Columbus’ Boozer, Miami High’s Wilson are Miami-Dade Athletes of the Year for 7A-5A

Cameron Boozer has helped turn Columbus into a boys’ basketball powerhouse. Joelle Wilson kept Miami’s storied girls’ basketball legacy alive with another trip to the final four.

They’re the Miami Herald’s Athletes of the Year for Classes 7A-5A.

Only a sophomore, Boozer is already a two-time Boys’ Athlete of the Year for Classes 7A-5A and is on track to be one of the best basketball players to ever come out of Florida. He has already led the Explorers to their first two state championships in his two seasons in Miami and is the No. 1 player in the Class of 2025, according to the 247Sports composite rankings.

After making history for Columbus last year, Boozer even went to another level in 2022. The five-star power forward led his team to a national championship at The Throne in April and finished his sophomore season averaging 21.1 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.

Boozer, who’s the son of two-time All-Star power forward Carlos Boozer, was also the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A for the second straight season and won the Gatorade Player of the Year award.

“Obviously, this is something that you look at and you’re just like, Oh, that would be nice,” Boozer said after winning the Gatorade award in March, “but it wasn’t really a goal for this year. I was just trying to improve my game and win as a team, but getting the award is a big deal, so it’s going to be a goal for me in the future, as well.”

Wilson, a senior, was the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A and now follows it up as the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Athlete of the Year for Classes 7A-5A. The Stingarees are a fixture in Lakeland — they’ve reached the state semifinals in six straight years — and Wilson was the biggest reason they got back there this year, averaging 16.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.

She also won a Class 7A title as a freshman in 2020.

Basketball is only part of what made Wilson great, though. She was also a second-team all-county selection in girls’ volleyball and the Herald’s Miami-Dade County Girls’ Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She’s going to Miami on a full academic scholarship.

“It’s definitely something me and my parents, and coaches have been working for,” Wilson said after receiving the Miami-Dade Girls’ Scholar Athlete of the Year award last month. “It’s very exciting and I am proud and grateful for it.”

Other finalists

Boys’ sports

▪ Southridge senior Koree Cotton was a first-team all-county selection in boys’ basketball, and a second-team all-county selection in track and field. He signed with VMI for basketball.

▪ Belen Jesuit sophomore Bryce Fitzgerald was a second-team all-county selection in football and an all-county honorable mention in boys’ basketball, helping the Wolverines win the Class 5A championship.

▪ Northwestern freshman Calvin Russell was a third-team all-county selection in boys’ basketball and an all-county honorable mention in football.

▪ Jackson senior Byron Holt was a first-team all-county selection in track and field, and an all-county honorable mention in football. He was the Class 2A champion in the 110-meter hurdles.

▪ South Dade junior Sawyer Bartelt was the Miami-Dade County Boys’ Wrestler of the Year, posting a third straight undefeated season to win the Class 3A championship in the 220-pound weight class.

Girls’ sports

▪ Sydney Wilson, the younger sister and two-sport teammate of the Miami-Dade Girls’ Athlete of the Year, was a first-team all-county selection in both girls’ basketball and girls’ volleyball.

▪ Palmetto junior Emma Weinberg was the Miami-Dade County Girls’ Lacrosse Player of the Year and a first-team all-county selection in girls’ soccer.

▪ Stevie Ricklick, a senior, was a three-sport athlete for the Panthers, and a first-team all-county selection in girls’ soccer and a third-team all-county selection in flag football.

▪ Palmetto sophomore Ameia Sorey was the Miami-Dade County Girls’ Tennis Player of the Year, helped the Panthers win the Class 4A championship and won the 4A title as an individual for the first school’s first singles championship.

▪ Cynteria James was the Miami-Dade County Girls’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year, and helped the Spartans win the 4A championship. The Southridge senior was also a 4A champion in the 400-meter dash and the 1,600 relay.