Female Athlete of the Week
On a senior-laden team with players who have spent countless hours in the gym, there is no substitute for finishing with a flair. The Cape Coral High girls’ basketball team is a prime example.
The Seahawks have won a lot of games over the past few years, but finally broke through Saturday by winning their first ever district title with a 54-25 defeat of North Fort Myers.
“We have a close team,” said Christine Gaywood, one of seven seniors. “We didn’t want to leave without making a statement.”
The Seahawks made a big one with their play in the District 5A-15 Tournament, with Gaywood, a 6-foot center, leading the way.
The Daily Breeze Female Athlete of the Week was the focal point of the offense and delivered in each game.
Gaywood scored a career-high 25 points in the Seahawks’ 69-31 win over Ida Baker. She had seven of her 10 points in the fourth quarter in a 52-49 win over Gulf Coast in the semifinals, and added 14 points in the championship game.
The Seahawks have a balanced offense with several players capable of scoring, including seniors Jardin McCarthy and Alexiss Griffin. Their ability to run the offense through Gaywood, though, helped set up the outside game and create shots for other players.
“We knew we had a height advantage with Christine,” Seahawks coach Kirk Myers said. “We fed her the ball and let her make decisions.”
Gaywood began playing basketball her freshman year of high school in San Diego, then continued as a sophomore after moving to Cape Coral.
She realized she had a lot of room for improvement, but the challenge was one of the reasons she continued to play.
“It was fun, but I liked it because it was something I had to work at,” she said.
The hard work led to constant improvement over her three-year career with the Seahawks. Specifically, she has developed better post moves and become a stronger passer and defensive player.
She hopes to continue playing basketball in college.
Honorable mention:
Carol Ruiz-Lopez, junior, North Fort Myers basketball: Came through with a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) in the Red Knights 57-54 upset win over Barron Collier in a district semifinal.
Allie Mitchell, junior, Bishop Verot basketball: Mitchell led with 19 points in a district championship loss to Cardinal Mooney, and 13 points in a win over Dunbar.