighth grader.

In football, Oakleaf Junior High ran a table of 30 straight wins with Quarterman the alpha dog of the squad.

Detwiler, at Lakeside, was a cerebral lineman and linebacker, more apt to use his sports’ sense, speed and savviness to make plays for the Gators.

In high school, Quarterman, at Oakleaf High School, blossomed under coach Derek Chipoletti in 2014 as a junior to garnish a first-ever unbeaten season; 10-0, a first-time playoff berth and a first-time region championship game (at home) before ending the season in that region game to Niceville. Quarterman also was a weightlifter for the Knights with a 13th place finish at the 2015 state meet.

Detwiler stayed with track and wrestling; where he also excelled at Lakeside, to become an 800 meter region qualifier and a cross country ace.

In wrestling at Fleming Island High School, Detwiler was part of a dramatic shift in wrestling that put the Golden Eagles program, under coach P.J. Cobbert, in the statewide conversation with Detwiler, one of just two region champions, finish with a fifth place finish in Class 3A in his sophomore year after a tough loss to eventual South Dade High two-time unbeaten (128-0) champion Patricio Lugo, now a top NCAA wrestler at Iowa, in his second match. Lugo finished eighth in NCAA Div. I with an eighth place finish in 2019. Detwiler was a state qualifier in is junior year, but was injured for most of his senior year. He made a dramatic appearance in the annual Tussel of Muscle dual clash with Clay where he lost a thrilling overtime match in his only match of the year.

Quarterman, a starter in all 13 games for Miami for the past three seasons (team best 39 straight starts), has been bestowed with numerous conference and national awards in his three years including 2018 ALL-ACC first team linebacker, 2017 ALL-ACC second team, 2016 ALL-ACC third team, 2016 Freshman ALL-AMERICAN.

Detwiler would earn a September appointment to the Naval Academy and is now pursuing multiple disciplines prior to becoming a U.S. Naval officer.