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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
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. She edged out several talented contenders including Osceola wrestler Kealoni Vega, Kowboys sprinter Shannon Levy and Gateway basketball player Vanessa Diaz.
In track, Thompson placed in the top eight at states and scored points in the high jump two seasons in a row. Although she fell short of her goal of winning a Class 4A state title this year, she claimed Orange Belt Conference, district and regional championships as a senior.
Competing at the same time in flag football, she was an All-OBC and All-Osceola News Gazette selection as a wide receiver and defensive back. A strong candidate to repeat as Defensive Player of the Year, she had seven interceptions this season, returning one for a touchdown, and also broke up nine passes. She also had a productive year offensively with 48 catches, nine touchdowns and 18 extra points.
As a starter in volleyball, she had 99 kills, 15 blocks and 47 digs this year.
“Drea was really once in a generation type athlete, she really excelled in three sports for us at Harmony and frankly probably could have excelled in others— she’s that good,” flag coach Paul Strauch said. “She was the News-Gazette’s Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and she could have easily matched her stats from that year but our opponents knew not to challenge her. Instead they went away from her and that certainly played a factor in allowing teammate (and freshman) Ellah Husbands to pile up big numbers and earn that honor.”
Thompson’s selection was not made lightly. Vega, who became the first girl in Osceola County history to officially win an FHSAA Girls State Wrestling Championship, received strong consideration. Vega went 39-1 this season and pinned all four of her opponents in the state tournament – winning OBC, regional and district crowns in addition to the state title. She most likely would have won the state title in 2022 as a junior but a severe knee injury kept her from competing.
In a vote of athletic directors, Vega was the Orange Belt Conference Female Athlete of the Year for 2022-23.
Levy was the Girls Track Athlete of the Year. She won Orange Belt Conference titles in the 100, 200, long jump and ran a leg on the winning 4x100 relay team. She capped her career winning district and regional titles in the 100 and qualified for the state 4A xhampionship field where she finished 14th. She also ran the anchor leg on Osceola’s 4x100 relay that finished on the podium in seventh place. Levy was also a standout on the school’s weight lifting team.
Diaz was a four-year starter in basketball for Gateway. She played a key role in leading the Panthers to a first-ever State Final Four appearance and reached 2,000 career points. She also played flag football.
