Football: Angel Rodriguez charged with two felony counts of burglary

Angel Rodriguez, once the starting quarterback at Tampa Bay Tech and Wiregrass Ranch, was arrested Thursday and charged with separate felony counts of burglary of an occupied dwelling. He was released a few hours later.

Authorities say Rodriguez, a juvenile at the time, attempted the burglaries just days before his 18th birthday within blocks of his home at 28950 Long Meadow Loop in Wesley Chapel.

According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Rodriguez rang the doorbell then entered the home at 28331 Tall Grass Dr. in Wesley Chapel through a bedroom window. The female victim was home, but did not answer the door. She told police she witnessed Rodriguez steal a computer valued at $2,600. Police said they recovered a finger print from inside the window that matched Rodriguez, who denied entering the home, but admitted to taking the computer.

In the second attempt, Rodriguez again rang the doorbell this time at 31349 Philmar Ln. in Wesley Chapel. He gained entry through a bedroom window when no one answered. Once halfway through the window, the victim yelled causing Rodriguez to flee, according to police. Rodriguez later admitted to ringing the doorbell and opening the window, but denied entry.

The attempts occurred June 14 and June 24, the first just blocks from his home. Rodriguez turned 18 on June 27.

Rodriguez was a Times' All-Hillsborough County honorable mention selection last season. He amassed more than 1,300 total yards and accounted for 18 touchdowns. He signed a letter of intent in April to play football at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania.

"He was the best quarterback I ever coach," former Wiregrass coach Ricky Thomas said. "This is shocking to me."

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

Seminole High hosting alumni soccer tournament

The Seminole High boys soccer program will host the first-ever Seminole Alumni Soccer tournament August 8 beginning at 10 a.m.

All former Seminole managers and players are invited to participate in the tournament, which will pit teams of past Seminole greats against one another in a six-a-side format (ten players per team).

Proceeds from the tournament will be used to pay for state championship signs honoring the 1982 and 2003 state champions. The signs will be unveiled following the tournament, which Seminole boys soccer head coach Rick Masi hopes to make an annual event.

Registration is $20 per player and includes a t-shirt and party for parents, players and all families involved. To sign up, visit www.seminolesocceralumni.com.

-- BRYAN BURNS

PHU's Mark Hansson receives second D-I offer

Palm Harbor University left tackle Mark Hansson picked up his second scholarship offer from a Division I school this week when Indiana University offered the 6-foot-6, 245 pound senior lineman.

In June, Hansson received a scholarship offer from Florida International University.

-- BRYAN BURNS

Midday sports report

Two Cents' Tom Jones brings you the news of the day, and let's you know the stories we're currently working on.

Greg David named Bishop McLaughlin boys hoops coach

Bishop McLaughlin has a new boys basketball coach and, perhaps, some stability in the program.

Greg David, previously coach at Notre Dame Catholic School in Spring Hill, has been hired to lead the Hurricanes, becoming the team's third coach since the start of the calendar year.

Veteran Greg O'Connell abruptly walked off the job in January after a highly publicized encounter with some disgruntled parents. New York Mets baseball scout and retired coach Les Parker replaced him on an interim basis.

"Coach David is committed to growing our program and building strong young men of faith through their experiences on and off the basketball court," Bishop McLaughlin athletic director Eddie Kenny said in a school release.

David led Notre Dame, a program not affiliated with the Florida High School Athletic Association, to first place in its division last season. A former semi-pro player in Puerto Rico, he also coached the boys' youth basketball program at the Children's Aid Society in New York before arriving in Florida.

According to the school release, David's collegiate career "included time at the well-respected Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City where he also earned his degree."

Football: Former Armwood star Justin Cabbagestalk faces felony charge

Former Armwood star Justin Cabbagestalk was arrested Tuesday night and charged with a felony count of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief. He was released on a bond early Wednesday morning.

According to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Debbie Carter, Cabbagestalk, 18, and three juveniles entered a home Tuesday night on Parkcrest Drive in Tampa at about 7 p.m. They gained entry through an unlocked screen porch door, then broke a kitchen window to enter the home. They exited through the front door and were observed by a witness, who called police.

"It appears as though nothing was taken," Carter said.

Cabbagestalk, a 6-foot-4, 275 pound lineman, signed a letter of intent in February to play football at Vanderbilt this fall. He becomes the second of Armwood's nine signees to face burglary charges.

In April, former teammate Angelo Hadley was charged with third-degree grand theft, grand theft of a firearm and armed burglary of a dwelling with firearm possession, all third-degree felonies. Soon afterward his scholarship to North Carolina was pulled.

Hadley has entered a plea of not guilty with his next hearing scheduled for September.

"(Vanderbilt) coach (Bobby) Johnson and the staff have been notified of the case and will withhold official comment until more facts are known," Vanderbilt spokesman Larry Leathers said Wednesday morning.

-- IZZY GOULD and JOEY KNIGHT

Midday sports report

Times staff writer Tom Jones discusses the news of the day and tells you what stories we're working on this afternoon at tampabay.com in our latest "Midday sports report.''

All-state boys basketball teams

Here are the all-state boys basketball teams for the 2008-09 season, as selected by Florida sportswriters and members of the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches. Bay area players in bold.

CLASS 6A
First team
Charles Hankerson, Coral Reef (Miami), 6-5, Jr.
John Henson, Sickles (Tampa), 6-10, Sr.
Martavious Irving, Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes), 6-2, Sr.
Khyle Marshall, Flanagan (Pembroke Pines), 6-6, Jr.
Austin Rivers, Winter Park, 6-3, So.

Second team
Martell Buie, Olympia (Orlando), 5-11, Sr.
Andy Diaz, Hialeah Miami Lakes, 6-8, Sr.
Dexter Fields, Olympia (Orlando), 6-2, Sr.
Jerron Granberry, Coral Reef (Miami), 6-5, Sr.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Palmetto (Miami), 6-5, Jr.

Third team
Bryce Clark, Ely (Pompano Beach), 6-5, Sr.
Richie Edwards, Lakeland, 6-7, Sr.
Antonio Johnson, Melbourne, 5-11, Sr.
Angel Rodriguez, Dr. Krop (Miami), 5-10, So.
Tony Watson II, Palm Beach Gardens, 6-2, Sr.

Fourth team
Julian Vasquez, Miami Senior, 6-1, Sr.
Bryan Bynes, Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes), 6-3, Sr.
Jayson Guerrier, Oviedo, 6-4, Sr.
Kevin Paxson, Jupiter, 5-11, Jr.
Shemiye McLendon, Vero Beach, 6-3, Sr.

Recruiting: Flavarsity.com releases its full preseason top 100

Flavarsity.com has released its top 100 list of statewide football recruits list. It had released 26-100 earlier this week.

Tampa Catholic senior Christian Green, right, was ranked No. 3, tops among bay area players. The 6-foot-2, 200 pound quarterback/receiver has garnered tons of interest from some of the country's top universities. This ranking will help solidify his place a blue chip prospect. Some of his offers include Florida, Florida State, Miami, Ohio State, Michigan, Tennessee and Southern California.

Hillsborough defensive back Terrance Mitchell is ranked No. 12, and Tampa Catholic lineman Chaz Green is ranked No. 18. 

Other locals selected include Blake quarterback Michael McFarland (No. 40), Leto running back Jeremy Deering (No. 44), Gulf lineman Leon Orr (No. 55), Nature Coast running back Tevin Drake (No. 67), former Armwood lineman Alton Bailey (No. 70), Tampa Bay Tech fullback Maurice Hagens (No. 73) and Hillsborough quarterback Tarean Austin (No. 74).

No Pinellas County athletes were listed.

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

Ex-Pasco star Robbie Shields to sign with Mets

Former Pasco High power-hitting shortstop Robbie Shields, the New York Mets' third-round pick in the recent big-league draft, is expected to sign with the club this evening, his mother announced.

Shields, the draft's 103rd overall pick, will begin play in the Mets' single-A affiliate in Brooklyn, Pam Shields said. Terms weren't disclosed, but the signing bonus could reach six figures. The 103rd pick in the 2008 draft received a $350,000 bonus according to Baseball America.

Shields, who played three seasons at Division II Florida Southern College, hit .329 with 22 home runs and 122 RBIs as a collegian. As a Pasco senior in 2006, he hit .553 with a Pasco County record-tying 18 homers.

Among Shields' teammates will be former Ridgewood standout John Servidio, an outfielder in his second season of pro ball.

JOEY KNIGHT

Spoto baseball coach Larry Benton arrested on prostitution charge

Spoto baseball coach Larry Benton was arrested early Saturday morning on a misdemeanor charge of soliciting another to commit prostitution.

Benton, 50, was arrested by Tampa police at 6500 N. Nebraska Ave. in Tampa and booked Saturday at 2:39 a.m. He was released at 11:09 that morning on a $250 bond. His occupation, according to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office arrest report, was listed as a TV technician.

According to Spoto's Web site, he's a member of the school's faculty.

Benton couldn't be reached this afternoon; the answering machine on his home phone indicated his voice mailbox was full. Spoto principal Clyde Trathowen didn't immediately respond to a phone message.

Hillsborough County school district spokesman Stephen Hegarty said Benton will not be permitted to report to the school -- which has adjourned for the summer anyway -- until district officials interview him and gather all the facts on the incident. A determination on discipline, if any, will follow.

A 1977 King High graduate, Benton transformed Tampa Bay Tech's once-moribund program in the 1990s, leading it to a pair of 20-win campaigns and a Western Conference title during his seven seasons. After a hiatus of several years, he was hired at Leto in 2003 before eventually moving on to Spoto.

His 2009 Spartans team finished 13-11.  

JOEY KNIGHT

 

Football: Gaither's Jamal Allen gets two offers

Gaither defensive back Jamal Allen has picked up scholarship offers from the University of Massachusetts and James Madison.

The 6-foot cornerback had 26 tackles and five pass deflections for the Cowboys last season. Arguably his best effort was a seven-tackle game in a 17-14 win against Freedom.

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

Wesley Chapel's Joyer gets release from USF after academic issues

Wesley Chapel center Kamran Joyer, who signed with USF in February, has asked for and been granted a release from his scholarship with the Bulls after uncertainty as to whether he'd be accepted academically, his father Jack said Monday afternoon.

Joyer, who has been cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse, had agreed to take two courses at Hillsborough Community College this summer, then go before the academic committee that reviews incoming athletes at USF in August.

But Jack Joyer said Monday he received an e-mail from Jason Linders, USF's academic advisor for football, warning him that even if Joyer completed the two HCC classes with high grades, he wasn't guaranteed to be accepted into USF.

The issue, his father said, relates to the practice of "grade forgiveness," as Joyer re-took four classes online to improve the grades he earned in the classroom. Doing so allowed him to meet the NCAA minimum requirements -- his father said he has a 2.59 grade-point average and an 870 on the SAT -- but Joyer was told that USF would weigh the original grades when considering whether to admit him for fall classes.

Rather than face that uncertainty, Joyer asked for and was given his release by USF coach Jim Leavitt, freeing him up to sign with another program where he can be assured of getting into school. Jack Joyer did not name any specific schools Monday, but said last week he was aware that Michigan and Tennessee had scholarships available.

USF's coaches had anticipated some attrition from signing day, when 29 players signed with the Bulls, four over the NCAA limit for one class. Joyer is the sixth signee not expected to be in school this fall -- defensive tackle Khyri Thornton was not admitted and has signed with Southern Miss, safety Kevin Williams did not pass enough junior-college classes to be admitted, running back Adaris Bellamy is headed to prep school in Virginia, and tight end Gerard Atkins and safety Ivan Nicholas have not been cleared and are expected to grayshirt or defer enrollment until January.

Even without those six signees, USF is believed to be at the NCAA's overall limit of 85 scholarships, unless other returning players do not stay with the program as expected.

-- Greg Auman, Times staff writer

Baseball: Three University of Tampa baseball players sign with MLB teams

Three University of Tampa players have signed with Major League Baseball teams, the school announced Monday.

Spartans pitcher Alex Koronis, who was selected in the 11th round of the MLB draft, has signed with the Tampa Bay Rays. Spartans pitcher Danny Keefe, who has appeared in two games with the Class A affiliate Boise Hawks, was a 14th round pick signing with the Chicago Cubs.

Spartans catcher Jose Jimenez was picked up in the 49th round and selected for the second consecutive year by the Los Angeles Angels.

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

Recruiting: Flavarsity.com ranks state's top 100

Flavarsity.com has started to release its annual list of the top 100 statewide college football prospects. The first portion includes prospects 26-100 according to the Web site's projections.

"We spent countless hours evaluating prospects from Pensacola all the way down to Miami," flavarsity publisher Michael Langston wrote. "Plenty of names will rise and others fall throughout the year."

Among the locals selected are were Blake quarterback Michael McFarland (No. 40), Leto running back Jeremy Deering (No. 44), Gulf lineman Leon Orr (No. 55), Nature Coast running back Tevin Drake (No. 67), former Armwood lineman Alton Bailey (No. 70), Tampa Bay Tech fullback Maurice Hagens (No. 73) and Hillsborough quarterback Tarean Austin (No. 74).

No Pinellas County athletes were listed.

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

Harvard showing strong interest in Cobras QB Zack Wynn

Hudson rising senior quarterback Zack Wynn, who has proven as prolific in the classroom as he is in the pocket, has generated considerable interest from two-time defending Ivy League champion Harvard.

Wynn, attending a camp this week at the school's Cambridge, Mass., campus, owns a grade-point average above 4.0 and scored an 1150 on his first crack at the SAT, Cobras coach Mark Nash said. He has thrown for more than 4,500 yards in three seasons as a starter.

"The (Harvard) recruiter watched his highlight film in my office and said, 'He is just what we're looking for in a quarterback,'" Nash said.

Ivy League programs don't offer athletic scholarships, but Nash said it's his understanding Wynn could be eligible for a financial-aid package that covers all his college costs. At least two former Harvard quarterbacks -- Buffalo's Ryan Fitzpatrick and the New York Jets' Chris Pizzotti -- are on NFL rosters.

JOEY KNIGHT

Wrestling: Brandon's Eric Grajales and Russ Cozart win Florida Dairy Farmers Wrestler and Coach of the Year

Brandon's Eric Grajales and coach Russ Cozart have been named the 2009 Florida Dairy Farmers Wrestler and Coach of the Year, the 17th year for the award.

Grajales, a Michigan signee, went 64-0 and finished his career 218-0 with four state titles to his credit claiming the Class 2A title at 135 pounds. It's the second year in a row he was named Mr. Florida.

Cozart guided the Eagles to their ninth-consecutive state title, their 20th overall. Both had already been named the top wrestler and coach in their classification last month.

The state's top award is selected by a coaches and media from across the state through a voting system.

-- IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

Ex-Ram Jon Koenigsfeld earns prestigious college honor

Former Ridgewood baseball standout Jon Koenigsfeld, who just completed his junior season at Division II Valdosta (Ga.) State, has been recognized by the Gulf South Conference as one of the league's 10 best all-around student-athletes

The GSC "Top Ten" Award, considered the conference's second-highest honor, is given to each of its top five male and female student-athletes based on athletic, academic and extra-curricular achievement.

As a "Top Ten" recipient, Koenigsfeld, who holds a 4.0 GPA and hit .328 as a shortstop last season, becomes eligible for the Commissioner's Trophy as the top male student-athlete in the conference.

"Jon embodies all the qualities that we think of with a student-athlete," Blazers coach Greg Guilliams said. "His leadership and work ethic are unmatched."

The 2005 valedictorian at Ridgewood, Koenigsfeld, a middle grades education major, has earned VSU's Male Student-Athlete Academic Award and made the GSC All-Academic Team both his seasons on campus. This past school year, he also logged nearly 20 hours of community service.

JOEY KNIGHT

Baseball: Former King standout Locke signs pro deal with Angels

Former King pitcher Stephen Locke has signed a professional contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and is already pitching for the organization's rookie league team.

Locke, who just completed his senior season at UF, was drafted in the 22nd round by the Angels. He has reported to the Orem Owls of the Pioneer League. The left-hander won his pro debut on Tuesday after throwing five innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and striking out four in a win over Ogden.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Gaither lineman Trey Gonzalez transfers to Hillsborough

Former Gaither offensive lineman Trey Gonzalez has transferred to Hillsborough, Terriers coach Earl Garcia confirmed.

Gonzalez was the Cowboys' top senior lineman. Last year he played guard and opened holes for current South Carolina running back Jarvis Giles. He came to Gaither last season after starting high school at Sickles.

Hillsborough also recently added former Middleton standout lineman Andre Gunn.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA