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Sports

Clayton Dees (5) will enter his second year as a starting quarterback as a senior for Lakewood Ranch in 2023.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • January 2, 2023
Top 10 East County athletes to watch in 2023

These athletes combine experience and talent to find success in their respective sports.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch High softball captured its second-straight state title on May 28.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 28, 2022
The top 10 East County sports moments of 2022

Once again, teams and individuals from the area brought home plenty of hardware over the last 12 months.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch junior quarterback Clayton Dees scored 16 total touchdowns in his first year at the high school level.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 26, 2022
Our columnist's favorite East County sports moments of 2022

From back-to-back state championships to quirky golf collections, there was a diverse set of sports stories to be told in 2022.

  • East County
  • Sports
Sarasota's Zoe Ziegler leads his team onto the field against Manatee High. The Sailors beat the Hurricanes for their first playoff win in 18 years.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 26, 2022
The top 10 moments of the Sarasota sports season

A jam-packed list is filled with new and defended state titles, plus individual awards and history-making wins.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Sarasota High girls soccer sophomore Zitlaly Salinas-Sanchez leads her district in scoring.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 22, 2022
Three cheers for these Sarasota-area high school winter sports athletes

With the holiday break upon us, here's a look at the players who have made a big impact on their teams thus far in the 2022-2023 season.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Braden River junior Marcus Schade shoots over Lakewood Ranch senior Trey Holweger (24) during the 2022-23 season.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 22, 2022
Braden River boys basketball team makes statement with early play

The Pirates are 6-2 as of Dec. 15 and beat local rival Lakewood Ranch High for the first time since 2014.

  • East County
  • Sports
Sarasota High boys basketball sophomore Oliver Boyle.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 22, 2022
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Oliver Boyle

The Sarasota High sophomore scored 15 points Dec. 16 in the Sailors boys basketball team's 62-24 win over Lakewood Ranch High.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Former Braden River High star O'Mariah Gordon chats with former Florida State Coach Sue Semrau during her freshman season.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 21, 2022
East County winter sports alumni excel at next level

These Lakewood Ranch area athletes have made the area proud with their play.

  • East County
  • Sports
Lakewood Ranch junior Rylee O'Shea
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 20, 2022
East County Athlete of the Week: Rylee O'Shea

The Lakewood Ranch High junior had a goal and four assists in the girls soccer team's 6-1 win over Venice High on Dec. 15.

  • East County
  • Sports
Bill Sadlo of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties, Jamie Purmort, Danny Bilyeu and Wells Purmort — with a cameo by Tom Brady's head — on the jumbotron at Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.
    By
  • Andrew Warfield
  • December 20, 2022
Original Buccaneers 'crew' member honored by the team

Sarasota's Wells Purmort was honored by the Tampa Bay Bucs during Sunday's game for being a charter season ticket-holder and his work with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sarasota and DeSoto Counties.

  • Sarasota
  • Neighbors
4. Leonardo Dal Boni received the 2022 USTA Florida Player of the Year Award on Dec. 16 at Payne Park Tennis Center.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 19, 2022
Sarasota tennis player wins USTA Florida Player of the Year award

Leonardo Dal Boni, the class of 2023's No. 52 player nationally according to the Tennis Recruiting Network, has won 90 singles matches and 20 doubles matches since November 2021.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Sarasota High baseball Coach Greg Mulhollen spends some of his free time working as an area basketball referee.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 15, 2022
Sarasota baseball coach moonlights as basketball referee

Greg Mulhollen has learned a lot from the perspective shift.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Rams junior Mairead Dempsey takes a shot on net against Manatee High.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 15, 2022
Riverview girls soccer yet to lose through six games

The Rams are 4-0-2 and in good position to improve on last season's 9-8-2 record.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Riverview High girls soccer sophomore Rachel Paule.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 14, 2022
Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Rachel Paule

The Rams girls soccer sophomore had a hat trick and three assists in the team's 9-0 win over Manatee High on Tuesday.

  • Sarasota
  • Sports
Braden River's Isaac Heaven.
    By
  • Ryan Kohn
  • December 13, 2022
East County Athlete of the Week: Isaac Heaven

The Braden River boys basketball junior had three-straight games of 10 or more points and three or more rebounds last week.

  • East County
  • Sports
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