All-Area Athletes & Teams
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1470169
Page 22 www.yoursun.com By VINNIE PORTELL SPORTS WRITER It seemed inevitable the Charlotte High girls basketball team would return to the Final Four this season. What wasn't as obvious was the emergence of several stars and teams throughout the area, as well. Port Charlotte – led by a trio of First Team All-Area stars – won its district and made it all the way to the regional final thanks to some last-second heroics. Venice, bolstered with an impressive freshman class, had a winning season and made it to the regional playos for the first time under third-year coach Jeremy Martin. There were individual breakouts, too, like Lazaiya Kinville averaging an area-best 16.4 points for DeSoto County, Maya Collins stepping up for Lemon Bay as a freshman, and much more. Charlotte's Matt Stephenson picked up Coach of the Year honors FIRST TEAM ARY HICKS CHARLOTTE, SENIOR A four-year starter for the Lady Tarpons, Hicks guided the team to its best four-year stretch in program history. A leader, floor general and scoring threat, Hicks led Charlotte to back-to-back regional championships in her junior and senior seasons. Hicks finished the season with 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.9 steals per game, but her contributions went far beyond the stats. ARYIANNA LOCKEYPROGL PORT CHARLOTTE, SOPHOMORE A second-year starter for the Lady Pirates, Lockey-Progl played in every game this season as she helped her team win 20 games and a district championship. She finished the season with 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds 3.6 assists and 3 steals per game – one of the area's most well-rounded players. D'YANIS JIMENEZ CHARLOTTE, JUNIOR Jimenez scored in bunches for the Tarpons and was one of the team's top defenders, too. The junior guard thrived in big moments, like when she scored a game- high 15 points in the state semifinals as she tried to keep Charlotte's season alive. Jimenez finished with 15.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.1 steals per game. DELAINI MORRIS PORT CHARLOTTE, JUNIOR Morris continued her ascension in her junior season as she helped lead Port Charlotte on a run to the regional final. Morris made a few game-changing plays, but none bigger than her last-sec- ond layup in the regional semifinals that helped her team advance. The junior guard led her team in scoring (11.8 points per game) and rebounding (7.9 per game) while also contributing 2.1 assists and 2.8 steals per game. ZERI TYLER DESOTO COUNTY, JUNIOR A three-year starter for the Lady Bulldogs, Tyler turned in another top- notch performance in her junior season. The 5-foot-9 forward was an almost automatic double-double as she aver- aged 15.3 points and 13.1 rebounds this season while also adding 1.2 assists and 2.6 steals per game, too. BRYANNA GRIFFITHS PORT CHARLOTTE, JUNIOR Griths was again a key contributor in her third season with the Lady Pirates. A dangerous scoring threat from beyond the arc and in the post, she averaged 10 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. ZOE O'LEARY VENICE, FRESHMAN A starter for Venice since Game 1 of her high school career earlier this season, it didn't take long for O'Leary to adjust. Before long, the freshman center was leading the team in scoring and rebounding on most nights as she helped lead the Lady Indians to a winning season and an appearance in the regional playos. She finished the season with 9.2 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. SECOND TEAM MAYA COLLINS, Lemon Bay, freshman LAZAIYA KINVILLE, DeSoto County, sophomore ADDISON IVERY, Venice, freshman ADRIANA IORFIDA, Charlotte, junior TAYLOR ORRIS, Lemon Bay, sophomore KRISTEN LOWERS, Charlotte, senior JESSICA STEWART, North Port, senior Pirates, Tarpons highlight star-studded year Port Charlotte and Charlotte made some of the deepest runs in program history SUN FILE PHOTO BY TOM O'NEILL Charlotte's D'Yanis Jimenez drives to the basket in a regional nal win over Clearwater earlier this season. SUN FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS BLAKE Venice's Zoe O'Leary blocks a shot by Port Charlotte guard Rylee Waldie earlier this season. ALLAREA GIRLS BASKETBALL