Keys Weekly Sports Wrap Podcast

With more than 20 offers on the table, standout Key West lineman Christopher Andre Otto is arguably the most sought-after athlete in Monroe County’s Class of 2023. Ranked as a three-star prospect and the No. 93 offensive tackle in the country, the three-sport athlete closed 2022 by declaring his intent to play for the Florida State Seminoles starting next year. Listen as host Sean McDonald sits do...

Key West and the Conch Republic recently received some very exciting news: 1984 baseball state champion Joey Wardlow was inducted to the University of Tampa Athletic Hall of Fame.  His career took him through the minor leagues of professional baseball to winning a state championship as an assistant coach for Key West under Ralph Henriquez in 1994 and 1995. He has also won a state championship as t...

December 9 brought the renewal of an in-county hoops rivalry as Key West made the trip up U.S. 1 to take on the Marathon Dolphins. Key West picked up its first win of the season in the contest, riding freshman James Osborne’s game-high 15 points to a 50-36 win. Listen as host Sean McDonald sits down with Key West and Marathon coaches Dexter Butler and Kevin Freeman to discuss the storied matchup,...

Jarrod Mandozzi pulls double duty in the winters at Coral Shores, currently serving as the head coach for the Hurricanes’ boys basketball team while filling in as the interim coach for the girls squad as well. Under his guidance, both teams are off to respectable 2-2 starts, with each group putting on some offensive shows in blowout wins to start the season. Now in his sixth season, Mandozzi began...

In part two of a highly popular Sports Wrap Podcast episode, host Sean McDonald sits down once again with legendary Conch football alumnus Robert James. Growing up in Key West, James spent his early life on the football field. At 11 years old, the 5’6’’, 110-pound player was initially put at tight end. Eventually he would find his way as a running back. In the interview’s second installment, McDon...

A 20-year coaching veteran in the Keys, Marathon’s coach Kevin Freeman is Monroe County’s longest-tenured head basketball coach. Listen as he sits down with host Sean McDonald to discuss his own playing career, his foray into teaching and coaching, and his expectations for the 2022-2023 Marathon Dolphins basketball team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In recent years, Marathon High School has developed a reputation as the Keys’ perennial distance running powerhouse. In 2022, sophomore phenom Vaclav “Vance” Bursa carried that torch, pacing the Dolphins all season and running the race of his life to secure a ninth place finish at the FHSAA state championships in Tallahassee on Nov. 5. Listen as host Sean McDonald catches up with Bursa and coach J...

Only one fall sport is left standing at Marathon High School as the Dolphins’ quickest runners make the trip to the state championship cross country meet in Tallahassee on Nov. 5. Led by sophomore phenom Vance Bursa and fresh off a third-place finish in their regional race, this will be the Fins’ eighth consecutive trip to Florida’s fastest meet under coach Jim Murphy. Not to be left out, the Lady...

As temperatures drop – just a little – in the Florida Keys, fall prep sports in the county are wrapping up their seasons, with some looking forward to postseason games and races. Listen as host Sean McDonald recaps where each sport stands as the season draws to a close. After the comprehensive recap, McDonald is joined by Coral Shores football coach Ed Holly and Key West football coach Johnny Hugh...

Andre Garvey is known to most in Marathon as a dedicated coach and one of the outstanding staff members in the Marathon Parks and Recreation department. But what some may not know is that Garvey is part of Florida’s football royalty as the 1997 Florida 2A Football Player of the Year. This 1998 Marathon High School graduate earned the honor after finishing his senior football season with 2,500 rush...

One of the oldest sports rivalries in the Keys was renewed under Friday Night Lights as Marathon made the trip north to take on Coral Shores in the 53rd “Battle of the Keys” on Oct. 7. An early score by Marathon on a 42-yard Aaron Dolton touchdown run soon gave way to several special teams miscues for the Dolphins, and Coral Shores emerged victorious, 33-6. Listen as host Sean McDonald recaps the...

Rich Russell is a home-grown talent and a true “football guy” – a Coral Shores graduate who returned to his hometown program to coach and eventually work his way into his position as the Hurricanes’ athletic director. Listen as host Sean McDonald takes a deep, wide-ranging dive into Russell’s family background and entire athletic career, all the way back to his days setting a Florida high school s...

It’s gut check time for Keys football squads as late-season matchups bring pivotal district showdowns and the return of a storied Monroe County rivalry. Join host Sean McDonald as he is joined by all three head high school football coaches to discuss the critical weeks ahead. Fresh off a gritty game against national powerhouse Cardinal Gibbons, Key West prepares for district play with the hopes of...

Listen as host Sean McDonald sits down with Key West High School basketball coach Dexter Butler to talk about his coaching success so far and his vision as he takes over the KWHS basketball team. Dexter is the son of the late Key West basketball legend Bill Butler, the namesake for the high school’s basketball court and the local Bill Butler Park. The elder Butler is arguably the greatest player t...

Key West’s Robert James spent his early life on the football field. At 11 years old, the 5’6’’, 110-pound player was initially put at tight end. Eventually he would find his way as a running back. Listen as host Sean McDonald talks to James about his football career. Plus, McDonald recaps last week’s contests, including a successful week for Keys football teams. Also, get the latest on swimming an...

6’5” Key West offensive lineman Andre Otto is a stud on the field with more than 20 college offers under his belt – even from Ivy League schools. But as he tells it, he took an extended break from football when he was younger, and his vision for his future includes not just football, but a career in filmmaking. Listen as host Sean McDonald interviews the southernmost standout and provides an updat...

All three Keys high school football teams opened their seasons at home this past Friday, with mixed results throughout the islands. While Coral Shores celebrated a dominant victory, Marathon and Key West were left looking forward to a week of practice as they look to correct self-inflicted wounds. Join host Sean McDonald as he wraps up all the highs and lows from the last week of Keys sports actio...

Last week was the warm-up. This week, the real work begins for all three Monroe County football teams as Coral Shores, Marathon and Key West all host home matchups on Friday night, Aug. 26 to officially kick off the 2022 regular season. Listen as host Sean McDonald dials up each of the three head coaches to talk about the lessons learned by each squad in their preseason matchups last weekend along...

Friday Night Lights are set to return in the Keys for the start of the 2022 high school football season. With practices already in full swing and a preseason slate set to kick off this weekend, the Coral Shores, Marathon and Key West teams are ready to roll. Listen as Sports Wrap host Sean McDonald sits down with Key West varsity football assistant Judd Wise, known throughout the islands as one of...

The turn of a new month kicked off the official start of practices for the 2022 fall sport season across all Monroe County high schools. Including wide-ranging conversations with two special guests – Key West High School Athletic Director Justin Martin and Marathon High School Athletic Business Manager and basketball coach Kevin Freeman – listen as Keys Weekly Sports Wrap host Sean McDonald takes...

The Coral Shores High School community is buzzing with excitement as coaching legend Ed Holly returns to his post as head football coach for the 2022 season. Following a solid first stint with the Hurricanes from 2011-2015, Holly is excited to dive back into the friendly rivalry among Monroe County schools. Holly brings collegiate coaching experience to the position from his time as a defensive co...

Keys Weekly is proud to present the Keys Weekly Sports Wrap, a first-of-its-kind podcast in the Florida Keys and the only destination for comprehensive prep sports coverage throughout Monroe County. From Key Largo to Key West, listeners can tune in year-round for weekly updates on high school sports as podcast host Sean McDonald highlights exceptional individual and team performances, dives into i...