Ten Sarasota athletes to watch in 2017

1 — Dumaka Atkins, Booker

When Dumaka Atkins took over the Booker football team on an interim basis, the Tornadoes were 0-2 and had lost the two games by a combined score of 100-26.

With one game to go in the regular season, the Tornadoes were a win away from just their fourth playoff berth in a decade.

Atkins jump-started the turnaround. Booker Athletic Director Philip Helmuth said accountability and discipline is a big difference between Atkins’ program and Booker programs of the past few years.

Booker ended up missing the playoffs, but Atkins was given the head coaching job full time after the season. With a full offseason to prepare and implement his system, 2016’s dramatic turnaround could be the beginning of something much bigger.

2 — Nikki Yanez, United States Tennis Association

Nikki Yanez, of Sarasota, is just 13 years old, but is taking the tennis world — literally — by storm.

Yanez was the U.S. representative in the 2016 Longines Future Tennis Aces Tournament, held in Paris. Sixteen countries, one player from each, were represented.

Yanez also won the United States Tennis Association Girls’ 18 championship July 4 in Orlando, and won the Girls’ 12 doubles title July 24 at the National Clay Court Championships with Maria Drobotova.

She is the 7th-ranked player in the country for her age and the top-ranked player in Florida.

Need any more reasons to watch this incredible athlete?

3 — Ali Boyce, Riverview

Riverview's Ali Boyce had a great sophomore season. He and senior quarterback Mike Welcer led the Rams to their first playoff win since 2004. With Welcer graduating, more of the burden will fall on the 5-foot 6-inch, 175-pound wrecking ball.

He’ll be ready.

Boyce got stronger as the season went on, rushing for 173 yards and two touchdowns against rival Sarasota in the final week of the regular season. With another offseason under his belt, Boyce will be ready to take the reins all by himself.

4 — Malachi Wideman, Riverview

Malachi Wideman is making waves at Riverview during his freshman year. He showed off his skills first on the football field as a wide receiver, making more and more athletic touchdown catches as the year progressed.

He then transitioned to the hardwood, where Wideman has continued to impress. He scored the first six points of Riverview’s 66-47 win over Charlotte on Dec. 14, and finished with 13. He also finished third in the Sunshine Series dunk contest Dec. 21 at Florida SouthWestern State College.

With future collegiate players Brion Whitley and AJ Caldwell graduating in the spring, Wideman will have a chance to take over their prominent scoring roles, and he’s already proved himself on the gridiron.

This two-sport athlete is a budding star.

5 — Isabel Traba, Sarasota 

Sophomore Sarasota swimmer Isabel Traba finished in the top 10 in the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard individual medley at the Class 4A state championships last year.

She is also an integral part of the Sailors’ 200-yard and 400-yard relay teams, which took first place at the 2016 Tri-County meet.

With another summer of experience swimming with the Sarasota YMCA Sharks, Traba has a chance to compete for a title in both of her individual events in 2017.

6 — MJ McMahon, Cardinal Mooney

Cardinal Mooney sophomore lacrosse attacker MJ McMahon is drawing attention from some of the top programs in the country, including Syracuse.

He demonstrated his scoring prowess against Riverview on April 1, scoring six goals and assisting on four more in a 16-11 Cougars victory.

McMahon actually led the varsity team with 130 scores in his freshman campaign.

His sophomore season promises to be even more impressive.

7 — Chad Sutton, Cardinal Mooney

Chad Sutton is determined to turn Cardinal Mooney into a volleyball mecca.

Not just through wins (though he wants plenty of those, too), but through facilities and opportunities.

The girls volleyball coach says adding a boys volleyball program to the school is one of his short-term goals. As for long-term? Sutton wants to add beach volleyball courts to the campus, and on Sept. 24 said he has already started a few campaigns to get funding for the project.

His girls team loses six seniors to graduation in 2017, but Sutton sees that as a challenge, not a setback.

“For a couple years, we’re gonna have kids on the court that are playing three years for us,” Sutton said. “It’s very exciting. I’m very happy with where they’re at now, but I’m very excited about where the future of our program is gonna be.”

8 — Lexi Johns, Sarasota 

Sarasota junior softball shortstop Lexi Johns is all about speed, offensively and defensively. It has helped her master the infield hit and make plays deep in the hole.

It also helped her get noticed by scouts. Johns is committed to Florida International University.

Johns also has pitched for the Sailors, who lost in the Class 8A regional quarterfinals last season. With Johns quickness and leadership, they could well get farther than that in 2017.

9 — Andre Spivey, Sarasota Manatee

Did you know the American Basketball Association was still around?

Did you know that there’s a team coming to Sarasota?

Andre Spivey, a tech entrepreneur, is the owner of the new franchise, to be called the Manatee. He decided to buy the team because he’s always been fascinated by what teams provide their home cities.

“In basketball, you’re providing a product for fans,” Spivey said. “The way people in the city are affected by it, the way people get behind sports and how it gives them pride in their city. That sense of pride and desire to win can be infectious. It makes the city feel different.”

The franchise is playing exhibition road games, but will play a full slate in 2017.

If Spivey has anything to say about it, this is one team all of Sarasota will soon care about.

10 — Cole Madden, Sarasota

Sarasota senior catcher Cole Madden is committed to United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. He’s the first Sailor ever to attend the academy for baseball.

With Madden giving the signals behind the plate, the Sailors won the Class 8A District 8 championship over Lakewood Ranch last season.