Southwest Florida High School Sports Awards to Honor Top Athletes and Teams at May 2025 Gala

On May 29, 72 student athletes will gather at Suncoast Credit Union Arena for a night of recognition, putting winter sports stars in the spotlight.

Winners include weekly standouts, top teams, and one student who showed grit through tough times.

On the basketball court, 12 players split between girls and boys made the cut. Two Gateway Charter stars, Pat Johnson and Myles Jones, earned spots. Bishop Verot matched that with Jerry Ashley and Gavin Williams getting picked.

Six girls basketball players stood above the rest. Schools like Gulf Coast, Gateway, and First Baptist each placed one player on the list. But Evangelical Christian grabbed two spots thanks to the skills of Kellisia Grant and Nalah Smith.

Soccer takes the biggest share with 24 total picks. Barron Collier's boys team shined brightest - Alex Bulai-Tudor, Javi Gomez, and Emerson LaOrden all made it. North Fort Myers dominated girls soccer by placing three players on the list.

In the weight room, 12 girls proved their power. Eight different schools had lifters make the cut. Yet Evangelical Christian stood out, with sisters Kasey and Kate Johnson joining teammate Emma Palmer on the list.

Wrestling rounds out the winter sports with two dozen spots. Seven schools put boys on the mat and into the rankings. For the girls, Riverdale showed its might - four of their wrestlers earned spots among the 12 chosen.

This event fits into USA TODAY's bigger picture of high school sports celebrations across America.