2022 All-Area Athletes & Teams

All-Area Athletes and Teams

All-Area Athletes & Teams

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Page 12 www.yoursun.com FAITH WHARTON CHARLOTTE, JUNIOR The Lady Tarpons played the area's toughest schedule, but it didn't seem to faze Wharton, who hit .403 across 81 plate appearances with six runs, 24 RBI, six doubles, two triples and three home runs while also committing no errors behind the plate — earning her team's Defensive MVP award. BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR JOHN WHITNEY VENICE, SENIOR The Samford University signee helped on the mound and at the plate for Venice. When injuries depleted the batting order, He picked up the slack. On the mound, he was at his best late in the year with a near-perfect game against Palmetto, before outdueling draft prospect Zach Root in a win against Fort Myers. FINALISTS ABEL ALBARRAN LEMON BAY, JUNIOR The area's best combination of pitcher and hitter had a second consecutive standout season, batting .438 with 5 doubles, 2 triples and 4 home runs while recording a 3-1 record and 2.06 earned run average on the mound with 48 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. MIKEY MURRAY NORTH PORT, SENIOR While playing anywhere he was needed for the Bobcats, Murray built on a stellar 2021 season by leading the area with a .455 batting average this year. He collected 7 doubles, a triple and a home run with 13 stolen bases and was never caught stealing. BOYS TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR CHARLIE SIDDONS VENICE, JUNIOR Siddons was the area's most-dominant singles player and proved to be equally potent as a doubles partner to Seth Neitlich. With Siddons at No. 1 in singles and doubles play, Venice rolled to a 16-4 overall mark. He reached the state dou- bles final with Neitlich, the best finish by any area players this season. FINALISTS STEVIE ETHIER LEMON BAY, FRESHMAN It's not often a kid shows up on campus and immediately takes the reins as the No. 1 singles player, but Ethier did just that. He spearheaded a Mantas squad that swept every match at the district tournament, earning himself a trip to the state singles championships. Ethier also earned a trip to state at No. 1 doubles. SETH NEITLICH VENICE, JUNIOR A No. 2 singles player that would probably be a No. 1 at any other school in the area, Neitlich did his part to ensure a district No. 1 doubles title for the Indians. Neitlich and Charlie Siddons went on to state in the doubles tournament and finished as runners-up. GIRLS TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR NIKA DELONG VENICE, SOPHOMORE A top starter for Venice since she joined the varsity team last year as a freshman, DeLong could be the No. 1 player for countless teams across the state. At Venice, she played up and down the lineup, finishing the year at No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles. ATHLETES FROM PAGE 11A GONDOLIER FILE PHOTO BY CHRIS BLAKE The 2021-22 school year got out to a rousing start for the area when Venice won the Class 8A state football champion- ship in December. SEE ATHLETES, 13A

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