- November 26, 2024
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The Sandcrabs have reached the new year undefeated for the second time in three seasons. Photo by Jeff Dawsey
Colin Castleton has already received over 10 scholarship offers. Courtesy photos
D' Marcus Adams reels in a touchdown pass against Seabreeze. Photo by Bob Rollins
Reiana Johnson broke three Seabreeze records after a year of lifting. Photo by Bob Rollins
SEABREEZE BOYS SOCCER: Is this the year?
With seven games remaining in their regular season, the Seabreeze Sandcrabs have won 11 of their matches and tied the other. While Seabreeze has gotten used to winning its matches over the last several seasons, the Sandcrabs have not been able to get past the regional semifinal.
Seabreeze’s season has ended in the semifinal four straight seasons, all to district foes (Taylor twice, Matanzas and Pine Ridge). Although the Pirates no longer belong to the same district, Seabreeze has beaten them all this season, including Taylor, which beat the Sandcrabs four times last year.
“This year is different in that we are getting the players to buy into what we are doing,” said first-year head coach Nathan Murphy. “We are playing more of an attacking formation, which seems to excite our players, but we do have the ability to switch to a couple of different formations depending on how the other team reacts to us.”
The Sandcrabs have outscored their opponents 56-12, averaging nearly six goals per contest while only allowing just one in return.
Assistant coach Rob Bowling — who has the longest tenure with Seabreeze — has spent the last seven years with the Sandcrabs. His oldest son played on the 2013-14 team that didn’t lose a match until the region semifinal. Now his middle son plays goalkeeper.
While considering the team special from three seasons ago, Bowling believes this group has what it takes to get further.
“The current team has a bit more talent from top to bottom,” he said. “And I think this group is driven and committed to our collective team goal off winning a championship.”
COLIN CASTLETON: Big man on campus
Standing at 6 feet 10 inches, Father Lopez star basketball player Colin Castleton is without doubt the most notable person on the school’s campus. While Castleton skies all of his schoolmates, he’s also become easily noticeable on the court — especially now.
Although he was tall enough to dunk his freshman year — and taller than the rest of the basketball players — Castleton didn’t make the varsity roster. Instead, he played on the JV team.
After that school year, not only did Castleton grow his game, but he also grew another four inches. Most days he practiced twice per day during the summer, determined to earn a starting position and to make a difference on the court.
He would do just that.
While the Green Wave struggled to win games, Castleton averaged 15 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per contest last season.
“That was when I realized I was going to be good,” he said.
After last season, Castleton spent the summer playing AAU basketball with the Showtime Ballers, where he led the team with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks, helping them reach the AAU 16U National Championship at Disney's ESPN Wide World of Sports.
After his sophomore season performance, Castleton began to generate interest from college programs. So far, he’s earned scholarship offers from 11 different schools, including Rutgers, James Madison, Robert Morris and South Florida.
“It’s a blessing,” Castleton said. “I try to work as hard as I did when I wasn’t getting anything.”
He’s only getting better
Castleton has not allowed the early success to get to his head. He’s vastly improved from his breakout season to now averaging 24 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks this year. His best game came against Deltona, where he went for 25 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks.
Still only a junior, Castleton’s recruiting profile is expected to continue to rise.
D’MARCUS ADAMS: It’s not easy passing this ‘Buc’
Mainland junior D’Marcus Adams has special talent on the football field and in track and field. The University of Central Florida agrees, having become Adams’ first — and only thus far — scholarship offer.
But, before the Knights or Mainland knew of his abilities, Adams received recognition from early competitors on the football field and track.
“I knew I had talent then, because they would compliment me after I beat them,” he said.
Playing behind myriad of other Mainland wide receivers in the past few seasons, Adams saw very little of the field. Even this past season, he played as the third or fourth option, behind Tank Dell and Brian Jenkins. Nevertheless, Adams made the most of his targets, when he got them.
In his first two games, Adams amassed 358 yards and two touchdowns (his very first was an exhibition). He would go on to record nearly 1,000 receiving yards (including exhibition) and six touchdowns, including a three-touchdown playoff performance against Lake Okeechobee.
Future track star
Previously to breaking out on the football field, Adams — as a sophomore — owned the area in track and field. He led the Bucs to team district and regional championships by winning four individual district titles and two region titles. He went on to lead Mainland to a fifth-place state finish with three Top 3 individual state placements.
With track season approaching, Adams plans to repeat his success and improve his state meet finishes.
REIANA JOHNSON: Becoming a ‘broken record’
What began as a hobby to keep busy and not waste time has now become a record-breaking Top 15 girls state weightlifting career.
Seabreeze senior weightlifter Reiana Johnson was encouraged by her softball teammates to try weightlifting as a means to not waste from softball season to softball season. Since joining the team, Johnson has broken school records, won season meets, a district title, placed third at regionals and 12th at states last season. She’s only been lifting the last two years.
Along with a new, successful career, Johnson has gone from shy to confident, thanks to lifting.
“I didn’t like to talk to people, but at meets I’ve met a lot of new people at our school and other schools,” she said. “And, since I’m often lifting last, most of the eyes are on me. So, I’ve learned to carry myself with more self-esteem.”
Johnson has already broken her last season’s bench press and clean and jerk records with 175 (bench) and 155 (clean) for a total 330 pounds. Her previous records broke those 15-year records.
Johnson hopes to again reach the state final meet and place in the Top 6, therefore earn a state medal.
