All-Area Athletes & Teams
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Page 12 www.yoursun.com Wilson II's best season came in 2021 when he had 90 total tackles (23 for loss), a school-re- cord 15 sacks and 25 QB hurries. In the team's state champion- ship win over Apopka in 2021, Wilson II had 10 tackles, a sack and an interception. A highly-touted recruit, Wilson II signed early in December, choosing Georgia over Ohio State and Alabama. Wilson II enrolled early and went through spring practice with the Bulldogs, making an impact in the spring game with two sacks. GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY MALIA HAMBRICK NORTH PORT When Malia Hambrick's high school career is over, she could end up the most decorated ath- lete in the history of this area. The freshman at North Port High School got her high school career off to a flying start by being named the Sun's girls cross-country runner of the year. Hambrick was a star from day one, finishing in the Top 10 in all eight races she was in, including one win and three seconds. It started with a 19:44.8 time in her first high school race, the Lemon Bay Invitational on August 27, where she finished eighth. From there, the times shrank quickly. In her third meet, the North Port Invitational, she broke 19 minutes for the first time with an 18:46.6, good for eighth, and followed that up with a run- ner-up in the Southwest Florida Christian King's Invitational. She again was runner-up at the Tri-County cross country Championship, again on her home course, on Oct. 15, with a 19:00.3 time before topping that with her first victory the following week in the district meet with a 18:33.2 despite getting over a cold. Hambrick followed up with her career-best 18:30 in the Region 4A-2 meet on her home course, good for second place. Hambrick finished her season at the state championship in Tallahassee on Nov. 5 with a 19:08 time, racing as an individual. Hans Duque, who has coached Hambrick for four years in soccer and running, said he only expects more from her as she progresses through high school. "That's what she expects. You can see her times in track and field come down," Duque said. "She has everything it takes to be a state champion." BOYS CROSS COUNTRY EVAN CRANE NORTH PORT When Evan Crane joined the North Port High School boys' cross-country team as a fresh- man, he wanted to be just like the upperclassmen. All the hard work he put in paid off after winning two races and breaking the 16-minute mark several times in his senior year. North Port cross country coach Phu Nguyen said Crane is right up there with the best athletes he has ever coached. "He's the top cross-country guy I've ever coached. He really dedicated himself this past summer, hit all his mileage and workouts," Nguyen said. "He worked his butt off for it. He's just a great racer with a great desire to win." Crane joined the cross-coun- try program in 2019 with runners such as Joseph Smith, Zachary Rathburn and Matthew Kodberg. Once they left, Crane became the leader of the team, and he didn't disappoint, breaking out toward the end of his junior year and qualifying for states as an individual. That carried over to this season, where he won the North Port XC Invitational and the Southwest Florida Christian Kings Invitational. Crane saved his best for last, recording a 15:43 in the District 4A-4 meet, and a career-best 15:29.78 in the Region 4A-2 meet, both on his home track and both resulting in fourth-place finishes. At the state meet at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Crane finished his high school career with a time of 15:53.4 to finish eighth. Crane intends to join the cross-country and track teams at Florida Gulf Coast University, where he will major in nursing. GIRLS SWIMMING MAEVE ECKERMAN VENICE For the second-straight season, Maeve Eckerman stood out in the pool for Venice. After a stellar freshman campaign in 2021, Eckerman followed it up with an even better showing her sophomore year. A second trip to state and a first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke event helped earn Eckerman the Sun Preps girls Swimmer of the Year award for the second consecutive year. As a freshman, Eckerman burst onto the scene for the Indians in a big way. During the postseason, she racked up district and regional titles in the 50 freestyle before finishing in second place at state. This season, Eckerman improved on that run, winning district titles in both the 50 free and 100 back events. At regionals, Eckerman earned first-place finishes again in the 50 free and 100 back, racing to season bests in both. At the state meet, the soph- omore won a state title in the 100 back with a personal-best time of 54.65. In the 50 free, she swam a season-best 23.33 to secure a third-place nod. Eckerman also helped lead her team's 200 medley relay to state, finishing in 10th place with a time of 1:50.43. BOYS SWIMMING AMADEUSZ KNOP VENICE Amadeusz Knop's extraor- dinary attention to detail has brought him a plethora of success in the pool during his high school career at Venice. A varsity swimmer all four years with the Indians, Knop earned state appearances each year. His senior season, Knop finally broke through, winning state titles in both the 200-yard medley and 100-yard backstroke events. Knop's already-decorated career was taken to the next level during his postseason run last fall. Knop won district titles in both the 200 IM (1:55.48) and the 100 back (52.28) before finishing first and second, respectively in the events during regionals. FALL FROM PAGE 11A PHOTO BY MEREDITH W. NICHOLSON Multiple swimming medals adorn the necks of Venice High School state title swimmers Amadeusz Knop and Maeve Eckerman during a parade held earlier this spring honoring VHS athletes. SEE FALL, 13A