Meet 11 high school athletes who are ready to heat up the winter sports season.

Edgewater Soccer
McKinley Crone

Edgewater’s varsity goalkeeper and captain, Crone has racked up more athletic and academic honors than one could easily shake a stick at. Also a varsity swimmer and former basketball player, this senior is committed to playing soccer at University of Oklahoma.

Orlando Family Magazine: You’re the Lady Eagles’ varsity goalkeeper. Can you describe what it feels like to successfully block the opposing team from scoring?

McKinley Crone: It’s a rush that comes over me. All the pressure’s on you at one moment and knowing that you made the save is probably the greatest feeling out there.

OFM: According to your coach, you racked up an impressive number of soccer honors over the last few years. Which one meant the most to you, and why?

MC: That’s really hard, because I feel that every award has a special meaning to it. If I had to pick one—I don’t think I could.

OFM: You’re also on Edgewater’s varsity swimming team and have played basketball. Is there anything you’ve learned as a swimmer or in basketball that’s helped improve your performance on the pitch, or vice versa?

MC: Never give up, no matter how hard something seems. Even if you aren’t great at it right from the start, practice makes perfect, so keep up with what you’re doing.

OFM: Your academic accomplishments are as impressive as your athletic victories. How do you find the time to achieve so much both in the classroom and in sports?

MC: I find that everything you do in life is a balance, and you can’t weight one thing over another. You have to remember you’re a student athlete and student comes first there, so academics are really important.

OFM: We understand you’re committed to playing soccer at the University of Oklahoma. What is it about that school that appealed to you?

MC: The University of Oklahoma made me feel like I was at home. Since I’m going halfway across the country, this feeling was important to me. The soccer program made me feel like I was part of the family while I was there, and they continue to support me. I look forward to being challenged both on and off the field at OCU.

OFM: Do you hope to play professionally after college? If so, what current MLS team would you most want to play for?

MC: I would love the opportunity to play after college, because that means I would be getting to continue playing the game I love. I would like to play for the Orlando Pride, because how awesome would that be to come home and represent your own city? That would be an incredible honor.

OFM: Do you pay much attention to the Orlando City Pride or Orlando City Soccer? If so, who are some of your favorite players on those teams, and why?

MC: I am always watching soccer, as I think that’s one of the best ways to truly learn the game inside and out. I enjoy watching players who are willing to give anything for the game. I like to blaze my own trail, but I admire Ashlyn Harris. She is a local player and has worked extremely hard to be where she is now, despite adversity and challenges. I think that’s a quality you don’t find in every player nowadays, so I respect that greatly.

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Colonial Basketball
Angelica Delgado

Known simply as Delgado on the court, this senior is a defensive star for the Lady Grenadiers and is often called on to lock down opponents’ go-to players. She’s been varsity all four years, won numerous titles, and has a 4.4 GPA, all of which has led to some collegiate interest.

OFM: You’ve accomplished a lot so far at the high school level. What are your goals for your final year at Colonial?

Angelica Delgado: To have our team work hard. We’ve already won district, so we want to win the state title.

OFM: We also hear you’ve received some college interest. Which schools have courted you?

AD: [Northwest Kansas Technical College] and King’s College in New York.

OFM: You also have a 4.4 GPA. What’s your secret to achieving as much in the classroom as you do on the court?

AD: Studying and making sure I turn in every single piece of my work.

OFM: Any professional teams or players that you’re a fan of?

AD: No. I like watching them, but it’s not like I take interest to pick one person to focus on.

OFM: What sort of changes to your training regimen have you made during the off-season to try to improve your game?

AD: We run a lot, and we do a lot of weights.

OFM: Do you play any other sports?

AD: No.

OFM: What’s the best advice you have for incoming freshmen who want to make it to Colonial’s varsity squad?

AD: Always work hard and keep your attitude to a minimum.

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Dr. Phillips Basketball
Nick Smith

A true double threat, senior Smith isn’t just the Panthers’ top basketball player—he’s also a talented football star who’s already committed to playing that sport for North Carolina State. He’s certainly no slouch on the hardwood though, having played varsity all four years.

OFM: You’re Dr. Phillips’ standout basketball player, and you’ve already committed to playing football at North Carolina State once you graduate. What other sports do you play, or would like to try your hand at?

Nick Smith: I’m fine with the two sports I have right now. Basketball and football—two sports I love.

OFM: Why play two sports? What do you get out of football, and what do you get out of basketball?

NS: In football, I just love the contact, and I think it gives me a meaner mentality when I’m playing that other basketball players don’t have. Also, when I play basketball, I get my athleticism, my footwork, and it all comes in and I can work all that in football.

OFM: Did you have any collegiate basketball offers? If so, from where?

NS: No, just football.

OFM: You’ve been on the varsity basketball team all four years at Dr. Phillips. How do you think they’ll do next year without you?

NS: We have a lot of young guns there, and I like their attitude when they play. They don’t like to lose. They’re really competitive, and I know they’ll be able to lead their team to more success when I’m gone.

OFM: Which of your current teammates do you think will step up the most after you’re gone?

NS: Daniel Love. He’s already a captain now, and he’s been playing well since his sophomore year. It’ll be his team when I leave.

OFM: Dr. Phillips made it to the regional quarterfinals last year. What do you think it will take for this year’s squad to go further?

NS: We have to step up a lot with more defense this year. We’re not as big as we used to be, so more of our guardsmen need to be rebounding as a team.

OFM: Before you committed to North Carolina State, there was speculation you’d go to University of North Carolina. What were some of the factors that made you decide to go with the Wolfpack?

NS: It was a better vibe, and I felt more at home.

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Olympia Soccer
Gustavo Fiuza

The Titans are blessed with a wealth of talented seniors, but team co-captain and three-year starter Fiuza has attracted the most collegiate interest so far. Last year, he and his squad were ranked No. 2 statewide in Class 5A play and No. 40 in the nation, and look to improve this year.

OFM: We understand that you have nine colleges looking at you. What are the schools?

Gustavo Fiuza: There’s Geneva [College], one in Maine, one in Illinois, one in Oregon too—it’s everywhere in the United States pretty much. I’m trying to stay in Florida, but I don’t mind going to another state.

OFM: What school in Florida would you most want to play for?

GF: Probably Barry [University] in Miami. I have a friend that goes there that went to Olympia last year—he was the captain. I would feel welcome, and they’re doing really good this year. I’d love to go there.

OFM: Your coach had a hard time picking just one player as Olympia’s best, sending us a list that included five other guys. What will you miss most about playing with them?

GF: How close I am to them. We’re really close to each other—that’s what I’ll miss the most.

OFM: What do you think of Orlando City Soccer? Do you make it out to many games?

GF: I love going to the games. If I got the opportunity to play for them, I’d love to go there, too.

OFM: Any Orlando City players you particularly admire?

GF: Kaká. He’s from the same country as me—he’s Brazilian—and very talented.

OFM: Any hopes of playing professionally? If so, which MLS team would you most like to play for?

GF: Yeah, probably Orlando City. I live here, so all my friends could come to the games and watch me—that would be pretty cool. That would be my top pick, no matter what.

OFM: How did you first get interested in playing soccer?

GF: When I was in Brazil and very young, all my friends used to play, so I would see them dribbling around and I fell in love with the sport. I didn’t have my dad, so my oldest friends were like my dad to me. I learned everything from them. [Editor’s note: Fiuza’s parents moved to the U.S. 10 years before he did.]

OFM: You’re also the co-captain of the Titans’ soccer team. What advice do you have for next year’s captain?

GF: Just be tough on the kids, make sure they’re doing the right thing, and play your best. Play every game like it’s your last game.

OFM: This is your last hurrah with Olympia. What are your goals for your final season?

GF: Winning state. That’s the only goal we have.

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Winter Park Basketball
Kevin Buckley and Wyatt Wilkes

Not only are seniors Buckley and Wyatt teammates, but they’ve been best friends since sixth grade. That camaraderie has definitely helped them on the court, and their play to date has earned Wilkes a spot at Florida State University, while Buckley is entertaining several collegiate offers.

OFM: You’ve been best friends since sixth grade. Is that friendship a benefit or a liability on the court? How so?

Wyatt Wilkes: Obviously it’s a benefit, because when you play so much together—we work out every day in the morning, we work out at night. So you know where someone likes to shoot from, what spots they like. If I’m driving and I see Kevin on the wing, I’m more likely to go and take another dribble and wait till he slides up a little bit more, because I know he’ll hit it. Never really a liability, because if you’re friends with somebody, you’re less likely to fight with each other and stuff like that.

Kevin Buckley: You start to know each other like the back of your hand.

OFM: When and how did you both first get into basketball?

KB: I started basketball at the age of 8, and I’ve just been playing it since then. I got into rec leagues from a young age and just went from there.

WW: My dad’s a coach, my grandfather was a coach, my uncle’s a coach, my mom was a four-time All-American in college—I took my first steps in a gym. There’s never been a time that I didn’t play basketball.

OFM: Kevin, you’ve received several NCAA Division 1 offers. Which schools are trying to get you, and which one do you most want to play for?

KB: Appalachian State is trying to get me right now, Manhattan’s talking to me, I have an offer from Northern Arizona University, Nicholls State [and others]. I’m still kind of holding out.

OFM: Wyatt, you’ve already committed to FSU. What is it about that college that appealed to you?

WW: It’s just a family. When you go up there, it wouldn’t matter if I just committed or if I’d been committed for years. The coaches treat you like their son, and the players treat you like their brother. Not only the family aspect, but it’s close to home, only four hours away, plus their style of play.

OFM: Assuming you guys don’t wind up at the same college, do you think you’ll be able to reach the same level of comfort with new teammates that you have with each other?

KB: No.

WW: No. It’s not as much how hard it would be to get used to other teammates. I’ll be cool with teammates and obviously they’ll be my friend and everything, but this is a brother.

KB: Same here.

OFM: Any hopes of playing pro after college?

WW: If you play basketball and you work out, you want to play pro.

KB: Yeah.

OFM: Game of one-on-one between the two of you: Who wins and why?

KB: Personally, I feel like I would win, and I’m pretty sure Wyatt feels like he would win, too.

WW: I plead the 5th.

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Ocoee Basketball
Ariel Colon

The definition of a scholar-athlete, Colon works extremely hard in the classroom and currently has a 3.2 GPA. She also puts in work on the court, getting named the Lady Knights’ MVP last season and voted by coaches as 2nd Team All-Metro. She’s committed to Elon University.

OFM: What attracted you to Elon University’s basketball program?

Ariel Colon: First thing that attracted me was the coaching staff. That really got my attention, and the head coach was everything that I dreamed of and did everything I wish to do.

OFM: You work as hard in the classroom as on the court, with a current 3.2 GPA. Why is academic success as important to you as athletic success?

AC: I would get nowhere in life without it. That comes before basketball, and I know that I need to have that in order to live my dreams. So, schoolwork comes first.

OFM: Do you play any other sports or have an interest in trying other sports?

AC: No, but if I had to choose, I think I would like tennis. I like watching it, especially Serena Williams.

OFM: What do you plan on majoring in at college, and why?

AC: Exercise science—I want to be a nurse. I want to work with babies; I really like kids. Every time I walk in the hospital, I see the neonatal nursing room where they’re monitoring the babies—I like that a lot.

OFM: You averaged an impressive 17.4 points per game last season. What kind of off-season training have you been doing to turn in an even better performance this season?

AC: Just staying in shape, continuing to work out every chance I get, just not being lazy all the time—make sure I get up and do something.

OFM: Who are some professional basketball players you admire, and why?

AC: I would go to Candace Parker on WNBA and LeBron James on NBA. They can do anything, and they play every position.

OFM: Any interest in playing in the WNBA?

AC: Definitely. Probably for the [Los Angeles] Sparks.

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Lake Nona Wrestling
Christopher Navarro

After going 54-13 as a junior, Navarro lost a heartbreaker at regionals, but he was invited to attend Asic’s national tournament in Las Vegas three weeks later. After taking third place there and gaining All-American status, he’s arguably the toughest 106-pounder in the area.

OFM: Can you describe the experience of going to Asic’s national tournament in Las Vegas last year?

Christopher Navarro: The experience was actually really amazing. There are so many things to see and things to do in Vegas. It was actually a really great experience. And the tournament itself was awesome. There were so many people there, and even a professional UFC fighter, Tito Ortiz. It was really great meeting him. The tournament was phenomenal.

OFM: In your junior year, you went 54-13 before losing a heartbreaker at regionals. What do you plan on doing differently to improve this year?

CN: I’m improving my mental aspect of the sport—just getting into the mindset that I’m the greatest person that steps on the mat and that whoever steps across from me will not score on me, and they will not beat me. That’s the mindset that I have to put on the mat. Because I never did that before; I was always intimated by my opponents, and I just need to stop that. No matter who it is.

OFM: We also understand that you wrestled the guy who went on to take second place at the 3A state tournament. What would you do differently if you had to wrestle him again?

CN: Probably better movement, taking my shots, setting my shots up better. I was just doing my shots and not really setting them up correctly, and he would just snap me down into a headlock and score on me from there. So I just need to work him a little more, push him around a little bit, and just mentally break him.

OFM: Do you play any other sports?

CN: No, I don’t. I’m a wrestler for life.

OFM: Any plans for college as of yet?

CN: I’m currently applying to all the Florida schools, but my main goal is to get a wrestling scholarship. [If I had my choice], probably FSU, because I have a lot of friends who are applying there and a lot of friends who are already attending that school.

OFM: What advice would you have for up-and-coming young athletes who are thinking of getting into wrestling?

CN: It’s the hardest thing you will ever do in your whole life, but the life lessons that you learn are so worth it. I’ve been through ups and downs, but at the end of the day, I’m a way better person than I ever was because of this sport.

OFM: Any wrestling role-models that you look up to? If so, who, and what do you admire about them?

CN: He’s sitting right there. [Points to his coach.] I like everything about him. His wrestling knowledge, the fact that he’s an amazing father. I have my father at home, but when I’m out of the house, he’s my second father that I can go to with anything. It’s just amazing to have him always there for me. He’s family.

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Boone Soccer
Jewell Mickelson

Mickelson scored an impressive 21 goals last season and was also named to the All-Metro team. She plans to play in college and is already being courted by some top schools, but for now, a higher priority for her is determining what she wants to do after she gets her degree.

OFM: Your coach said that you’ll be playing in college. Have you already committed to a school, or are you still fielding offers?

Jewell Mickelson: I haven’t committed yet. I’m still looking, and I’m mostly trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I want to go into criminal justice, but I’m not really sure what I want to do with it. That’s the part I really need to figure out.

OFM: Have any schools made offers yet?

JM: Yeah, I’ve had a few. I’ve had some from Rollins [College]. Right now I’m specifically looking at Polk State [College].

OFM: There’s a lot of senior talent on this year’s Lady Braves soccer team. What will you miss most about playing with your current teammates?

JM: Probably the friendships we have. We’re all so close—we’re kind of like a big group of sisters.

OFM: What do you think of the Orlando City Pride so far? Have you paid much attention to them?

JM: No, I haven’t. My life is so busy. I have sport after sport, and I’m also doing National Art Honor Society at Boone, and I have my classes obviously, so I don’t have a lot of time to pay attention to anything.

OFM: What other sports do you play?

JM: I do track and field, and I used to do golf.

OFM: Any pro soccer players, male or female, that you think particularly highly of?

JM: Alex Morgan, definitely. She’s a team leader, and she’s really quick like me, and she can move the ball so perfectly.

OFM: Any desire to play professionally once you get through college?

JM: I would if I could, but there’s really no chance.

OFM: You were All-Metro and scored 21 goals last season. What steps are you taking to try and improve on that this season?

JM: I go out and shoot on my own a lot just to keep the rhythm going and make sure I don’t get rusty.

OFM: Any words of advice for other young soccer players?

JM: Keep working hard and never give up.

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Timber Creek Soccer
Asia Ervin

A junior, Ervin missed most of her sophomore season due to an injury—but it didn’t stop her from accepting a recruiting offer from University of Central Florida. Now that she’s recovered from her injury, she looks to help move the Lady Wolves forward this year.

OFM: How did you get injured, and what was the recovery like?

Asia Ervin: Freshman year, I changed the way I ran and walked, and wound up shortening my abdominal muscles and tightening the muscles in my hip, so I needed to work on stretching that back out and teaching myself how to run again. Because if I tried playing without getting it back to its normal length, then I could have torn the muscle and I would’ve been out for longer.

OFM: You’re now a junior but are already committed to playing at UCF. What is it about that college that appeals to you?

AE: The coaches are very family oriented, and they’re sweet and they make you feel welcomed.

OFM: Did you get any interest from other schools before committing to UCF? Which ones?

AE: The one I was talking most to was South Carolina. [I went with UCF] because of how close to home it was.

OFM: Given that you were out most of last season, you’re probably hungry to prove yourself on the pitch this year. What steps did you take during the off-season to improve your conditioning and play?

AE: I play club, so year-round I’ve been doing that and using it to stay in shape.

OFM: Do you play any other sports?

AE: I do track.

OFM: What skills has track taught you that you can use in soccer?

AE: The endurance and mental strength.

OFM: Any professional soccer players or teams that you particularly admire?

AE: The U.S. Women’s National Team. For the longest time I’ve just dreamed of being able to make it there.

OFM: What do you think of the Orlando City Pride? Do you watch their games?

AE: I’ve watched some of their games. I think they’re doing pretty well.

OFM: Any players that you particularly admire?

AE: [Orlando City Pride’s] Alex Morgan, of course.

OFM: If you had the opportunity to play pro after college would you take it, or are you looking at other career paths?

AE: Yes. [As to the team], I’d just have to look at what’s offered and go from there.

OFM: If you don’t play pro after college, what would you want to do?

AE: Open my own practice in physical therapy.

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Oak Ridge Basketball
Mike Devoe

The Pioneers’ leader on and off the court, Devoe holds a 4.0 GPA and wants to be an engineer if he can’t turn pro. Despite being a junior, he’s already being courted by nine colleges—which should come as no surprise, given that the point guard’s an ESPN-ranked player.

OFM: We hear you have college offers from several schools, including University of Miami, University of Southern California and University of Central Florida, to name a few. Which of those schools do you most want to play for and why?

Mike Devoe: Right now I haven’t made a decision yet, but I definitely like Miami and University of Southern California. Those are the top two schools for me right now, but I still haven’t made my decision yet, so my recruiting is open right now.

OFM: What is it about those two schools that you like?

MD: The coaching staff, and me coming in as a freshman and being given the opportunity to play.

OFM: Are you holding out hopes for offers from any other schools?

MD: Two of my favorite schools are Ohio State and Arizona.

OFM: Any desire to play pro? What team would you most want to play for?

MD: Definitely, that’s the ultimate goal. If I could pick any team, definitely Orlando, because I want to give back to my city.

OFM: Any professional basketball players or coaches you look up to?

MD: D’Angelo Russell and LeBron James. LeBron James is just a leader on the court and off the court as well, so he’s just a great role model.

OFM: Your coach also told us that you have a 4.0 GPA and want to be an engineer once you graduate. What is it about the engineering field that appeals to you?

MD: I just like it so much, and it really comes easy to me. It’s either engineering or entrepreneur.

OFM: You’re also a 4-star, ESPN-ranked player. What’s it like to have national attention at such a young age?

MD: It just shows the hard work definitely paying off. I’m just glad it happened, and just asking for more.

OFM: You averaged 18.9 points per game last season. What steps did you take during the off-season to try to improve on that performance?

MD: Definitely my shooting, because my percentage in my freshman year wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be, and being more confident on the floor.

Published and copyrighted in Orlando Family Magazine (November 2016).