10 area athletes to watch in 2018

The talent pool for athletes in the East County area continues to get deeper each year. Here are 10 athletes to watch (No. 10 was a tie) in 2018.

10 — Saraiah Walkes, The Out-of-Door Academy 

What more can you say about The Out-of-Door Academy freshman Saraiah Walkes? 

Not only did she win three state championships as an eighth grader in 2017, finishing first in the Class 1A girls 100 meters in 12.35 seconds, the 200 in 25.20 and the 400 in 55.57, but she also finished second in the 14-year-old girls 200-meter dash (24.71 seconds) at the AAU Junior Olympic Games on Aug. 1 in Ypsilanti, Mich.

She topped our moments list last week, and for good reason: Walkes puts on an impressive show every time she takes the track. 

If you somehow still haven't heard of Walkes, 2018 in your chance to watch her dominate the running scene. 

9 — Kate Walker, Braden River High

The premier returning swimmer is Braden River High’s Kate Walker.

Walker’s sophomore season ended with a fifth-place finish in the girls 100 breaststroke (1:05.92) and a sixth-place finish in the girls 50 freestyle (24.19) Nov. 11 at the Class 3A state championship meet.

She did well despite battling a back injury and a concussion that limited her practice time. She called the season “a mess of things” at the Tri-State Championships — where she won both of the above events, anyway, in 1:09.37 and 25.45, respectively.

With a healthy offseason ahead of her, Walker should do great things in 2018.

8 — Natalie Gorji, The Out-of-Door Academy 

The Thunder girls soccer attack is powerful, and it’s led by Natalie Gorji.

Gorji scored 26 goals in 2016-2017 and dished 11 assists. That was her freshman campaign. ODA reached the regional semifinals last season, but the program has bigger things in mind for 2018.

Now a sophomore, Gorji is in no danger of a slump. She netted four goals Dec. 5 in an 8-0 win against Bradenton Christian and scored the lone goal Dec. 15 in a 1-0 win against a stingy Braden River High.

The Thunder stand 8-1 as of Dec. 21. The future of the program looks strong, and with Gorji at the helm it should stay that way.

7 — Alana Kutt, Florida Junior Tour

The 11-year-old Alana Kutt has proven to be one of the top golfers not just of this area, but in Florida.

She was named the 2016 North Florida PGA Junior Tour Player of the Year in the girls 12-under division, and won her first Florida Junior Tour event April 22 at Buckhorn Springs Golf and Country Club, shooting 87.

This is a girl who sank her first hole in one at 8 years old, on the 16th hole of the Nicklaus course at the Reunion Resort Golf Course in Kissimmee. She’s been one to watch for a while.

As the calendar turns to 2018, keep an eye on Kutt’s star. It’s rising.

6 — Keon Buckley, Lakewood Ranch High

Lakewood Ranch High boys basketball has seen a revival under coach Jeremy Schiller.

The program has had great players walk through its halls. When Schiller says a kid can be special, you listen, which is why everyone should watch sophomore Keon Buckley in 2018.

Buckley’s specialty is perimeter shooting. At the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, one of the country’s premier preps tournaments, Buckley participated in the 3-point contest, making 14. He didn’t win, but it was a showing that put him on par with some of the deadliest sharpshooters in the United States.

His skill translates to games, too. Buckley led the Mustangs with 16 points Dec. 12 in a 65-55 win against Manatee High and 15 Dec. 2 in a 79-63 win over Plant City High.

If the Mustangs get back to the Final Four in 2018, Buckley will be a big reason why.

5 — Ryan Ives, The Out-of-Door Academy

The Out-of-Door Academy defensive lineman Ryan Ives was a banshee in 2017, his sophomore season. He recorded seven sacks, 10 quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss in just eight games, meaning he disrupted opponents’ passing and running games.

That disruption helped ODA rebound from a 3-7 record to 6-2 and its first home playoff win in eight years. With many of the Thunder’s key contributors graduating, it will be on Ives and his Thunder defensemates to keep up the pressure.

4 — Knowledge McDaniel, Braden River High

We could have gone with a number of Pirates football players on this list, but McDaniel gets the nod for his pure athleticism.

At different times last season, offensive coordinator Eric Sanders used McDaniel as a deep threat, a slot receiver, a scatback and a between-the-tackles bulldozer. His best game arguably came against rival Lakewood Ranch High on Oct. 20, when McDaniel had 209 receiving yards and two touchdowns. 

The junior holds scholarship offers from the universities of Mississippi, Kentucky and South Carolina, among others. If he keeps up his 2017 level of play in 2018, that offer list should quickly expand. 

3 — Avery Goelz, Lakewood Ranch High

It’s rare that young athletes lives up to the hype bestowed on them by recruiting services or media outlets.

Lakewood Ranch High softball’s Avery Goelz did in 2017.

Goelz, ranked third overall in the class of 2020 by FloSoftball, batted a team-high .540 last season, with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in her freshman campaign. She’s versatile defensively, switching between the outfield and first base depending on the Mustangs’ lineup.

The only disappointment for the University of Florida commit was her team’s finish. The nationally-ranked Mustangs were eliminated 1-0 by Plant City High in the class 8A regional finals. In 2018, Goelz seems poised to top her stellar numbers and might just lead Lakewood Ranch to Vero Beach and the Final Four.

2 — O’Mariah Gordon, Braden River High 

Our No. 2 player to watch in 2018 is only a freshman.

O’Mariah Gordon plays girls basketball at Braden River, and her presence this season has sparked a Pirates turnaround. After winning four games in 2016-2017, the team has eight in 2017-2018 as of Dec. 20. As an example of her utility, Gordon had 20 points, 12 rebounds and five steals in the Pirates’ 57-45 win against rival Lakewood Ranch High Dec. 19.

ESPN ranks the 5-foot-4 Gordon as a top-20 player in the class of 2021, and Dan Olson of the Collegiate Girls Basketball Report has Gordon second overall, and called her “a dynamo” who does everything well.

Gordon sprints into 2018 as the face of our area’s girls basketball scene. She and the Pirates have a chance at a historic season, and all eyes will be on her as she leads them into battle.

1 — Whitney Osuigwe, IMG Academy

The No. 1-ranked junior girls tennis player in the world lives in East County.

Whitney Osuigwe, who attends IMG Academy, is indeed the nation’s top player, according to the International Tennis Federation. The 15-year-old Osuigwe began the year ranked No. 95, but her star ascended quickly after she captured the Roland Garros Junior French Championship on June 10, her first major title. She won six singles titles overall in 2017.

The main reason to watch Osuigwe is her natural talent. She’ll be dominating the pro scene soon enough. If you catch her now, you’ll be able to say, “I saw her when … ”