SARASOTA — The Sarasota Herald-Tribune held its annual Sarasota-Manatee High School Sports Awards Show on May 30 at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. During the show, we announced the Venice High football team as our Boys Team of the Year.
Did we get it right?
Here’s a chance to have your say. Who would you select to be the best high school boys team of the 2024-25 school year from Sarasota and Manatee counties?
The Venice High football team captured the Class 7A state title, but other squads in football, baseball, basketball and wrestling also advanced deep into their respective postseasons.
The poll closes at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 20, 2025.
Here are the nominees:
Baseball
Braden River: Finished 19-12. Won the Class 5A-District 10 championship game against Manatee High. The Pirates lost to Fort Myers in Class 5A best-of-3 regional finals.
Venice: Finished 29-5. Won the Class 7A-District 8 championship against Sarasota High. The Indians lost to Alonso in Class 7A best-of-3 regional finals.
Basketball
Sarasota: Finished 28-3.The Sailors won their first regional crown in nearly seven decades as Sarasota rallied from a 9-point halftime deficit to win the Class 7A-Region 3 title over Osceola to advance to the State Final Four. The Sailors lost to Windermere in the Class 7A state semifinal.
Football
Booker: Finished 10-4. The Tornadoes won their second straight regional title, blowing out Boca Ciega to claim the Region 3A-3 crown with their 7th straight win. The Tornadoes lost to Jacksonville Raines in the Class 3A state semifinal.
Cardinal Mooney Catholic: Finished 12-1. The Cougars finished November undefeated and won their second straight regional title by downing Diocese rival Bishop Verot. The Cougars lost to Cocoa in the Class 2A state semifinal.
Manatee: Finished 10-2. The Hurricanes won the District 5A-9 title and the Region 5A-3 title, their first regional crown since 2014. The Hurricanes lost to St. Thomas Aquinas in the Class 5A state semifinal.
Venice: Finished 14-1. The Indians won the fourth state championship in program history with a dominating performance over Lake Mary, 52-19, in the Class 7A final in Miami.
Wrestling
Venice: The Indians won the county and regional titles, had five wrestlers reach state and finished as Traditional runner-up at the Class 3A state meet.