PHOTOS BY VALARIE HARRING

The Breeze celebrated student-athletes from all over Cape Coral and the West Zone on Saturday with the second annual Breakfast of Champions held at Cape Vineyard Community Church.

The Breeze Team of the Year was awarded to the Mariner girls soccer team, which went back to the state championship match and lost a heartbreaker in penalty kicks after winning it all the year before.

Ryleigh Acosta, the leading scorer of the Mariner girls soccer team, was named female Athlete of the Year.

Coach of the Year, as well as male Athlete of the Year, were all connected to the Mariner wrestling team.

Head Coach Clay French was named coach of the year for producing four state championships in two years.

The pair that earned those four championships, Maximus Brady and Chris Minto, were named co-male Athletes of the Year.

Minto, a senior, won his third-consecutive state title on the mat, and Brady, a sophomore, won his second in-a-row.

Island Coast’s Jake Mueller was voted Reader’s Choice Athlete of the Year, a senior baseball star on the Gators, who went deep into the state tournament looking to defend its state championship.

Student-athletes along with their families and school personnel gathered, as attendees were all selected as Breeze Athletes of the Week over this past school year. The Breeze Athlete of the Week program features two local student-athletes from our readership area, and is distributed in print, online and via social media each and every week. The recognition also includes a fan-voted Athlete of the Month and Reader’s Choice Athlete of the Year. Each and every week from the beginning to end of the school year (minus a few holiday breaks and Hurricane Ian), The Breeze sports staff, with the generous help of the coaches and athletic directors, were able to shine a light on the amazing feats happenings on and in athletic fields and facilities.

A buffet-style breakfast while each Athlete of the Week’s picture rolled on dual screens was followed by guest speaker and founder of Hoops on Mission, Dwayne Jackson. Jackson’s personal stories and words of wisdom resonated with the audience of student-athletes.

From there, Associate Sports Editor CJ Haddad honored each Athlete of the Week by School, calling them up and reading off their accomplishments that earned them their selection.

The Breeze thanks the sponsors the made the event possible: Experience Real Estate, Zak’s Jewelry, Gavin’s Ace Hardware, and SP Designs.