Top teams of 2014

Special Turnaround:
Sarasota High Girls Basketball
The Sarasota High girls basketball team’s roster featured seven new faces in 2014.

With only one player returning, the Lady Sailors didn’t have the benefit of a summer program, but that didn’t hinder the girls’ belief in their potential.

After falling to rival Lakewood Ranch twice during the regular season, Sarasota used a strong second-half run to hold off the Lady Mustangs 57-47 in the Class 7A-District 10 championship Jan. 31. With the win, Sarasota captured its second-consecutive district championship and earned home court advantage in the regional tournament.

The Lady Sailors cruised to a 56-30 victory over Northeast in the regional quarterfinals before edging past Lakewood 50-44 in the regional semifinals and Fort Myers 61-56 in the regional finals to earn a berth in the Final Four for the first time since 2002.

Sarasota suffered its fifth and final loss of the season, a 47-36 loss to Harmony, in the Class 7A state semifinals Feb. 20.

The Lady Sailors finished the season 26-5, having lost their five games by a combined 29 points, and allowed more than 50 points only once during the season.

State Runner-Up:
Sarasota Christian Girls Basketball
The Sarasota Christian girls basketball team didn’t expect to be standing on the court in the Lakeland Center holding a Class 2A state runner-up trophy when the season began.

But as they notched wins throughout the season, the Class 2A-District 9 champion Lady Blazers realized they were inching closer to that reality.

Sarasota Christian breezed through the regional tournament, defeating Clewiston Ahfachkee 56-35, Donahue Catholic 59-20 and Berean Christian 49-14, to earn a berth in the Class 2A Final Four Feb. 18.
Led by Heidi Miller and McKenzie Lantz, the Lady Blazers edged past Academy at the Lakes 68-59 to advance to the state championship for the first time since 2008.

The Lady Blazers ultimately saw their season come to an end with a 45-32 loss to Grandview Prep, who had been to the Final Four each of the past three seasons.

Historic Run:
Sarasota Christian Boys Basketball
Led by a sophomore and two freshmen, the Sarasota Christian boys basketball team made school history in 2014, advancing to the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time Feb. 25.

The Blazers were the underdog heading into their first Final Four appearance, where they would face an Orlando Christian Prep team with four Division I players making its seventh-consecutive Final Four appearance.

Sarasota Christian hung with Orlando Christian Prep throughout the first quarter before the Warriors went on a 13-3 run late in the first half, which proved to be too much for the Blazers to overcome.

Sarasota Christian ultimately fell to Orlando Christian Prep 58-44. The Blazers finished the season 18-9, having won their third-consecutive district championship and first regional championship.

Golden Boys:
Riverview High Swimming
The Riverview High boys swim team was all too familiar with the recent success of its female counterparts.

The Riverview girls swim team had won state championships each of the past four seasons, but a state championship was a feat that had eluded the boys team for more than three decades.

But that all changed Nov. 7 when the Riverview boys team captured its first state title since 1980.

Riverview scored 281 points to win the boys team title at the Class 4A Swimming & Diving Championships, in Stuart.

Carter Page won the 500-yard freestyle in a new personal best time of 4 minutes, 25.74 seconds. He also finished second in the 200 freestyle, posting another personal best time of 1:39.61.

Campbell Lee also won an individual state title, capturing the 100 breaststroke in 56.84. Lee also finished second in the 200 individual medley. The Rams’ 200 medley relay team finished second in 1:36.04.

Drew Clark earned a bronze medal in the 500 freestyle, while Riverview’s 400 freestyle relay team won a silver medal in 3:09.65.

Following the state championships, Page signed a national letter of intent to continue his swimming career at Northwestern University.

Back-to-Back Champs:
Cardinal Mooney Football
After capturing its first district title since 2006 last season, the Cardinal Mooney football team entered the 2014 season with high aspirations.

Led by senior quarterback Reese Vita and a dominant defense that held its opponents to 14 points or less seven times during the regular season, the Cougars captured their second-consecutive Class 3A-District 10 championship with a 44-6 victory over Bishop Verot Oct. 31. Vita completed eight of 13 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. He also scored on a 15-yard run. Defensively, the Cougars recorded four interceptions, with Sean Morris Jr. and Taylor Garris both returning interceptions for touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

As the district champions, the Cougars hosted Clearwater Calvary Christian in the regional quarterfinals Nov. 14. Cardinal Mooney held on to beat Calvary Christian 17-14 and advance to the Nov. 21 regional semifinals, where the Cougars saw their season come to and end with a 14-10 loss to Clearwater Central Catholic.