EMOTIONALLY CHARGED
Our 2022 year in photos.
That’s a wrap for 2022 at Willis
Kathy Price, principal at Robert E. Willis Elementary School, and Katie Fradley, the school’s assistant principal, sat on stage dressed as presents, but they still needed one final touch.
They needed to be wrapped.
So, one by one, each Willis Elementary student took a piece of wrapping paper and stuck it to either Price or Fradley (above).
Wrapping Price and Fradley was a reward for raising enough money during the school’s Color Run event for Robert E. Willis Elementary to purchase an awning for the playground and a fan for the physical education area.
“It’s so fun,” said Melissa Weinandy, chair of the Color Run.
“We have such a great community, with so many great parents and staff.”
SEE PAGE 2
OCTOBER
SEPTEMBER
HURRICANE MODE
As Hurricane Ian approached the region, Manatee County employees, no matter what their normal roles, switched to become emergency workers. David Saldivar, a Manatee County code enforcement officer, sits on a cot at R. Dan Nolan Middle School, which converted to a hurricane shelter. Saldivar helped set up more than 100 cots.
APRIL
Next year, Chulo picks the outfit
Lakewood Ranch’s Kumi Caldero and her goldendoodle Chulo (above) both arrived dressed for the season Dec. 13 at the Barks and Brews event at University Town Center.
Both guests wore matching outfits with crisscrossing red and green stripes, as well as Santa Claus hats.
Caldero said Chulo was not as excited about wearing a Christmas outfit as she was putting it on him. However, he did seem to enjoy meeting with Santa Claus aboard his sleigh, with a kiss going from Santa to the dog before they parted.
Caldero said she takes Chulo with her everywhere she goes.
FEBRUARY
MAY I DID IT!
David Kochaniec was the picture of joy as he celebrated his graduation from Braden River High School during a ceremony at LECOM Park in Bradenton on May 21. Rain in the area pushed back Lakewood Ranch High’s graduation a day to May 20, and caused Braden River’s ceremony to move a day to May 21. It just seemed to increase the anticipation and the release of raw emotions.
From Ian’s wrath to the joys of living in one of the nation’s most desired regions, 2022 in East County will be remembered for its emotional highs and lows.A TALL TASK Lauren Lambeth needs a boost to groom Rocco, one of 10 Clydesdales who visited the area in February, mainly to take part in the Atlanta Braves’ fan experience at CoolToday stadium in North Port. The massive horses, who stayed at the Sarasota Polo Club during the trip, also made an appearance at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch. BUBBLY FINALE James Miller, who owns the Sarasota Polo Club with his wife, Misdee, pours champagne over his head after the final match of the season, which Hillcroft 11-9 over Regent. Miller wasn’t celebrating because he had seen the club through another successful season, but because he had scored six goals in the finale for Hillcroft and was named the tournament’s MVP. File photos
matriarch.
JANUARY
MAKING THEIR MOOOVE Kids and cows, and pigs, and rabbits.
FFA and 4-H members such as Cason Dooley, shown with his heifer, Sarah, finish their work in early January to show their animals at the Manatee County Fair. Getting heifers, such as Sarah, to stand still for judges is just one of the challenges.
FEBRUARY
MAN WITH A PLAN
Big ideas abound in the area, and Lakewood Ranch’s Mike Fetchko is the perfect example. Fetchko was the brains behind bringing the Bradenton Area River Regatta to the area. Now it draws more than 100,000 spectators.
FEBRUARY
SLOW DEVELOPMENT
FEBRUARY
MARCH
MARCH
IDEA GROWS WINGS
MARCH
Monday, January 9
Sarasota,10:30 am - Venice, 3:00 pm
Dover Quartet Chamber Ensemble Named one of the greatest string quartets of the last 100 years by BBC Music Magazine, the GRAMMY® nominated Dover Quartet has followed a “practically meteoric” (Strings) trajectory to become one of the most in-demand chamber ensembles in the world.
Tuesday, January 10
Sarasota,10:30 am - Venice, 2:30 pm
Strengthening America’s Voice in a Changing World Amb. Barbara Stephenson will tackle how America can retain an agenda-setting role in world a airs.
Wednesday, January 11 Sarasota,10:30 am
The Case for Following Rules Amb. Barbara Stephenson shows us how America benefits from leading in international rule setting and compliance.
Thursday, January 12
Sarasota,10:30 am - Lakewood Ranch, 5:00 Friday, January 13 Venice,10:00 am
Diplomacy in an Age of Uncertainty: How the U.S. Can Defend Its Interests, Promote Its Values, and Keep the Peace in the 21st Century Amb. Thomas Shannon will address the challenges posed to the liberal international order.
2022 YEAR IN PHOTOS
APRIL
NOTHING MINIATURE ABOUT POPSTROKE
Greg Bartoli, who partnered with Tiger Woods to build a PopStroke putting course and restaurant at UTC, stands on the upper floor of the restaurant. Besides attracting local talent and those just looking to laugh a bit, the course already has had a visit from pro Rickie Fowler.
APRIL
CAN YOU DIG IT? Ever lose your car keys? How about a time capsule buried in 2015 that was supposed to be dug up when those fifth-grade students at the time would become seniors? Conor Reilly, Jacob Jackson and Zechariah Johnston search.
MAY
The Lakewood Ranch area has many HOAs, and that often means some disgruntled residents. Such was the case when Charles Haussner, of Edgewater, found out his HOA was going to demolish his dock on Lake Uihlein. The dock, built in 2004, was going to cost $35,000 to repair, according to the HOA, so its days were doomed.
MAY
MAY THIS DONATION IS GRAND
The Myakka City Historic School House received a Brambach baby grand piano that was donated by Judy and Ray Shannon. Marilyn Coker of the Myakka City Historical Society checks out the piano at the Myakka Unified Methodist Church, where it is being stored until the renovation project is finished at the school.
2022 YEAR IN PHOTOS
JUNE
CONSTRUCTION
2022 YEAR IN PHOTOS
JULY
PARK PUTS POP INTO EVENT
Fireworks on the Lake was back on July 3 at Nathan Benderson Park. The activity included live music, food trucks, kids activities, a 4-mile run, and, of course, a huge fireworks spectacular over the lake. The annual event quickly is becoming a tradition in the East County area.
AUGUST
Fans
AUGUST DOUBLE THE DISTANCE
Tegan Portale, 8, and Payton Portale, 11, speak to Manatee County commissioners on July 28 about the importance of having a 50-meter swimming pool built at Premier Park in Lakewood Ranch that could host major meets.
The commissioners listened and approved plans for a bigger pool than the 25-meter pool that originally was planned.
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OCTOBER
CAN WE GO UNDER THIS ONE?
The attractions in East County keep coming, and the newest is the TerraNova Equestrian Center in Myakka. Bruce Davidson Jr., a nationally ranked jumper, competes with his horse Cerafino D. during a competition at the new complex. Davidson Jr. might have looked unsure of this jump, but he and his horse were flawless.
OCTOBER
HEY MOM, A NEW WATER RIDE Carson Sirek wasn’t going to be able to use the Greenbrook Adventure Park playground in the days after Hurricane Ian. Others had bigger problems as the hurricane cost an estimated $100 million in damage to residential and commercial properties in Manatee County.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER AN ‘AWESOME, BABY’ THANKSGIVING After a tough year of medical woes, a healthy Dick Vitale and his wife, Lorraine, talk about all the reasons they had to be thankful at Thanksgiving. The Lakewood Ranch couple was set to enjoy the holiday with their family, even though they are back to jetting around the country for Dick’s ESPN assignments covering college basketball.
NOVEMBER
HIS TIME TO RECEIVE Amanda Tullidge Smith, Bob Smith, Julie Smith and Diane Brune have something to celebrate in the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund’s first Wine & Giving event at the Esplanade Golf and Country Club. Bob Smith was selected as the 2022 Humanitarian of the Year for his relentless giving.
LINEUP Manatee County
Administrator Scott Hopes says the restructuring of county government that he began in May 2021 finally was complete. The dismissal, shuffling, and reassignment of employees was uncomfortable to many and caused angst in the community, but Hopes promises it will be a smoother operation from here on out.
2022: A Return to Normalcy
The latest year in Sarasota’s arts community saw a return to a full slate of performances and customers returning to their places in theater spaces.
SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITOR
The arts community in Sarasota and beyond had craved a year like this, an opportunity to welcome people back to live performances with minimal interruptions. And they mostly got what they wanted: COVID-19 continued to recede and cause fewer programming interruptions, and people began to fill the seats again.
The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall welcomed more than 100,000 visitors to performances this year, and three musical tribute acts (to ABBA, Simon and Garfunkel and Queen) sold more than 1,700 tickets in their one night on stage.
There was also a demand for more time with great art. Beyond Van Gogh, the immersive experience that took people inside the master’s work, was originally expected to spend about a month-and-a-half in Sarasota. It was extended twice, though. The folowing are some of the other highlights of the year from the arts and entertainment scene.
It started out as an exhibit documenting her younger years as an artist.
And it grew into a more fulfilling relationship.
Patti Smith, celebrated poet and inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, added another item to her distinguished list of accomplishments in 2023: Artist-in-residence at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.
Smith, who performed in Sarasota in February and April, is the first artist tagged with that position at Selby Gardens. She’ll come back to perform at Selby Gardens in 2023 and 2024, and she’ll spend some time drawing inspiration from the organization’s two campuses.
Selby Gardens first honored Smith and her former collaborator and lover, the late iconic photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, with an exhibit called, “Flowers, Poetry and Light.”
“I was just a little sad that Robert couldn’t see this,” she said when she toured the exhibit for the first time in February. “I think we really would’ve had fun, and he would’ve also been very moved at all of the effort on so many levels.”
VENUES
Two local arts organizations continued their quest for a new permanent venue; one successfully and one that will go back to the drawing board.
Sarasota Orchestra announced in March that it had agreed to purchase a 31.7-acre plot on Fruitville Road just west of the interstate with the
intention of building an 1,800-seat concert hall and a 700-seat recital hall space. That potential home leapt one procedural barrier in December, when it received a 5-0 vote from the Sarasota County Planning Commission.
The orchestra’s potential new home will be voted on by the Sarasota County Commission in January, and if approved, the purchase of the land is set to close in February.
The Players Centre for Performing Arts wasn’t as fortunate.
The Players had two plans for a potential home — one in Lakewood Ranch and one in Sarasota — fall through in 2022. The theater had planned for a $30 million complex in Waterside Place, but those plans fell through in March when SchroederManatee Ranch terminated that agreement.
Then in May, the Players had plans to lease and manage Sarasota’s Municipal Auditorium voted down by the Sarasota County Commission.
As for new venues, plans for the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center are still moving forward. An architect is expected to be chosen for the project, which will be part of The Bay park, by April.
SARASOTA RISING
Jeffery Kin spent 15 years building drama at The Players Centre. And he’s spent the past year laying the tracks for something big in Sarasota.
Kin is the driving force behind Sarasota Rising, which is committed to helping the arts scene evolve
in the Sarasota region and elsewhere on Florida’s Cultural Coast. The ultimate goal? Building a festival, dubbed the Living Arts Festival, that will debut in fall 2024.
Kin’s dream is to ultimately build a bigger stage for each of the institutions in town. He wants to build cross-collaborations between unlikely partners, and he wants to leverage the stellar arts products in town into building a catalyst for tourism during the “shoulder” season.
“We want to drum up cultural tourism. It’s going to start local, then statewide, then the Southeast and then the nation,” he says. “In 10 years, we want this to be an international festival. We will want people to be able to say, ‘We’ve got to be in Sarasota at this time because we’re going to see stuff that we would never be able to see anywhere else.’”
SAD NEWS
For more than a year, Sarasota Orchestra had looked forward to Bramwell Tovey taking charge. But it wasn’t meant to be.
Tovey, the charismatic Grammy Award-winning conductor who had formerly led the Vancouver Symphony, died in July after a recurrence of sarcoma.
Tovey accepted the position of Sarasota Orchestra’s Music Director in 2021, and he was able to lead performances here in October 2021 and again in April 2022.
He was expected to fully take the reins in the fall.
Tovey had been looking forward to shaping both the material for sea-
sons to come but also the composition of the orchestra. He told the Observer in an interview that there were as many as 15 positions to fill via audition, and he looked forward to a long and fulfilling run in Sarasota.
“As a group, I think they’re incredibly impressive. Individually, I think they’re outstanding,” he said of the orchestra. “It’s a wonderful group to work with. At the end of the day, as a conductor, I spend most of my time in a windowless studio working with musicians. I feel very confident about the people they are, the service they give and the quality of musical life that is available here in Sarasota. I’m just thrilled and honored to have been invited to lead the team.”
STORM FRONT
Many of the local arts organizations were lucky to skirt major damage from Hurricane Ian.
But the Hermitage Artist Retreat and the Venice Theatre were hit hard.
The Hermitage, located out on Manasota Key, had the opportunity to do some prep work before the storm, but the organization experienced major damage to its campus. Luckily, it avoided storm surge and survived a period after the storm in which it didn’t have power or water.
But for Venice Theatre, the interruptions to business as usual were more profound. Murray Chase, producing executive director of the theater, said in October that the main stage, the Jervey Theatre, would be out of operation for at least a year and maybe more. The secondary stage, the Pinkerton Theatre, was thought to need a few months of renovation.
Chase estimated at the time that damage to the theater could exceed $3 million, but he said Venice Theatre would emerge strong again.
“Sometimes, they can look a lot worse than they are. But they’re really bad,” said Chase of photos showing the extent of the theater’s damage. “At first glance, you think, ‘Oh, the theater is totally destroyed.’ It’s not. It suffered catastrophic damage, but it can be fixed.”
COMING AND GOING
The Asolo Repertory Theatre announced a major change in their organizational structure in April, when Michael Donald Edwards and Linda DiGabriele said they would step down in 2023.
Edwards joined the organization in 2006, and by the time he retires, he will have been the producing artistic director for Asolo Repertory Theatre for 18 seasons.
But DiGabriele was there even longer. She’s been the theater’s managing director since 1989, and her tenure at Asolo will total 50 years by the time she steps down next June.
Sarasota Ballet also celebrated a momentous changing of the toes. Principal dancer Victoria Hulland retired in April after 16 seasons with the company, and she announced in November that she is returning to Sarasota Ballet in an advisory role.
The ballet also welcomed a pair of dancers from Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Argentina: Macarena Giménez and Maximiliano Iglesias, who have relocated their lives and their art to speak the language of dance in a new community and a new country.
THIS WEEK
decades, and the latest scholarship winners are part of a tradition that stretches all the way back to the mid-’80s.
SATURDAY
PINEAPPLE DROP PARTY
1 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Jan. 1 at intersection of Lemon Avenue and Main Street Free Visit DestinationDowntownSarasota. com.
the show with a special champagne toast.
NEW YEARS EVE WITH RON FEINGOLD
9:30 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $70 Visit McCurdysComedy.com.
Ron Feingold is bringing all of his voices. He’s the man behind Comedy A Capella, and he’ll sing lead vocals, backup and even the odd percussion sound. Scott Novotny and Helen Keaney will also do sets on New Year’s Eve.
MONDAY
MONDAY NIGHT JAZZ AT THE CABARET
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Court Cabaret, 1265 First St. Tickets TBD Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
OUR PICK
This
IF YOU GO
When: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Dec. 29 and Dec. 30; 1 p.m. on Dec. 31 Where: at Sailor Circus Arena, 2075 Bahia Vista St. Tickets: $20-$40 Info: Visit CircusArts.org.
Bring on the pineapple! The spiny emblem of the Sarasota New Year is ready to drop like clockwork to help you ring in 2023. The actual festivities will start 12 hours earlier, with DJs and bands, carnival rides, games and food and drink. Live music starts at 9 p.m., and the party lasts an hour into 2023.
NEW YEAR SOIRÉE AT GROVE
7-10 p.m. at Grove, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch $200 Visit GroveLWR.com.
It’s a five-star buffet and a full open bar for the New Year’s Party at Grove. The menu will include items like prime rib and crabstuffed flounder, and the customary midnight toast will actually be served at 10 p.m.
FST IMPROV PRESENTS RESOLUTION REWIND
SCHOLARSHIP
AT TWO — JC
RECIPIENTS CONCERT
2 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Road $15-$20 Visit JazzClubSarasota.org.
The next generation of talent is bright. The Jazz Club of Sarasota has been nurturing local talent for
7:30 p.m. at FST’s Bowne’s Lab, 1265 First St. $25
Visit FloridaStudioTheatre.org.
Think of it as a last request for 2022. The talented improv crew at Florida Studio Theatre is taking your best suggestions to provide you a comic rewind of 2022, and they’ll close out
If it’s Monday night, that means there’s a jazz show down at Florida Studio Theatre. It’s the start of a year full of rich programming for the Jazz Club, which brings local and regional performers to the stage multiple times a week.
SALUTE TO VIENNA NEW YEAR’S
CONCERT
7 p.m. at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail $57-$90 Visit VanWezel.org. The Strauss Symphony of America, conducted by Michael Zehetner, is bringing you the sounds of a European New Year. Champion ballroom dancers will move to the music, and soprano Alexandra Reinprecht and tenor David Danholt will give voice to the songs of the Neujahrskonzert.
WEDNESDAY
FLYIN’ WEST 7:30 p.m. at Donelly Theatre, 1012 N. Orange Ave. $40
Visit WestCoastBlackTheatre.org. This show will still be in previews on Jan. 4, but here’s your chance to see the Sarasota premiere of a Pearl Cleage work. The play centers around a group of women in the 1890s who left the South to stake their claims in an all-black town in Nicodemus, Kansas, and their fight to keep what they had built for succeeding generations to develop in their wake.
DON’T MISS
BLONDE’
‘LEGALLY
Elle Woods would like you to know there’s no law against being both a blonde and also the smartest person in the room. The national tour of the hit Broadway musical took a brief break for the holiday season, and it will get back on its feet with a pair of shows right here in Sarasota. Hannah Bonnett stars as Elle Woods, and Lea Savola, who starred in Urbanite Theatre’s “Athena” earlier this year, plays Vivian Kensington.
IF YOU GO When: 7:30 p.m., Jan. 4 and 5 Where: Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 777 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: $42-$92 Info: Visit VanWezel.org.
A special ovation for Lea Sevola
SPENCER FORDIN A+E EDITORea Sevola will spend the holidays right here in Sarasota. And then she’ll go right back to living her dreams on stage. Also in Sarasota.
Sevola, who plays Vivienne Kensington in the touring production of the Broadway musical “Legally Blonde,” will be on stage at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Jan. 4 and 5.
And if it sounds like she’s getting a special ovation, there’s a reason for that. Her parents live in Sarasota, and they’re bringing their own cheering section.
“My parents are coming to the first performance with like 50 of their friends,” says Sevola during a break of the touring production.
“So I feel very supported, very loved. They have a wonderful community of friends where they live, and they’re so supportive of me.”
Sevola says her sister will also be in attendance at the Van Wezel, which makes it mean a little more than the average performance.
Sevola, who starred in the Urbanite Theatre’s production of “Athena” earlier this year, says that her “Legally Blonde” role doesn’t necessarily get all the laughs.
“Vivienne is the all black in a room of pink,” she says of her character, who plays a foil to the heroine Elle Woods. “She starts out very severe and rigid because she knows what she wants. And Elle is getting in her way.
“But by the end, she has a nice bit of an arc and a little bit of growth and ends up being really supportive of
The hardest part of a national tour, she says, is moving from venue to venue and not knowing the little things like what the backstage looks like and whether all the set pieces will fit. But night after night, the show must go on no matter what adjustments have to be made to the final product.
Interestingly, as they move from city to city, the young actors are part of a finishing school of sorts. They’re interacting with each other, young professionals who are each getting their first big break and with seasoned actors who have played on these tours before. Sevola says that Chris Carsten, who plays Professor Callahan, is a veteran touring actor
of 25 years and that he’s been really kind and warm to most of his younger peers.
“He has been a mentor and someone I absolutely look up to because he does such great work every night,” she says. “There’s a nice blend of new people and people who are veterans.”
The cool part about a long tour, she says, is that several of her peers will have their own hometown shows at some point during the season’s worth of performances.
At some point, they’ll all get a special ovation.
“Those are the most fun because you can feel there are people who are extra supportive,” she says. “But I have been so pleasantly surprised; people are so excited to see theater no matter where we are. Our audiences have been so packed, so supportive, so loud. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Sevola says she hasn’t thought much about what’s next because the tour winds all the way through May, but she’s been so excited to perform on stages in front of audiences that seat thousands of people.
Every night, she remembers how lucky she is to do what she loves.
“Every once in awhile, we’ll get people coming to the stage door and they want us to sign our programs,” she says.
“I remember doing that when I was a kid. These are the people I looked up to, and now I’m that person for other people. That’s the very meaningful to me.”
RIVERDANCE, as you’ve never seen it before! A powerful and stirring reinvention of this beloved favorite, celebrated the world over for its Grammy® Award-winning score and the thrilling energy and passion of its Irish and international dance. Bill Whelan has rerecorded his mesmerizing soundtrack while producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan have completely reimagined the groundbreaking show with innovative and spectacular lighting, projection, stage and costume designs. Fall in love with the magic of RIVERDANCE all over again.
BECOME A FRIEND OF THE BAY TODAY!
Help make The Bay sustainable in every way.
In this season of giving, a gift of as little as $25, $50 or $100 will enable The Bay to be a world class, central park for Sarasota.
Your help and support will ensure this new public park looks incredible and delivers surprisingly delightful experiences to every park guest every day -- every year.
The Bay preserves, restores and transforms 53 acres of precious city-owned land along Sarasota Bay into a blue and green oasis - providing a sustainable bayfront gathering place for the community to experience a wide range of park uses.
Everyone who came to The Bay for the ten-day grand opening, everyone who enjoys a walk in the park, and everyone who participates in free park programs and events is encouraged to become a Friend of The Bay.
Every dollar donated by a Friend goes to operate, maintain and program the park. Your gift of only $25, $50 or $100 will enable you, your family and friends, neighbors and visitors to enjoy The Bay, and enable others to experience that same joy.
EVERY GIFT UP TO $1,000 WILL BE DOUBLED BY A MATCH FROM OTHER GENEROUS FRIENDS OF THE BAY
Park guests and other supporters who choose to become Friends of the Bay will help enable The Bay to be one park for all – open and accessible, free and welcoming to the full and rich diversity of our community, now and for generations to come.
Please help SHARE THE JOY of The Bay to ensure more park is built, maintained and enjoyed by all.
Become a Friend of the Bay Today!
Best Of Black Tie 2022
season.
Well, we’re certainly back, aren’t we? After a couple years (give or take) of cancellations, rescheduling, Zoom adaptations, alternative fundraiser routes and plenty of pining for “The Good Old Days”, Sarasota’s social scene has returned with a roaring first half of the season that’s kept everyone busy. Last year’s season was largely a return to form but was missing a few events that were still reworked or rescheduled to now.
And everyone showed up ready to meet the moment. The various functions and fundraisers have always been marked (to me anyway) for their high levels of energy, excitement and commitment to philanthropy for those in need in our area, but this year’s outings seemed to have taken it up a notch. The air has been different, and more and more people have been out and about making the most of these many social gatherings. Or maybe I feel that way because I stayed close to the entirety of Wine, Women and Shoes this year, and I witnessed the intensity up close. Who knows?
In any case, the calendar had a healthy mix of new approaches and events mixed with some returning favorites. Lighthouse Loss Vision Education Center and All Faiths Food Bank got the ball rolling in September with their signature Red Hot Gala and Autumn Harvest Dinner events,
respectively, before October brought a small wave of social functions. Selah Freedom returned to events after some time away with its new Light The Path fundraiser at Flirt Sushi Lounge, while Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium brought the underwater beauty aesthetic with its Oceanic Evening event.
Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation finally had its moment in the sun (or rain, rather) with its Rock The Roof fundraiser in November, which must have been a relief for staff after it was delayed for so many months.
Children First brought back its lively Flip Flops & Fashion and Rockin’ Lobster events in Venice early in November, and several nonprofits followed suit with their own functions throughout the month.
Even the Sarasota Art Museum kept its streak of elegant and committed events in December with a nature-inspired Art Bash that mixed philanthropy with nature conservation efforts.
It’s been quite a ride, and we’re only halfway there. But really, it’s a healthy and happy thing to see events having returned in a way that will positively affect so many.
We hope you’ve enjoyed the first half of this social season, and we’re excited to get back into it with you for the new year.
— HARRY SAYERBest (And Longest-Awaited) Premiere: Rock The Roof
got
They
That
It was a fun, rocked-out vibe with plenty of enthusiastic guests bringing their best ’80s-style costumes. Here’s to next October’s shredding session.
Shout Out to the Mayor’s Ball
The best news is that the cursed roundabout is finally opening, which means the easiest target on his back is no more. Nice job, Erik!
Best Outfits: Disco Boys, Wine Women & Shoes
Wine, Women & Shoes always goes hard, be it with various fashion show models or the creative and dazzling shoewear guests think up for the all-day event. There’s even been themed models like a Tom Cruise Top Gun lookalike in fundraisers past.
This year’s event at the Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota had a different move in mind on Nov. 18.
The event’s fashion show was led by a pair of Disco-Headed Dudes wearing snazzy suits that danced and posed for pictures with the crowd.
Best Outfits: Sasha and
Nathan
Pyatte, Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s
Stephanie Caroline of GRAE Productions ordered the disco ball heads and volunteered for the event. She helped lead the disco dudes to take photos and get through the busy ballroom. It turns out large globe heads aren’t the best for navigation, but Caroline was just glad it all went so well.
Groovin’
On The Soul Train gala
Sasha and Nathan Pyatte have been out and about at various fundraisers over the past few months, but rarely as boldly and loudly than at the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s funky “Groovin’ On The Soul Train” gala on Nov. 11. The duo showed up with matching ’70s jumpsuits that matched the groovy looks most of the crowd donned for the signature fundraiser.
Best Outfits: Dan and Nicole Starostecki, Rock The Roof
Rock The Roof truly drew a surprising number of cool costumes and throwback rocker looks from guests that haven’t typically done so in the past.
Dan and Nicole Starostecki, though, tapped into their innate rocker energy and dressed up as they often do — something Dan called “GNashville with some doses of LA grime.”
In any case, it worked well for the duo, and the pair lived it up with the other rockers in the crowd.
Best Outfits: Rogelio Capote and Antonio Pinho, Rock The Roof
Rogelio Capote, of CAN Community Health, and his husband, Antonio Pinho, also did up the throwback look for Rock The Roof. But instead of embracing the ’80s with the big clothes and bigger hair, the duo went for a ’90s MTV look. Roger went for the cocktail look with jeans and a jacket, while Antonio kept it athletic with a colorful track suit.
“As a kid of the ’90s, it was so much fun to relive the styles,” Capote said.
Engagement: Margaret Wise and Tom Taylor
Margaret Wise has been a well-known figure in the social scene and was married for 40 years before her husband died a few years ago. She connected with social figure Tom Taylor and the two have been going steady for some time, often being seen at events together.
It’s going well. Wise and Taylor recently announced their engagement to a delighted social scene.
“He’s a good man,” Wise said. “That’s important when you get older.”
Taylor popped the question to Wise at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, where she happily said yes. They don’t have a date just yet, they’re just enjoying the moment and embracing what comes.
“We’re too young and immature (to set a date),” Wise said.
Sarah Karp of the Karp clan recently became engaged to fiance Okay Renkliyuz on a sunset cruise in Istanbul, Turkey.
Karp and Renkliyuz fell in love a year ago and have been enjoying their time together. Renkliyuz went so far as to project his proposal in large, bright letters on the Bosphorus Bridge.
About 15 minutes later, the pair spotted a pod of dolphins swimming past their boat — always a good sign for a couple.
They’re aiming to be married in Italy this summer.
Wedding: Sydney and Madison Koffman
Donna Koffman is no stranger to the social scene, be it fundraisers, luncheons, galas and all sorts of weddings.
December 3 was a first for Koffman, however — the wedding of Donna’s daughter, Sydney, to her wife, Madison.
The pair were married at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art during an elegant setting that saw more than 300 of Sarasota’s social scene in attendance. There were also several of Sydney’s friends from college who were attending as well.
A cute coincidence was that the wedding fell on Donna and David Koffman’s 28th anniversary.
Sydney and Madison Koffman are gearing up for their honeymoon at an undetermined time.
New Baby: Jersey Shelby
It’s not Alysha Shelby’s first time as a parent — she gave birth to her daughter Asher in December 2019. But as that date indicates, it was definitely a weird time to be a mom with the pandemic soon disrupting her planned mom life.
Her second baby, Jersey, born this past August, was unexpected in a different way. Alysha and her husband had been told from medical professionals and were convinced their second baby was going to be a girl.
The Shelbys went so far as to start buying girls clothes for their new child. It didn’t go that way. The couple set up their gender reveal at an Orioles spring training game on April 1 and, when the billboard revealed it was a boy, they both thought it was a big prank.
Surprises aside, young Jersey Shelby has been a happy baby in every way. And Alysha has enjoyed getting back into the social scene as well.
Starry Night Series
Dec. 12, at Katherine Harris’ residence | Benefiting Asolo Repertory Theatre
The Asolo Repertory Theatre started its Starry Night series with a swashbuckling event for close supporters on Dec. 12.
The theater’s annual series — which features a number of events that are themed to Asolo Repertory Theatre productions — started with a “Three Musketeers” evening at Katherine Harris’ residence.
Guests were welcomed by a pair of adventurous performers clad in throwback attire who led them into the event space for an evening
of light bites and mingling.
Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards and Managing Director Linda DiGabriele later gave remarks to the assembled crowd before it was time for the night’s entertainment.
The “Three Musketeers” performers drew their blades and dueled to the delight of the crowd.
The next installment in the Starry Night series will have a “Silent Sky” theme and be held on Feb. 27.
YOUR NEIGHBORS
2022 Digital Year in Review
OBSERVER STAFFWe all know the World Wide Web is a bit of a crazy place. When you put news out for the world to see, you never know who will come check out the latest and greatest happenings from our area (or what they’ll have to say about it). And, this being Florida, sometimes we garner a little extra attention for our news shenanigans.
But, as years go, things were pretty tame in 2022 on YourObserver.com, which recently got a face-lift just in time for the new year, if you haven’t noticed. No alligators invading pools or rogue men in Spider-Man costumes bopping around town. But that doesn’t mean we had any less news. Here are some of the stories that drew the most attention on our website this year.
HURRICANE IAN
The top-performing content on YourObserver.com this year was — fairly unsurprisingly — our coverage of Hurricane Ian. We kept readers up to date on forecasts and news leading up to and throughout the storm. But what caught the most attention was the aftermath.
People like to see for themselves. We published more than 100 photos taken by Observer staff and sent in by readers of damage across the region.
Readers from across the country were keeping up with our Ian coverage — snowbirds from their summer states as well as thousands of new readers. Compared to an average 60% of our content being read by people in Florida, the number of those outside the state nearly quadrupled those in state reading the Observer’s Hurricane Ian coverage.
MIRA MAR
This one had all the makings of a juicy local story: In essence, a local developer proposed razing the 100-year-old Mira Mar building on Palm Avenue in downtown Sarasota to replace it with 70 condos.
That alone was enough to spark a tidal wave of comments from readers. Then add in the plot twists: The building’s historical value was called into question from renovations and repairs made throughout the years. Then, just days after the proposal was made public, citing also that the building was a safety hazard, the city of Sarasota called for immediate shoring up of structural issues in it.
Add in that a longtime Sarasota restaurant currently leases space that would be affected by the proposal and we had a legit brouhaha brewing.
Digital Year
After the Historic Preservation Board unanimously refused the developer’s request, the deal to sell the building fell through, but the owner said in August it would still move forward with demolition. Stay tuned …
THE PLAYERS CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS
The tale of the Players Centre for Performing Arts finding a new home had some twists and turns this year, and it still does not have an ending, happy or otherwise.
In March, Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch terminated its plan with the Players to build a $30 million theater complex in its new Waterside Place development.
The community theater had been working to raise the money to build the new theater since it announced it was selling its downtown Sarasota property in 2016. After the Players presented a smaller theater concept for the space, which was rejected by SMR, it began talks with the city of Sarasota to lease the Sarasota Municipal Auditorium for its new home. The city rejected that proposal, which left the Players still searching for a home.
In the meantime, the community theater is still performing shows in its Studio 1130 space, in The crossings at Siesta Key mall.
BUDWEISER CLYDESDALES
In February, Lakewood Ranch was visited by the famous Budweiser Clydesdales.
Col. John Saputo, who owns Gold Coast Eagle Distributing, brought the team to the area to participate in the Atlanta Braves Fan Fest at CoolToday Park in North Port to
Because the Clydesdales were going to be in town, they also were booked for appearances at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, the University Town Center mall and Thunder by the Bay at the Sarasota Fairgrounds.
RED TIDE
Red tide returned to the region in mid-October. Rain and storm surge from Hurricane Ian helped fuel the ideal conditions for toxic levels of Karenia brevis, the organism that creates algae blooms known as red tide.
High levels hit Sarasota and Manatee beaches in mid- to late November but decreased in early December.
Tens of thousands of readers stayed up to date on the red tide status levels of local beaches with the Observer’s status map that began this past year.
RESTAURANTS
The region’s restaurant scene saw a lot of sad goodbyes and exciting hellos this year.
Sarasota staple Cafe Baci announced in mid-April it would close the following month after more than 30 years. Owner Roberto Mei said that he knows it’s time for him
to move into the next phase of his life, but he wants to make sure that he can find healthy and productive places for his staff to land and continue their careers.
Blue Rooster was another big hit. The Rosemary District restaurant brought Southern food and the blues to Sarasota for nearly a decade before closing its doors. Owner Bill Cornelius said that at 70 years old, he was ready to retire and sold the building to a new operator.
The area and its growing population is still a magnet for restaurateurs. Ruth's Chris Steak House announced a new Lakewood Ranch restaurant in January to much excitement. Lakewood Main Street also saw the openings of Remy's on Main, which offers comfort food with a Korean twist, and Mediterranean restaurant Sofia's.
Massachusetts-based Kelly’s Roast Beef opened at University Town Center in December with an immediate following from the many Boston-area transplants in the region. “We are excited to give some of those folks a taste of home,” said Jeff Doward, the regional director of RAVentures Hospitality GroupRAVentures.
Longboat Key's first Mexican restaurant opened in August. La Villa Mexican Grill serves up authentic Mexican dishes, margaritas and mariachi.
August Schroer
Bradenton, FloridaRalph August Schroer, 85, of Bradenton, FL passed away on December 11, 2022, surrounded by his loving family.
He was born on January 16, 1937, to Arthur and Josephine (Koesters) Schroer in St. Anthony, OH and grew up in St. Henry, OH where he excelled in academics and athletics. After high school, Ralph attended the Police Academy and was an Ohio State Highway Patrolman for 16 years.
He married his wife of 65 years, Jeanette (Huelsman), on February 2, 1957, in St. Henry, OH where they both grew up and fell in love. They enjoyed going dancing, watching sporting events, and raising their five children. In 1976, he moved to Bradenton, FL with his family where he entered the insurance business and became a partner with Moore, Fowinkle, and Schroer Insurance until his retirement in 2000.
Ralph was also very involved in civic and volunteer organizations including the Knights of Columbus and Manatee County Safety Council and actively practiced his Catholic faith. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling, bowling, and being a well-loved dad, grandpa, and great grandpa.
He is survived by his
wife, Jeanette; two sons Dan (Toni) Schroer and Mark (Martha) Schroer and three daughters Nancy (Frank) Welsh, Lora (Daniel) Rees, and Sharon (Brad) Scarbrough; 11 grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren, brother Richard (Jean) Schroer and sister Mary (Larry) Brunswick.
He was preceded in death by his beloved parents and his brother Paul Schroer.
A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at 10:00 am at Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be given to Tidewell Hospice.
FUNERAL MASS: Saturday, January 14, 10AM Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church DONATIONS: In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be given to Tidewell Hospice.
Ralph was also very involved in civic and volunteer organizations including the Knights of Columbus and Manatee County Safety Council and actively practiced his Catholic faith.
Temple Emanu-El shines the Green light
abbi Brenner Glickman, of Temple Emanu-El in Sarasota, was happy to see Hanukkah at The Green have a special place to celebrate on Dec. 17 at University Town Center’s The Green.
“There’s a lot of Christmas around, and we’re excited to have a Hanukkah event right here in the middle of UTC,” he said. “It’s a big gathering of happy Jews.”
A gathering that he pointed out was open to everyone to learn about the culture or just to have a good time.
“A big part of celebrating Hanukkah is called publicizing the miracle and includes talking about and sharing the news and the joy and the spirit of Hanukkah,” said Rabbi Elaine Glickman, who is Brenner Glickman’s wife.
The event, in its second year, was cosponsored by Benderson Development.
Temple Emanu-El member Rachel Benderson, who helped organize the event, said the event was designed to be inclusive and allow anyone to celebrate, and that she hoped the turnout would continue to grow each year.
Lakewood Ranch’s Helene Zukas, a substitute teacher at Temple Emanu-El, said the celebration was a chance to connect with others.
“It’s so nice to see the Jewish community coming together to celebrate Hanukkah, and I’ve enjoyed meeting new people who I would have not had a chance to meet without this event,” she said.
“We enjoy coming to it every year,” said Lakewood Ranch’s Andrew Bunin. “It’s a fun way to bring in the holidays, great for kids and great for families.”
— IAN SWABY
FRIDAY, DEC. 30
MUSIC AT THE PLAZA
Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Live music by Paul Fournier while those who visit Waterside Place enjoy sunset views of Kingfisher Lake, fun at the hub’s small parks or dining at the various restaurants. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.
FRIDAY, DEC. 30 AND SATURDAY, DEC. 31
MOVIES UNDER THE STARS
Begins at 7 p.m. at the Mall at UTC, in the west district (The Green) near Ford’s Garage. The Mall at UTC presents its annual Holiday Movies Under the Stars series with National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation” on Friday and “Frozen” on Saturday. Bring lawn chairs and blankets. For more information, go to MallatUTC. com.
SATURDAY, DEC. 31
NEW YEAR’S PARTY
Runs from 6 p.m. to midnight at Waterside Place, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Ring in the New Year with this free event featuring DJ Truth. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from Good Liquid Brewing, KORE and participating food trucks, including Shula Burger.
SUNDAY, JAN. 1
POLO’S OPENING DAY
Begins at 1 p.m. at the Sarasota Polo Club, 8201 Polo Club Lane, Sarasota. The 2023 Sarasota Polo Season begins and runs each Sunday through April 30. Gates open at 10 a.m. Thousands of fans can enjoy high-level polo action each Sunday while tailgating. The event includes themed weeks, entertainment at halftime and traditional divot-stomping. Tickets begin at $15 general admission and up for special packages and VIP seating. Tickets can be purchased in advance at SarasotaPolo.com or at the gate. Children 12 and under admitted free. Dogs are welcome on a leash.
FARMERS MARKET
Runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lake-
BEST BET
THURSDAY,
DEC.
29 THROUGH JAN. 2
HOLIDAY ICE SKATING
Runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the East District at UTC, next to PopStroke. Tickets for holiday ice skating at the Rink at UTC are $17 per skater and includes skate rental. For more information, go to MallatUTC.com.
YOUR CALENDAR
wood Ranch. The Farmers Market at Lakewood Ranch will run year-round every Sunday. Vendors will be offering seafood, eggs, meats, dairy products, pastas, bakery goods, jams and pickles, among other items. Other features are children’s activities and live music. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.
YOGA IN THE PARK
Begins at 9 a.m. at Waterside Place Park, 7500 Island Cove Terrace, Lakewood Ranch. Lakewood Ranch Community Activities offers yoga that is free to residents; $10 for nonresidents. For more information, go to MyLWR.com.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 4 RANCH NIGHT WEDNESDAYS
Runs from 6-9 p.m. at Lakefront Drive in Waterside Place, Lakewood Ranch. Live music, food trucks, a market with rotating vendors, a mobile bar and a recreational cornhole league highlight this crowd-favorite event. Pets are welcome but no coolers or outside food or beverage allowed. For more information, go to WatersidePlace.com.
Concession mansion tops residential sales
RESEARCH EDITOR
With area home values at an all-time high in the Lakewood Ranch and East County area, it was no surprise, the top 15 sales of 2022 reflected that overall market.
The top sale of 2022, a Concession mansion that had six bedrooms and 15,077 square feet under air conditioning, set an area record for a residential sale at $7.98 million.
In comparison, the top sale of 2021 was a Lake Club home that brought $4.65 million.
Here are the top 15 residential sales of 2022.
1
Tappan Real Estate Investors
II LLC sold the Concession home at 8499 Lindrick Lane to Milibay LLC for $7.98 million. Built in 2010, it has six bedrooms, eightand-three-half baths, a pool and 15,077 square feet of living area.
6Real Estate Dealers LLC sold the Pomello Park home at 7935 213th St. E. to Thomas Gentile and Gabrielle Odierno, trustees, of Bradenton, for $3,675,000. Built in 2002, it has five bedrooms, seven-and-a-half baths, a pool and 6,812 square feet of living area. It sold for $812,000 in 2019.
7James Ramage, trustee, sold the Lake Club home at 7918 Staysail Court to Henry Katz, of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, for $3.25 million. Built in 2016, it has five bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 3,618 square feet.
8
Robert and Beth Ryan, of Sarasota, sold their Lake Club home at 16216 Clearlake Ave. to Rod and Ashley Stuckey, of Fayetteville, Georgia, for $3.1 million. Built in 2012, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,879 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.6 million in 2020.
9
Walter and Kimberly Brauer, trustees, of Bradenton, sold their Concession home at 8456 Lindrick Lane to Joseph Bellino, trustee, of Bradenton, for $3.05 million. Built in 2017, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 4,259 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.9 million in 2021.
2
Michael and Tiffany Potillo, trustees, of Bradenton, sold the Harbour Walk home at 689 Regatta Way to Circumcision LLC for $4.5 million. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,346 square feet of living area.
3
Cynthia Hill, of Sarasota, sold her Concession home at 20910 Parkstone Terrace to Jamie Worden, of Lakewood Ranch, for $4 million. Built in 2014, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,082 square feet of living area. It sold for $2.05 million in 2017.
4(Tie)
Ricky Bob Crittenden and Corinne Shirley Knibbs sold their Concession home at 8415 Broadstone Court to Steve Saslow, trustee, of Bradenton, for $3.8 million. Built in 2016, it has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,189 square feet of living area.
4(Tie)
Michael and Kathy Verble, trustees, of Asheville, North Carolina, sold their Riverdale home at 4219 Hawk Island Drive to William Caine Jr. and Tammy Caine, trustees, of Bradenton, for $3.8 million. Built in 2007, it has five bedrooms, fiveand-two-half baths, a pool and 5,842 square feet of living area. It sold for $3.25 million in 2021.
10(Tie)
Michael and Sandra Humenik, trustees, of Bradenton, sold their Country Club home at 13207 Palmers Creek Terrace to Amir and Mietra Harandi, of Lakewood Ranch, for $3 million. Built in 2004, it has four bedrooms, five baths, a pool and 5,581 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,775,000 in 2013.
10(Tie)
Richard Hackel and Lynn Dee Hackel, of Sarasota, sold their Waterside home at 793 Crosswind Ave. to Barbara Schulman, trustee, of Sarasota, for $3 million. Built in 2018, it has four bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 4,274 square feet of living area. It sold for $1,790,200 in 2018.
12
Sandra and William Ruppert, trustees, of Longboat Key, sold their University Park home at 7420 Mayfair Court to Blair Weigel, trustee, of Bradenton, for $2,995,000. Built in 1998, it has five bedrooms, fourand-a-half baths, a pool and 6,808 square feet of living area. It sold for $1.95 million in 2003.
David Weza and David Leier, of Osprey, sold their Lake Club home at 8372 Catamaran Circle to Nathan and Paula Ayala, of Bradenton, for $2,965,000. Built in 2015, it has three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths, a pool and 5,160 square feet of living area. It previously sold for $1,949,000 in 2020.
13
RYAN KOHN | SPORTS REPORTER
T
he 2022 East County sports year was filled with champions — on and off the playing field.Here is a list of the top 10 moments from the East County sports season:
1
2
The 2022 Mustangs also went 30-2 and used the championship game, held May 28 at Legends Way Ball Fields in Clermont, as revenge on Lake Brantley High for handing them their two regular season losses.
Lakewood Ranch beat the Patriots 8-2 in the championship. The Mustangs beat up Lake Brantley senior pitcher Hannah Marien, who entered the game with a 0.14 ERA. Lakewood Ranch scored eight runs off Marien in five innings. Of the Mustangs’ 10 hits, six went for extra bases.
Lakewood Ranch was led by senior Grace Hogie, who hit two triples, and junior Addyson Bruneman, who hit a triple and a double and collected three RBIs. Mustangs sophomore pitcher Ella Dodge held the Patriots in check, pitching a complete game, allowing two runs on five hits and four walks.
Since the title win, Mustangs Coach T.J. Goelz has stepped down from his position after five seasons, but he’s still proud of what the girls were able to accomplish.
“I’ve grown to appreciate how difficult it was even more,” Goelz said. “Winning high school softball state championships is not easy.
“Playing the team that handled us so well earlier in the season and beating them, convincingly, was truly special. We had great contributions up and down the lineup with outstanding preparation and game plans from the coaching staff. It led us to a lifelong, legendary memory.”
ODA SENIOR WINS TRACK AND FIELD GOLD
One year after winning a Florida High School Athletic Association state championship and going 30-2, the season culminating in a 14-4 win over Park Vista High in the title game, the Lakewood Ranch High softball team repeated the feat.So much for the expectations of others.The senior won the 1,600 race in 4:17.97, beating Cambridge Christian junior Braxton Legg by 0.48 seconds. The time was McWilliam’s personal best and an ODA record.
“That moment of crossing the finish line was pure relief,” McWilliam said. “I was expecting to finish second or third because everyone had better PRs (personal records) than me. But I am certainly happy with it.”
LAKEWOOD RANCH RUNNER GETS TRACK AND FIELD SILVER
Marston ended her high school track and field career with a secondplace finish in the girls 3,200-meter run at the FHSAA Class 4A championships on May 14, crossing the line in 11:03.58.
Marston was in first place for seven of the race’s eight laps but was passed by Coral Park High senior Penelope Sosa on the final lap. Sosa finished in 10:59.28.
Marston said she did not expect to be in front of the pack for so much of the race, but the race’s initial slower pace gave her the opportunity to try to steal the race.
Despite the final lap, Marston, who will attend and run for Georgia Tech, said she was proud of the effort she gave.
4
ODA BASEBALL GETS BACK TO FINAL FOUR
hit two home runs and pitched the final three-and-two-third innings, allowing no earned runs (one total run). In the ninth inning, junior Luca Marino hit a walk-off single, scoring senior Logan Tribble from second base.
The Thunder would lose 5-2 to North Florida Christian on May 23 in the state semifinals.
It wasn’t gold, but Lakewood Ranch High’s Grace Marston was still happy with silver.5LAKEWOOD RANCH WRESTLER EARNS BRONZE MEDAL
Talk about toughness.
Mustangs senior Ranson Coons, a 182-pound wrestler, earned a thirdplace medal at the Florida High School Athletic Association State Wrestling Championships, held March 3-5 at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee. It would be a notable finish even if Coons had completed the feat healthy.
He didn’t.
Coons wrestled in the tournament despite a shoulder injury suffered at the school’s district tournament two weeks earlier, which left him unable to lift his left arm above his shoulder. Coons was cleared by doctors to compete at the state tournament. In the end, it was up to Coons how much pain he could tolerate.
The Out-of-Door Academy baseball team was looking to repeat as state champions in 2022. While it didn’t end that way, the 2022 ODA season was still a special one.After losing his first match of the tournament, Coons won fivestraight matches to take third place, including an 18-2 win over Newsome High senior Peyton Turner — the wrestler who was facing him when he was injured weeks earlier — in the consolation finals.
ODA senior Tristan McWilliam won the gold medal in the boys 1,600-meter run at the FHSAA Class 1A track and field championships (4:17.97).
The Thunder (20-9) played up and down to start the year as they worked new players into its lineup. ODA found a rhythm late in the regular season before making another strong postseason run. ODA beat Seffner Christian 5-4 in nine innings at home May 17 to advance to the FHSAA state semifinals.
Jack Hobson, at the time a junior,
We’re everywhere in Lakewood Ranch
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6
EVO ATHLETICS GYMNAST COMPETES AT U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS
He didn’t leave Tampa’s Amalie Arena with a medal on Aug. 19, but
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Lakewood Ranch High’s softball team captured its secondstraight state title on May 28.
QB’s emergence tops columnist’s 2022 favorites
hat a year.
One of the best parts of being a sportswriter is watching athletes come out of nowhere to have huge seasons.
This year, like always, there were many of these stories, but the one that stands out most involves Lakewood Ranch High quarterback Clayton Dees, who as a junior played his first season of high school football after coming from a baseball background.
Dees can sling the rock and is more than competent when using his feet as well. He finished the season with 1,704 passing yards and 13 touchdown passes with only three interceptions. Dees also rushed for 391 yards and three touchdowns.
A first-year player racking up that much yardage is an impressive feat. Dees’ play helped the Mustangs secure a winning record at 6-4.
Dees should improve on those numbers in 2023, and that should help the team to improve along with him.
Also on the football field, the turnaround performed by The Out-of-Door Academy football team was remarkable, going from a winless season to 9-1 and securing a playoff home win over St. Edward’s High, 36-14.
What first-year Coach Rob Hollway and his staff were able to do in one offseason should be commended. Yes, the program was helped by members of the baseball team deciding to put on the pads, but Hollway still had to coach those great athletes to be football players and teach them an option runheavy offensive scheme.
Hollway did more than teach X’s and O’s, he changed the culture of a program that was previously in a pit of despair. Hearing players talk about the night-and-day difference confirmed it.
ODA will lose several key players
to graduation next year, so a step back in terms of wins and losses would be expected. But as long as Hollway is running the show, the Thunder is likely to have a competitive program.
East County also had some big
events that weren’t related to high school sports. For example, it isn’t every day that you get to watch two professional golfers take on a pair of professional putters, but that’s what happened at the PopStroke Tour Championship on Oct. 28. Rickie
Fowler and Paula Creamer played in the inaugural event at PopStroke’s University Town Center location in what was called the “25K Showdown.” The duo went against Chris Johnson and Jacob Stasiulewicz, two players with experience in the Major Series of Putting, and lost by four strokes (three under par to one over par) over one 18-hole round.
The event itself was entertaining — Fowler kept putting through his legs, for instance — but the real fun was in talking with Fowler and Creamer, who had different perspectives on the event. Creamer was locked into trying to win, while Fowler was just there for a good time. In the end, I think everyone watching the event had a good time, too.
Speaking of golf, one of the most unique stories I was able to tell in 2022 was the story of Central Park resident Keith Heifner and his golf memorabilia collection. Heifner has a garage filled with unique golf clubs, plus hats, flags, pictures and more, all from various professional events. I even got to see his Bushwood Country Club hat and his Billy Baroo putter; as a fan of “Caddyshack,” those items were particularly entertaining.
I couldn’t write this column without mentioning all the water sports that East County sports fans get to watch at Nathan Benderson Park. While there were plenty of unique events — even the Last Paddler Standing event that lasted 48-straight hours earlier this month — the Nathan Benderson Park story I enjoyed most was profiling dragon boat coach Angela Long during the 2022 Sarasota International Dragon Boat Festival. Hearing her paddlers speak to why they respect Long so much and everything she has done for them and the sport was moving. Long cares about winning races, but she also cares about her athletes. That
shouldn’t be a rarity in coaching, regardless of a team’s competition level, yet it can be. Long is proof that there are still coaches willing to make a difference.
I’m all for underdog stories, but sometimes it’s satisfying to watch a dominant team steamroll the competition and showcase its overwhelming levels of talent. That’s why I had a great time covering the Lakewood Ranch High softball team’s journey to back-to-back state championships in Clermont. The Mustangs went 30-2 for the second-straight season and won their state tournament games in convincing fashion, first beating Western High 11-3 on May 27 in the state semifinals, then beating Lake Brantley High — the team that handed the Mustangs their only two losses in the regular season — 8-2 in the championship game.
Hitting, pitching, defense — the Mustangs excelled at all of it. That’s what made them so tough to play, so matchup-proof. Watching senior outfielder Sydney McCray, who missed the 2021 with a knee injury, come back and get three hits in the championship game was a particular thrill.
All of these things combined into a great 2022, as did my interactions with the East County sports community at large. It is because of you all that I get to tell the stories of these great athletes and events each year, and I am thankful for that.
Here’s to making more great memories, and telling more great stories, in 2023.
Sports
FROM
Lakewood Ranch-based gymnast Jaden Blank, who trains with EVO Athletics, fulfilled a dream anyway by competing at the 2022 U.S. Gymnastics Championships. Blank, who will compete for the U.S. Military Academy next year, finished 21st overall in the event’s Junior Men 17 division. His highest score came in the vault, where he earned a 13.30 from the judges, good for 18th place.
Blank qualified for the event by securing the Level 10 All-Around Championship (78.750) at the 2022 Florida Men’s State Championships, held March 4-6 in Alachua.
7
JAMIE SPRINGSTEAD SETS SCHOOL SCORING RECORD
The earliest 2022 moment on the list belongs to Saint Stephen’s Episcopal girls basketball player Jamie Springstead, who lives in Lakewood Ranch. Springstead, then a senior, broke the school’s basketball career scoring record, both boys or girls, on Jan. 6 in a 59-29 home win over Patel High.
Springstead finished her Falcons career with 1,605 points.
8LRHS BOYS SOCCER REACHES REGIONAL FINALS
After an impressive regular season, the Lakewood Ranch boys soccer team (18-2-1) fell short in its chase for a state championship but did manage to reach the FHSAA Class 7A regional finals.
The Mustangs got there thanks to a 1-0 win over local rival Riverview High (12-2-4). Senior Drew Clark scored the game’s lone goal on an assist from senior Sam Leavy.
The Mustangs would take Plant High to overtime tied 1-1 in the regional finals before eventually losing 3-1.
9
ODA GIRLS LACROSSE HAS PROGRAM TURNAROUND, REACHES POSTSEASON
The Out-of-Door Academy girls lacrosse team made a big leap from 2021 to 2022, going 15-2 and reaching the FHSAA Class 1A regional semifi-
nals one year after finishing 8-8.
The Thunder beat Barron Collier High (11-7) 18-5 on April 19 to reach the semis. Senior Dani Taraska led the Thunder with five goals, while senior Megan Dowdell, sophomore Aubrey Robbins and sophomore Emma Arrigo all added four. Junior goalkeeper Emma Bonacuse made 10 saves. ODA would lose 7-6 to rival Saint Stephen’s Episcopal (14-3) in the regional semifinals.
10
MUSTANGS SURPRISE COMMUNITY MEMBER IN NEED
Some sports moments are great, not because of on-field results, but because of the impact they have.
On March 3, members of the Lakewood Ranch High baseball team surprised Lakewood Ranch resident Chris Olander by showing up at her door with roses. Olander was diagnosed with breast cancer and on Feb. 21, had a double mastectomy. On Feb. 27, Olander developed pulmonary embolisms as a complication of the surgery.
To help Olander feel better, her friend, Angela Combs, and Combs’ son, Ryan Combs, plus his Lakewood Ranch teammates, concocted the roses plan.
It worked. Olander’s husband, Sean Olander, said the moment was “overwhelming” for her, in a positive way.
File photo Lakewood Ranch senior captain Drew Clark (24) celebrates with Christian Hernandez. Clark scored the lone goal in the Mustangs boys soccer team’s 1-0 win over Riverview High in the regional semifinals.
Meh.
2022
We survived another crazy year. But we are thankful for our loyal readers and advertisers helping us get through the year. Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous 2023!
hen it comes to great photography, we don’t have to go any further than our readers, who supply our weather page with amazing photos for our Nature’s Beauty with Manasota Flooring contest. Here is a 2022 sampling.
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