- September 9, 2024
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Will 2024 be the year?
The Lakewood Ranch High boys golf team has been on the precipice of a state title two years in a row. In 2022, with a roster full of freshmen and sophomores, the Mustangs finished fifth at the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 3A tournament, held annually at Mission Inn Resort in Howey-in-the-Hills in November.
In 2023, Lakewood Ranch crept even closer, finishing second overall with a two-day team score (606) that would have seen the team take the Class 2A crown. Unfortunately for the Mustangs, they play in 3A, where Fleming Island High (583) ran away with the team title.
In 2024, Lakewood Ranch won't have to deal with Fleming Island, which dropped to 2A due to lower enrollment. That means the Mustangs will start the season as the team to beat in 3A, and though the team will have to replace two of its top-five players from a season ago, Head Coach Dave Frantz is confident his team has the talent to contend.
"We're cautiously optimistic that we can make a run at it," Frantz said.
Frantz praised several of his returning and incoming golfers, including two who moved to Lakewood National Golf Club from Canada over the offseason, juniors Owen Gellatly and Jack Wessinger. The two did not know each other prior to moving, Frantz said. Both have impressed in early practice sessions: Frantz said they each have consistently shot in the mid- to low-70s during tryouts.
Frantz also gave a shout to sophomore Donny Plakyda. Frantz said Plakyda has improved his average by approximately 10 strokes since last season, giving him a chance to contribute. Sophomore Brett Traver, who split his fall between golf and football last season but will focus solely on golf in 2024, has also improved and is shooting consistently in the 70s, Frantz said.
What has not changed is the team's top-two players, seniors Parker Severs and Henry Burbee. Severs, who has committed to the University of Florida, finished tied for second in the individual standings in 2023 (70-73—143) while Burbee, who Frantz said should make his college decision soon, finished tied for fourth (77-68—145).
Frantz said he's not worried his stars overlooking their final high school season, despite their college careers being so close. They are competitors, Frantz said. They are going to want to finish with a bang.
"I try to keep them motivated and psychologically prepared for whatever we are going to be doing," Frantz said. "They both averaged 71.5 last year, and I know both of them want to be better than that this year."
While the Mustangs are the top East County golf team to watch this fall, there are local teams in other sports primed to do exciting things. Here's what to watch when the fall season officially begins Aug. 19.
The top area returnee is ODA junior Kevin Gyurka, who finished 35th overall (16:56.2) at the Class 1A state meet in 2023, helping the Thunder to a 10th-place team finish. Seniors Collin Dillingham (17:27.8) and Isidro Iturralde (17:31.8) should also be factors as ODA aims for another top-10 finish.
The Lakewood Ranch High girls team finished 20th overall at the Class 4A state meet in 2023. The Mustangs were led by Olivia Spiegel, then a junior, who finished 57th overall (20:16.1). She will try to improve on that mark as a senior. The Mustangs also bring back sophomore Julia Mulligan (20:45.6) and senior Kyleigh Halloran (21:15.1) among other runners.
Braden River High did not have any boys or girls state qualifiers a season ago.
The Braden River High volleyball team has won its FHSAA district title three years in a row, and in 2023 went 21-7 and reached the Class 5A regional semifinals before dropping a 3-2 match to Gulf Coast High. The team has graduated their top-two kills leaders in Brynna Sands (204) and Aryanna Spainhower (189), but until someone in their district dethrones the Pirates, they should be considered the favorite.
Senior Jaliyah Elder (70 kills, 21 aces, 20 blocks) will likely step into a bigger role, and junior Mia McGuire (457 assists) will continue to be the team's main distributor.
Lakewood Ranch High has several returnees who reached the Class 4A state meet last season. Though no one medaled, they should have a chance of finishing in the top-10 this year.
Payton Griffin is one of them. Griffin, a junior, finished 10th in the 500-yard freestyle (5:02.94) and 15th in the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.71) as as sophomore.
Mustangs junior girls swimmer Zharra Conner finished 13th in the 200-yard individual medley (2:10.63) and 23rd in the 100-yard butterfly (59.10) as a sophomore in 2023. She could also make a leap this fall, as could senior Reese Messal, who finished 10th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.04) as a junior.
On the boys side, sophomore Daniel Snitkovsky finished 19th in the boys 100-yard breaststroke (1:00.02) as a freshman.
Braden River High had just one Class 3A state qualifier a season ago — girls senior Sydney Koshinski, who finished ninth in the 100-yard freestyle (54.05) and 13th in the 50-yard freestyle (24.94).
ODA should be led by girls sophomore swimmer Zoe Gruber, who finished 15th in the Class 1A 200-yard individual medley (2:09.24) and 19th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.05). On the boys side, senior Ronan Murphy will be the standout; he finished 14th in the 500-yard freestyle (4:43.54) and 16th in the 200-yard freestyle (1:45.67) in 2023.
