High‑School Sports Stars Shine in Weekly Fan Vote

Each Monday, the local paper posts a new list of high‑school athletes who could win the “Boys Athlete of the Week” award, thanks to a partnership with a community health group. Coaches from Sarasota and Manatee counties send in their players’ stats, and the readers decide who gets the top spot. The winner is announced at the end of each week when the online poll closes at 10 a. m. on Friday. Last week’s champion was Logan Miller from Riverview High, a baseball pitcher who posted an impressive 2‑for‑2 hit line with a home run and three runs batted in. He also stole a base, helping his team beat Sarasota. For the upcoming week (March 9‑14), several standout athletes have been nominated. In baseball, Tyler Brown of Parrish took the mound for five and a half innings, striking out twelve to secure a win over Barron Collier. Graham Houston from Venice batted cleanly in a 6‑3 victory, while Keaton Love of Palmetto drove in two runs on a triple. Braedon Mackay from Sarasota showcased versatility, earning wins both as a reliever and a batter. Kasen Poplin of Venice posted six shutout innings with eleven strikeouts.On the basketball court, Isaiah Jenkins of Sarasota grabbed a team‑high six rebounds in the state championship game and doubled his effort with 12 points and ten boards in the semifinal. Track & Field athletes also earned nominations. Alex Bates of Riverview cleared 4. 05 meters in the pole vault at the RAM Invitational. Julius Evans from Venice leapt 6. 73 meters for long‑jump gold, while Evan Howes of North Port set a triple‑jump mark of 13. 55 meters. Mason Jordan from Cardinal Mooney ran the 100‑meter dash in 11. 29 seconds and helped his relay team finish first. Fans can vote by scrolling to the bottom of the website or clicking the link provided. The next poll will appear on Monday, giving everyone a chance to support their local heroes.