Cape’s Athletes of the Year
Each time he stepped to the plate during his senior baseball season, Mariner’s Michael Zunino received full attention from those on his team, as well as parents, classmates and other spectators in attendance.
Though quite capable of delivering singles and doubles – or even the occasional bunt – Zunino already had established a precedent for driving the ball out of the park, which created added intrigue.
That spotlight followed him in several other areas of the game, as he tried to live up to the high standard he had set.
“He didn’t disappoint at all,” Mariner coach Steve Larsen said. “People look up to him, but a lot of people who are looked up to don’t always follow through with their role of being a great leader, and he did without question.”
Zunino’s combination of performance and leadership led to his selection as the Breeze Male Athlete of the Year.
He broke his own school single-season home run record with 11 and excelled defensively at catcher for the Tritons, who captured their second straight District 5A-15 title.
The major goal for Mariner senior Courtney Anderson was clear from the start of her final high school track and field season, but Anderson knew the likely opponent to beat for the elusive state title in the high jump would be Coconut Creek’s Maya Pressley.
Considering Ander-son finished second to Pressley as a junior, she knew she had to make the decision to work harder, get better and jump higher.
Anderson did exactly that and became a state champion with her personal-best and school-record jump of 5 feet, 10 inches at the Class 4A Finals. It capped off her stellar career in the high jump, which included four state appearances, three regional titles and four district titles.
Anderson thus receives the Breeze Female Athlete of the Year.
In addition to her success in track and field, Anderson was a versatile performer on the Tritons’ volleyball team for four years.
“(Courtney) brings a real positive attitude,” said Mariner girls’ track coach Chris Lewis. “Not just toward track and field, but life in general.”
Decision time for Zunino
Greg Zunino is a former Division I baseball player at the University of California and has been a professional scout for 22 years. He knows the game.
Clearly, Greg has never seen a player he liked more than his son, Michael, though he separates himself from the evaluation process and doesn’t keep an official scouting report as he would for other area players. Michael is glad he doesn’t.
“I’m not sure I’d want him to,” Michael said jokingly. “He knows all of my flaws. I would probably get graded 10 points lower than I would by somebody else.”
In June, Michael, his father and his mother, Paola, will be following Major League Baseball’s Free Agent Draft, pick by pick, to see where Michael is selected.
Then comes an important decision. Zunino has signed a scholarship letter with the University of Florida, but depending on his draft position, he may opt to go the professional route.
Greg has followed many drafts over the years, but knows the process is unpredictable.
“The one thing we’ve discussed is there are always surprises,” said Greg, who is in his 10th year as a scout for the Cincinnati Reds. “I’ve seen a lot of players I thought were first-rounders go in the third round.”
Michael said the decision has become increasingly difficult the more time he’s had to think about it. It’s been his dream to play professional baseball, but realizes the experience he could have at Florida, while possibly increasing his value. He also likes the strong recruiting class the Gators are bringing in.
“The biggest thing with (my parents) is they want me to go do what I want to do and they’ll support me,” he said.
It takes only a few minutes with Zunino to realize his strong upbringing. It has played a key role in his baseball success, too, in terms of listening to his coaches and putting the team first.
“He brought four years of leadership, four years of awesome effort and four years of being a great teammate,” said Larsen, who has guided the Tritons for 14 years.
Zunino began playing baseball around age 4 in Cape Coral and spent six years in the Cape Coral National Little League at Jason Verdow Park. Zunino played shortstop during his younger days and also played soccer, which helped his athleticism and footwork when he moved to catcher, according to Greg.
Zunino joined an already strong program at Mariner. The Tritons had been in the district championship several times in recent years, but broke through last year with their first championship since 1999. They repeated as district champs this season.
As a junior, Zunino set the single-season home run record of 10 and followed that with 11 this season. His final home run was a three-run shot to lift the Tritons’ to a 3-1 victory over Ida Baker in a tough district semifinal.
Zunino finished his senior campaign with a .464 batting average and 37 RBI, and continued his strong play behind the plate. His 29 career home runs also is a school record.
Zunino said the players he had around him helped take the pressure off.
“I went through a span during my junior year where I had an outstanding week, but then I struggled some and we still won the next couple games,” he said. “I carried that into this season, knowing that if I didn’t get on they would be able to pick me up.”
Anderson state qualifier all four years in track
On the volleyball court, Anderson utilized her athleticism and leaping ability to become one of the Tritons’ top hitters. She led in blocks the past two years and in kills as a senior. Another key attribute was Anderson’s resiliency.
“She has a real even personality,” Mariner volleyball coach Tom Faasse said. “If she made an error, she wouldn’t dwell on it for two or three points, and that probably helped her in the high jump.”
There is no probably about it. It was during this year’s state finals in the high jump when Anderson and Pressley, her main rival, both cleared 5-8 and were moving on to 5-10.
Anderson missed badly on her first try, going under the horizontal bar.
She bounced back quickly and cleared the bar on her next attempt, leading to the state title.
“I think she shocked herself,” Lewis said. “When she gets to a certain height, around 5-8 or 5-9, I think she gets a little intimidated at first and she did at 5-10. Then she came back the second time and cleared it.”
At 5-foot-6, Anderson plans to continue her track career and education at the University of South Florida.
She first began trying the high jump in seventh grade during middle school in Ohio. Anderson said friend Magen Carey talked her into coming out for the team during her freshman year at Mariner.
Carey, who also became a state qualifier in the event, and Anderson gave the Tritons a strong tandem for three years. Carey graduated in 2008 and now attends Webber University.
Anderson continued her pursuit of the state title this year after placing fourth, third and second in her three previous state appearances.
Anderson showed a glimpse of her potential during this year’s LCAC meet at Island Coast when she jumped her then-personal-best of 5-8 1/2 and had some close attempts at 5-10.
Though Anderson put in a lot of hard work during practices this season, it remained a difficult task to unseat the defending champion. Anderson admitted she didn’t expect to win.
“I honestly thought I’d take second,” she said. “It was awesome (placing first), it was amazing.”
Anderson’s athletic career at Mariner included soccer in her freshman year as well as four years of volleyball. She first emerged as a middle hitter in her sophomore and junior seasons, then moved to outside hitter as a senior, tallying 157 kills and 65 blocks.
“She was our dominant offensive weapon,” Faasse said. “The sky is the limit for her because she has the work ethic you need, not just in athletics, but being able to juggle the schedule of being a college athlete and student.”
Breeze Athletes of the Year Honor Roll
2008-2009
Female: Courtney Anderson (Mariner) Track/Volleyball
Male: Michael Zunino (Mariner) Baseball
2007-2008
Female: Caitlin Holloway (Baker) Softball/Volleyball
Male: David Pasquale (Cape) Football/Track
2006-2007
Female: Angie Kuhn (Verot) Soccer
Male: Jake Weber (Mariner) Basketball/Baseball
2005-2006
Female: Maida Turnadzic (Cape) Swimming
Male: Dakota Rahme (Cape) Wrestling
2004-2005
Female: Lindsey Alexander (Mariner) Swimming
Male: Casey Coleman (Mariner) Baseball
2003-2004
Female: Lindsey Alexander (Mariner) Swimming
Male: Josh Rose (Mariner) Football/Baseball
2002-2003
Female: Sage Sizemore (Mariner) Soccer
Male: Jake Stevens (Cape) Baseball
2001-2002
Female: Christen Spake (Verot) Basketball/Softball
Male: Dwayne Jackson (Mariner) Basketball
2000-2001
Female:Jackie Welch (Mariner) Soccer
Male: Rich Marzonie (Cape) Swimming