Columbus’ Cameron Boozer, Southridge’s Alyssa Jones are Miami 7A-5A Athletes of the Year
Alyssa Jones finished one of the all-time great Miami high school careers this year.
Cameron Boozer might be right at the start of one.
They’re now the Miami Herald’s Miami-Dade County Athletes of the Year for Classes 7A-5A.
Jones, a senior, added four more Class 3A championships in track and field, and finished her time at Southridge with eight total. Boozer, a freshman, led Columbus to its first ever state title in boys’ basketball and is now the No. 1 player in the Class of 2025, according to ESPN.com.
Jones’ eight Florida High School Athletic Association gold medals are second most ever by a South Florida athlete in track and field, trailing only Jackson’s Robin Reynolds, who set the Florida record with 14 from 2009-2012. She was also the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year in each of the last two years.
“At the end of the day, I love running and I love jumping, so I do take pride in them,” Jones said, “but it’s also just something that really genuinely brings me joy and I enjoy doing.”
Jones this year also became only the ninth girl to win four individual state titles in track and field — the maximum possible — and she did it as both a sprinter and a jumper. She repeated as the champion in the 100-meter dash, long jump and triple jump, and added her first title in the 200 dash, as well.
Jones has been competing in track and field since sixth grade. Initially, she wanted to be a soccer player, and tried track because both her mother and older sister were runners. Once she gave it a shot, Jones was a natural and now she’s off to California to compete for the Stanford Cardinal.
Jones is Southridge’s first Miami Herald Girls’ Athlete of the Year since Cindy Bethel in 1997.
“Track is something that I found was really fun and then I also noticed I was pretty good at it,” Jones said, “so I was like, OK, I’ll keep doing this.”
Boozer, who’s the son of former All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer, has been drawing scouts’ attention since he was in middle school, carried a mountain of hype with him to high school and delivered on it right away once he got there.
Boozer joins Henry Parrish (2019-20) and Armando Del Valle (2010-11) as the only other Miami Herald Athletes of the Year from Columbus.
As a freshman, Boozer led the Explorers with 18.9 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game, and added 4.0 assists. He was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A and was MaxPreps’ National Freshman of the Year.
After losing multiple games in the preseason, Columbus lost only two meaningful games all year and Boozer capped his debut season by scoring 17 points, grabbing eight rebounds and handing out five assists in the Class 7A championship.
“After about a month or two we started coming together, started to get a little bit of chemistry,” Boozer said. “After that, it was great from there.”
Next to Boozer, the Explorers started two freshmen — including twin brother Cayden Broozer — and a sophomore, and they won the 7A title by knocking off Orlando Dr. Phillips, which featured two top-100 seniors and was the No. 17 team in the country, according to MaxPreps.
There’s a new standard in Miami.
“For the next three years, we’re going to have a target on our back,” Boozer said, “so we’re going to have to be even more prepared for next season.”
Other finalists
BOYS
Belen Jesuit’s Adam Magoulas, a senior, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Cross Country Co-Runner of the Year, and a first-team all-county selection in track and field after the 3A title in the 1,600 run. With Magoulas’ help, the Wolverines also won their fifth straight 3A title in cross country. He’ll run for the Florida Gators.
Columbus’ Darren McQueen, a senior, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year, after winning Class 4A championships in both the 100 and 200. He was also a contributor at safety in football and helped the Explorers as win Region 4-8A.
Homestead’s Richard Dandridge, a junior, was a first-team all-county selection in both football, and track and field. As a wide receiver and safety, Dandridge had helped the Broncos win District 16-7A. In track and field, he qualified for the 3A championship in the long and triple jumps. He’s orally committed to the Temple Owls as a wide receiver.
South Dade’s Sawyer Bartelt, a sophomore, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Wrestler of the Year for the second straight season, winning a 3A championship and going undefeated for the second straight year. He wrestled at 220 pounds.
GIRLS
Dr. Krop’s Mai-Lisa Atis, a senior, was a first-team all-county selection in both girls’ soccer and flag football, and an honorable mention in girls’ basketball and girls’ bowling. She has signed with the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders for soccer.
Miami High’s Janay Quinn, a senior, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year and a first-team all-county selection in flag football. The Stingarees reached the girls’ basketball state title game in all four of Quinn’s years at Miami.
Coral Park’s Penelope Sosa, a senior, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Cross Country Runner of the Year, and a first-team all-county selection in track and field. She won her first 4A championship in cross country and followed it up by winning her second straight 4A title in the 3,200 run. She signed with the UCF Knights for track.
Palmetto’s Emma Weinberg, a sophomore, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Lacrosse Player of the Year and a first-team all-county selection in girls’ soccer.
