Our favorite moments from the 2017-2018 school year

I can’t believe it, but the second area high school sports season I’ve had the privilege to cover has come and gone.

Somehow, it was even better than the first in terms of on-field success, reflected in our top moments feature this week. There were other moments, though, that may have been less “important,” but no less thrilling. Those moments are my favorite, and I’m going to go through a few of them here, because 2017-2018 was a wild ride.

I witnessed one of the wildest fourth quarters of a football game I’ve ever seen during The Out-of-Door Academy’s 7-6 win over visiting Bradenton Christian on Sept. 18, that featured special teams blunders, post-whistle fights, stellar defensive plays and officiating controversies. It wasn’t pretty, but it was unforgettable for everyone in attendance.

I also had the chance to watch that ODA team mature as the season progressed, with guys like senior running back Dakota Dickerson and sophomore defensive lineman Ryan Ives imposing their will on opponents all the way to the playoffs. The Thunder’s first home playoff win in eight seasons, a 42-6 romp over Santa Fe Catholic on Oct. 27 that featured four Dickerson touchdowns, was a triumphant moment for a program that coach Ken Sommers transformed from bottom-to-top. It’s no wonder that following the game, Sommers said he was “speechless.”

The year featured a lot of “firsts,” too, like the first-ever games played by the Lakewood Ranch High boys and girls lacrosse teams. They both lost, but the teams improved over the course of the year, and besides, this inaugural year was never about wins and losses. It was about giving area lacrosse players a chance to play their sport at a public high school. Watching the two teams beam with pride as they were introduced, clad in Mustangs green jerseys, was awesome. Same goes for the Braden River High beach volleyball team, which not only debuted this season, but found success, defeating Port Charlotte High 4-2 on March 21 to take the Gulf Division crown, and eventually reaching the Sunshine State Athletic Conference state tournament.

As always, the upper echelon of my favorite moments are the ones that are most human. Talking with Braden River boys basketball coach Jason Mickan about his newborn son, Jack Mickan, and the balance of raising him while coaching his team was a delight. I didn’t get to meet Jack at any games this year (the flu bug was too prevalent) but I’m looking forward to seeing him next winter.  

I’ll miss the graduating senior class, and I’m saddened that some of them, like the Braden River football and Lakewood Ranch boys basketball seniors, came so close to the mountaintop without reaching it. They were generous with their time and gave honest answers in interviews. I appreciate that, and I wish them the best in the future.

So: How is 2018-2019 going to top all of that?