Poll: Which high school athlete should be the Miami Herald’s Player of the Week? (March 7)
It was a largely successful week for South Florida athletes at both the boys’ basketball and wrestling state championships this past week.
This week, we continue a weekly feature where we ask you to vote for the best performer of the week in South Florida high school sports.
Below is a look at the five candidates from last week’s action. Take our poll below to cast your vote. The poll will be open until Thursday, March 10, around 10 p.m. You may vote as often as you like until then.
Here are the candidates from last week’s events:
▪ Cameron Boozer, Columbus, boys’ basketball: Boozer scored 17 points and had eight rebounds and five assists in the Explorers’ one-point win over Orlando Dr. Phillips to secure their first-ever state championship. This followed an 18-point, 16-rebound performance against Lake Worth in the semifinals.
▪ Sawyer Bartelt, South Dade, boys’ wrestling: Bartelt won the state championship in the 220-pound weight class and finished his season undefeated while leading the Bucs to their ninth consecutive state team title.
▪ Mya Bethel, North Miami, girls’ wrestling: Bethel won the 155-pound state championship, edging Chloe Shull from Timber Creek, 2-1. Bethel was the lone state champion for Miami-Dade County in the inaugural season for girls’ wrestling as a state-sanctioned sport.
▪ Hykeem Williams, Stranahan, boys’ basketball: Williams scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to complete the Dragons march to their third state championship in four seasons following a 64-40 win over St. Petersburg in the Class 5A final. Williams also had a double-double (15 rebounds, 11 points) in a semifinal win over Pensacola Pine Forest.
▪ Adrian Cruz, Sagemont, boys’ basketball: In one of the most memorable performances at state in recent memory, Cruz scored 40 points including 20 in the fourth quarter and overtime of their 76-72 Class 2A state semifinal win over North Florida Educational. Although the Lions lost to Orlando Christian Prep in the final, Cruz led them again with 15 points.
This story was originally published March 6, 2022 at 4:50 PM.