Meet this week’s Bradenton hometown heroes, including former Braden River High standout Tyler Dyson

Manatee County has produced some stellar athletes over the years.

But what happens once they leave the fields around the area?

Some play their sport in college and some make it as a professional.

Simply put, they’re the Hometown Heroes for local sports.

Each week, the Herald will keep you, the reader, updated on how former high school stars are faring at the next level.

We’ll also mention outstanding performances from current high schoolers.

And if we missed anyone, we want to hear from you. Let us know with an email, phone call or whichever communication method you prefer.

Now, let’s get going with this week’s edition:

Tyler Dyson

The Braden River High alumnus quickly became a Florida Gators legend last summer when he pitched six-plus innings as a freshman in the College World Series-clinching victory over LSU.

The Gators beat the Tigers 6-1 that late June night in Omaha, Neb., to secure the program’s first national title.

In his first start of 2018, Dyson struck out three over six innings in top-ranked Florida’s 19-2 victory over Siena on Sunday that wrapped up a season-opening series sweep.

Bradenton Christian girls basketball

The Panthers play in Monday’s Class 3A state semifinals against North Lauderdale Somerset Prep at 8 p.m. at Lakeland’s RP Funding Center.

Tickets are $13, and there is a fan bus departing from BCS on Monday. Tickets are $5 for any middle or high school students for the fan bus, and students must sign up by 9 a.m. Monday to reserve a spot.

To get to the state semifinals for the second straight year, the Panthers beat their Bradenton rival, Saint Stephen’s, in Tuesday’s regional final.

Amy Van Ryn scored 19 points in the 57-34 victory as Bradenton Christian went 4-0 against Saint Stephen’s this season.

Bayshore boys basketball

The Bruins are the sole survivors from Thursday’s regional action, hitting a last-second shot to beat district champion Immokalee on the road to advance to Tuesday’s Class 6A-Region 3 semifinals.

Brock Fletcher nailed the game-winner in the 67-66 victory.

Senior forward Jaylen Pauley led the Bruins with 21 points.

Bayshore travels to Cape Coral Mariner for the 6A-3 region semifinals.

East Manatee Admirals

Manatee County’s lone high school hockey team is playing for the state championship this weekend in Fort Myers.

The Admirals won the Lightning Cup at Tampa’s Amalie Arena with a 5-3 victory over the East Lake Eagles. Connor Nicholson scored a hat trick to earn the player of the game trophy.

Jackson Bennett (three goals, four assists), Peter Morgan (four goals, two assists), Patrick Kenefick (four goals, assist), Tyler Stowe (goal, four assists), Tyler Moschella (2-0, 1.42 goals against average, one shutout) and Alex Workman (1-0, one shutout) have paced East Manatee during the postseason.

Trenton Miller

The former Palmetto High quarterback posted to social media Wednesday that he has signed to play football for the Munich Cowboys in Germany.

Miller, who is from Buffalo, N.Y., trained at IMG Academy before enrolling at Palmetto and guiding the Tigers to the Class 5A state semifinals in 2011.

At the time, IMG didn’t field a high school varsity football team. Palmetto lost that memorable state semifinal to the Duke Johnson-led Miami Norland, which went on to beat Crawfordville Wakulla in the final.

Jessalyn Kinlaw

Kinlaw, who was a multi-sport star at Manatee High, was named to the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association’s preseason All-Conference team in beach volleyball.

A senior at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Kinlaw made the CCSA all-conference team last season en route to earning a spot in the inaugural National Pairs Championship.

Nelly Korda

A Bradenton native, Korda had the best finish among locals in last weekend’s ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, as she tied for 40th in the LPGA Tour event.

This story was originally published February 23, 2018 at 11:54 AM with the headline "Meet this week’s Bradenton hometown heroes, including former Braden River High standout Tyler Dyson."