Sports

Drea Thompson won OBC, district and regional high jump titles before placing in the FHSAA State Championships. She was an all-county selection in flag football and standout on the volleyball court for Harmony – earning News-Gazette Girls Athlete of the Year honors for the 2022-23. PHOTO/J. DANIEL PEARSON

Drea Thompson won OBC, district and regional high jump titles before placing in the FHSAA State Championships. She was an all-county selection in flag football and standout on the volleyball court for Harmony – earning News-Gazette Girls Athlete of the Year honors for the 2022-23. PHOTO/J. DANIEL PEARSON

OSCEOLA COUNTY FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- Longhorns’ Thompson a ‘generational talent’

J. Daniel Pearson
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
In a year where she earned All-County recognition in two sports and excelled in a third, Harmony senior Drea Thompson is the selection for the Osceola News Gazette’s Female Athlete of the Year for 2022-23. Thompson played volleyball and excelled in track and field and flag football.
Cooper Haase signs a commemorative picture frame as his mother Shanel Davidson-Haase looks on at the Orange Belt Conference awards ceremony in May. Haase, a four-time state wrestling champion at Osceola High, was also the OBC’s Male Athlete of the Year. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON

Cooper Haase signs a commemorative picture frame as his mother Shanel Davidson-Haase looks on at the Orange Belt Conference awards ceremony in May. Haase, a four-time state wrestling champion at Osceola High, was also the OBC’s Male Athlete of the Year. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON

OSCEOLA COUNTY BOYS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR — Haase capped magical career with 4th state title

J. Daniel Pearson
Tuesday, July 4, 2023
Osceola’s Cooper Haase capped off his high school wrestling career in style in March’s Class 3A state championship.
Dylan Murphy, an NBA assistant coach in Orlando, has been named the first Osceola Magic coach. LINKEDIN

Dylan Murphy, an NBA assistant coach in Orlando, has been named the first Osceola Magic coach. LINKEDIN

Osceola Magic names Dylan Murphy head coach

Staff Report
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Submitted by the Orlando Magic The Osceola Magic, the developmental ,NBA G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic, have named the coach they’ll have going into this summer.
Osceola’s Shannon Levy won three individual events and ran a leg on a winning relay team at the 2023 OBC Championships and qualified for two events at the state championships. PHOTO/ERIC PINELLAS

Osceola’s Shannon Levy won three individual events and ran a leg on a winning relay team at the 2023 OBC Championships and qualified for two events at the state championships. PHOTO/ERIC PINELLAS

ALL-COUNTY GIRLS TRACK — OBC champ, state sprint qualifier Levy was tops

J. Daniel Pearson
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Osceola High School senior Shannon Levy, who won Orange Belt Conference titles in the 100 and 200 meters, long jump and ran a leg on the winning 4x100 relay team is the Osceola News-Gazette’s Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year for 2023.
Johan Comacho set three school records in track, qualified for states and won the 1600 and 3200 meter runs at the Orange Belt Conference championships. PHOTO/TOHOPEKALIGA H.S

Johan Comacho set three school records in track, qualified for states and won the 1600 and 3200 meter runs at the Orange Belt Conference championships. PHOTO/TOHOPEKALIGA H.S

Toho’s Camacho went the distance — all the way to state

J. Daniel Pearson
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
In a season that saw several athletes excel at their specialties, perhaps the most consistent effort came from Tohopekaliga distance runner Johan Camacho, the 2023 Osceola News-Gazette’s Boys Track Athlete of the Year.
Experience Kissimmee will become the Jacksonville Jaguars’ official Travel Destination partner.

Experience Kissimmee will become the Jacksonville Jaguars’ official Travel Destination partner.

Touchdown! Experience Kissimmee, Jacksonville Jaguars announce travel partnership

Staff Report
Thursday, June 22, 2023
If you didn’t have a reason to root for the Jacksonville Jaguars here in Osceola County before, here’s one. Experience Kissimmee, the county’s tourism marketing arm, announced a multi-year partnership on Tuesday, where Experience Kissimmee will be the NFL team’s official Travel Destination partner.
Mike Ziss, just a sophomore, won two state championships in April en route to being named Osceola County’s Boys Weightlifter of the Year. PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MALDONADO, ST. CLOUD HIGH

Mike Ziss, just a sophomore, won two state championships in April en route to being named Osceola County’s Boys Weightlifter of the Year. PHOTO/CHRISTIAN MALDONADO, ST. CLOUD HIGH

ALL-COUNTY BOYS WEIGHTLIFTING -- Ziss a double-gold state champion

J. Daniel Pearson
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
St. Cloud sophomore weightlifter Mike Ziss dominated not only the county, district and regionals, but also was the best in Florida as he won Class 3A state championships in the Traditional (bench press and clean and jerk) and Olympic (clean and jerk/ snatch) competitions.
Subscribe to