Male Athlete of the Week
By reaching the state final four, the Bishop Verot basketball team has accomplished a first in the school’s history, but 6-foot-6 senior Etienne Effenberg isn’t about to forget the players that came before him.
In most successful programs, the younger players benefit from playing against strong upperclassmen, and the Vikings are a perfect example of that.
“We’ve had a lot of good players like Reed Baker and Brent Wood and it helped playing against them every day in practice,” said Effenberg. “It makes you better individually and as a team.”
Effenberg and the Vikings (23-8) have parlayed that tradition into a storybook season of their own.
The Daily Breeze Male Athlete of the Week played a major role in the Vikings’ victories over Tampa Berkeley Prep and Melbourne Central Catholic to advance to Wednesday’s Class 3A State Semifinal.
In a 53-50 win over Berkeley Prep last Tuesday, Effenberg had 19 points and nine rebounds. He followed that with 13 points and six rebounds in a 44-35 win over Melbourne Central Catholic Saturday.
Effenberg has hit double figures in 29 of 31 games this season.
“The chemistry has been great with this team. It just felt like the right time,” Effenberg said of reaching the final four. “We just stayed together and play hard. That’s how we got here.”
Effenberg continues to improve after three seasons with the Vikings and since he began playing in seventh grade. Before that, he needed to learn the English language.
Effenberg moved to southwest Florida from Germany in sixth grade. His father, Stefan, played soccer there and Etienne mostly played soccer before coming to the United States.
The Vikings make a shorter trip Wednesday, but one they’ve had in mind for awhile. They face defending state champion Fort Lauderdale Pine Crest at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Lakeland Center.
Honorable mentions:
Arthemon Lis, Cape Coral tennis: Won in straight sets in singles and won a doubles match Friday, helping Cape edge rival Mariner in the Black and Blue Cup. The Seahawks (4-0) were crowned “Best in the West.”
Dustin Mishka, senior, Ida Baker baseball: Went 3-for-3 with a double and three stolen bases, sparking a 4-3 comeback win over Cape Coral Friday.