Second-half Plant-Armwood updates

This one's essentially in the books. Armwood backup QB Rob Jones, who stepped in when starter Mywan Jackson went down with leg cramps earlier in the third quarter, has just scored on a long TD run to give Armwood a 29-7 lead at the end of three period.

The TD answered Plant's initial score of the game. On a quarterback keeper, Aaron Murray dashed and darted his way down the right side for a 25-yard TD to cut the Panthers' deficit to 22-7. The Hawks had fumbled on consecutive possessions in their territory; Plant capitalized on the second.

Our unofficial tally at this stage has Armwood sacking Murray four times and Winter, widely considered one of Hillsborough County's best receivers ever, with four dropped passes. Murray is keying in on Winter at this stage, and the Hawks seem to know it.

Sights, sounds from Seffner

While doing a brief radio interview the other day involving Plant-Armwood, someone suggested it be held at Raymond James Stadium to accommodate the thousands wishing to attend.

To which I said, humbug. The atmosphere tonight at Flagg Field only reinforces my belief this game is being held right where it should -- in a high school stadium.

The place is overflowing, late arrivals are standing along the chain-link fences, and homemade banners are draped over railings in profusion. Such an ambience would have been lost amid 50,000 empty seats in an antiseptic pro stadium.

Many of Armwood's banners are mocking Plant's mantra of "One Heartbeat." Among them: "You better call a donor. I don't hear a heartbeat." At the south end zone entrance, a sign reads "Two-Ringers This Way" (toward Armwood's bleachers) and "One-Ringers That Way." It's a reference, naturally, to Armwood's two state title rings -- one more than Plant.

The sidelines, meantime, are rife with scouts representing, among other programs, Auburn, Florida and South Florida. Bucs receiver Joey Galloway is here, as is ex-Hawks standouts Torrey Davis (now at Florida) and Mike Pearson (now with Toronto of the CFL).

Pearson's son, incidentally, is celebrating his seven-month birthday today.

Hawks rolling at the half

If you're among those truly interested in tonight's epic Plant-Armwood region title showdown, you're probably at the game, watching it live on Catch 47 or listening to it on the radio.

But if you're a blog-aholic seeking the perspective of someone at sideline level, here's a condensed first-half assessment:

When Plant's not shooting itself in the foot, Armwood's menacing defense is punching the Panthers in the proverbial smacker.

Thanks to a pair of Mywan Jackson touchdown runs, two Wes Skiffington field goals, a safety and two costly Plant turnovers, Armwood has taken a 22-0 lead with a couple of minutes to play in the first half. To this point Plant, averaging 468 yards a game, has 48.

But that's only the statistical layout.

Panthers quarterback Aaron Murray is 2-for-9 for 36 yards at this point and getting harassed by Armwood's simple four-man front much like he did in the teams' season-opening meeting.

Perhaps the tone-setting play of the game occurred on the third play, when Hawks linebacker Chris Green nailed 1,600-yard receiver Derek Winter on a short pass across the middle, popping the ball loose for an incompletion.

Winter has caught both of Murray's completions, but the Panthers senior hasn't been able to hold on to a pair of across-the-middle throws that were mildly off-target. Hearing footsteps, perhaps?

Jackson, by contrast, is well on his way to atoning for his Week 1 suspension from this game, reeling off TD runs of 42 and 38 yards on quarterback draws.

 

Jay Feely is taking his best man in an upset

So, on my way to the Tampa Catholic game tonight, I ran into Dolphins kicker Jay Feely. I figured he'd have a rooting interest in tonight's Crusaders game, given the fact that he starred at arch-rival Jesuit in high school.

But Feely was more interested in the Plant-Armwood game. Turns out, he and Panthers coach Bob Weiner are close friends. In fact, Weiner was the best man in Feely's wedding. Their relationship goes back to Weiner's days as an assistant coach at Jesuit, where he helped with the offense and special teams.

Feely, of course, went on to kick at Michigan, then broke into the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. Weiner, meanwhile, made a stop at Crystal River, then landed at Plant, where he led the Panthers to the state title last season.

I told Feely I expected Armwood to win.

"Don't count (Plant) out," he said.

For the record, Feely is predicting a 24-20 Panthers win. The Dolphins, by the way, look to snap their 0-11 start against the Jets Sunday. A Panthers upset and a Dolphins win? It's a little far-fetched, but it sure would make a good weekend for Jesuit alums.

--DAVID MURPHY, Times Staff Writer

dmurphy@sptimes.com

Latest Plant-Armwood ticket update

It's appearing likely tonight's Plant-Armwood playoff game in Seffner won't sell out in advance.

Plant athletic director Laura Figueredo said as of 11 this morning, around 600 or so tickets remained on sale at her school. The tickets, $7 each, remain available to Plant students during their lunch period, and to the public on the driver's education range in the school parking lot from 1-2:30 p.m.

Armwood athletic director Don Hill couldn't immediately be reached this morning, but said Thursday afternoon his school had roughly 1,000 tickets remaining. Tickets at Armwood also are on sale to students during lunchtime, and to the public in the main office from 1-3 p.m.

The game kicks off at Armwood's Lyle Flagg Field at 7:30 p.m.

Hoop scoop: Chamberlain clips Middleton in thriller

Think Chamberlain senior guard Mike Plummer is quick?

He's also clutch.

The 5-foot-9 guard drained a free throw with one second left to beat district foe Middleton, 48-47 in a thriller at Chamberlain Thursday night. The Tigers (3-1) missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer with four seconds left; Plummer grabbed the rebound and raced the length of the court before getting fouled on a missed layup.

The game was a rematch of last year's district title game, when the Tigers upset the then-defending state runner up Chiefs 60-48. Middleton, led by senior guards Corey Thomas (14 points) and Khiry Anfield, had the Tigers off to a strong start, with wins over Land O'Lakes and Tampa Prep.

But Chamberlain (2-1), which boasts another one of the county's best backcourts with Dontavis Adkins and Plummer, showed why this could be one of the toughest districts.

For the full Chamberlain-Middleton game story, check Friday at www.highschool.tampabay.com

Want another clutch free throw? How about King's Antoine Gardner, hit a game-winning FT with 1.1 second left to lift the Lions past Freedom 45-44.

*In a matchup of two of the Times Top Eight, Berkeley Prep went on the road and beat Oldsmar Christian, 60-49 thanks to a strong team defensive effort; no Buc scored in double-figures, but they shut down one of Pinellas County's top scorers, Chris Perez to nine points (around 20 below his typical night).

*Brandon pulled away and beat Bloomingdale 68-60 thanks to 20 points by Marcus Morrison. The Eagles outscored by 10 points in the third quarter.

Brandon travels to play Wharton (1-4) on Monday; the Wildcats, having to replace four starters from last season, are still trying to find their groove.

YOUR TAKE: What's been the biggest surprise in boys basketball so far?

--- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Times photo of Dontavis Adkins

Armwood-Plant predictions

We asked some of the county's football coaches to take a stab at predicting the winner of Friday's highly anticipated Armwood-Plant game. Here are their selections:

Robinson coach Mike DePue: Armwood 24-21. "If Armwood keeps Plant off the field, they can win. But if their offense can't stay on the field for sustained drives, Plant wins."

Tampa Bay Tech coach C.C. Culpepper: Plant 28-17. "What I saw Plant do against Northeast in the passing game, I think they'll be able to do against Armwood,"

Blake coach Sean Washington: Armwood 28-27. "Plant has improved since the first game. It's hard to beat teams twice, but I'm going to go with Armwood because they're playing at home."

Durant coach Mike Gottman: Armwood 35-31: "Armwood played them early on and played very well defensively. Armwood's defense has always been extremely tough to handle and Plant found that out."

King coach Earl Garcia III: Armwood 27-19: "Armwood is too fast and too physical."

Gaither coach Mark Kantor: Armwood 27-24. "It's a tale of two different teams. One is going to run. One is going to sit back and throw with five wideouts."

Newsome coach Kenneth Hiscock: Armwood 28-23. "Armwood has a lot of athletes. They've got all aspects of the game."

Hillsborough coach Earl Garcia Jr.: Armwood 21-20. "It's an absolute toss up. I'm picking Armwood only because it's at their place."

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Who was hurtin' more in Week 1?

Twenty-seven or so hours remain before kickoff of Friday's four area prep football playoff games, which is more than ample time to ponder this morsel from the ballyhooed Plant-Armwood rematch:

Which team was more hamstrung in Week 1? Conventional wisdom says it was the Hawks, who formally announced the suspension of eight players -- including its starting quarterback and the two kids who now start at corner -- hours before that 26-7 Armwood triumph.

But here's Panthers coach Bob Weiner's counterpoint:  "Everybody wanted to keep talking about all the guys that Armwood didn't have in the first game. Well, we didn't have some major guys in our component either."

Indeed, the Panthers (11-1) were missing linebacker and senior captain Chris Breit (54 tackles, four sacks) to a stress fracture in his back, and speedster James Harrell III (31.5 yards per kick return) to a fractured ankle, and lost tailback Lovell Jackson (290 rushing, 493 receiving yards) to an ankle injury in the second quarter, when Plant led 7-6.

"You're talking about some significant pieces there," Weiner said, "but make no bones about it. That's football."

That's also a great subject for debate. Give us your input. Who was missing more in Week 1?

More than 1,000 Plant-Armwood tickets left

With the Armwood-Plant region final expected to be one of the best prep football games in county history, there's still a chance they'll be tickets left when ticket gates open at 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Armwood officials say they have about 1,000 of their 3,000 allotment left; they plan on selling to Hawks students at lunchtime Friday and to other Hawks fans at the front office 1-3 p.m. Whatever is left will go on sale ($7) when the gates open in front of Lyle Flagg Field.

Plant officials have between 300-500 left, but are expecting to be sold out of their 2,000 allotment by lunchtime. If not, anyone from the public can purchase tickets in the parking lot in front of Plant's stadium at 1-2:30 pm

Catch 47 will broadcast the game live, as will WDAE 620-AM.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Hillsborough soccer season saved?

The Hillsborough girls soccer team could save their season, after all.

The team, stunned with first-year coach John Matin quit two weeks into the season, could have a replacement in Daniel Garcia, a former Terriers coach who's spent the past six years with the Sickles program.

Hillsborough athletic director Bertha Baker interviewed Garcia Tuesday and said he's just going through the district process. Baker had said earlier this week that if they hadn't found a replacement by weeks end, the team could forfeit the rest of the season.

"If all things go well, we could have him starting by next week," Baker said. "The girls have been real troopers. They've taken everything in stride. They just want to play soccer."

The Terriers host Leto Friday.

Stay tuned for more updates.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Plant creatively prepares for Hawks

So how do you simulate speedy defensive ends like Armwood's Ryne Giddins and Sergio Joyner?

You can't.

At least Plant has tried to this week in practice. At the suggestion of Panthers assistant coach Chris James, the Panthers had their scout team ends line up a half-yard offsides at a recent practice to give the offensive line a good test for Friday's showdown in the region final.

"If we had a guy like Ryne Giddins on our scout team, we'd be pretty darn good," Weiner said with a chuckle.

As far as trying to mimic Armwood's offense, Plant had to improvise this year. Senior Cornelius Gallon has typically been the scout team quarterback for Armwood week the past two years, with his speed simulating the Hawks option attack. With Gallon out with a torn ACL, James was Johnny on the spot.

"Coach James can still play," Weiner said. "There's no doubt about it."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

TC tailback could play this week

The news from the MRI Tampa Catholic senior tailback Drew Zink had this week is good. There’s no significant damage.

Now, the question is this: Will he play Friday night at Miami Archbishop Carroll?

“We don’t know yet,” Crusaders coach Bob Henriquez said Tuesday. “He’s questionable.”

That makes Henriquez hopeful. TC could use Zink’s services.

“He runs with reckless abandon,” Henriquez said.

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Zink, who has 176 carries for 951 yards and five touchdowns, has been diagnosed with a knee sprain and is getting therapy on the injured area. Zink was hurt late in the third quarter last week against Clewiston after getting hit by an opposing player’s helmet at the end of a long run.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

The big 6-0-0

Yeah, I know, it's still football season. But Lakewood boys basketball coach Dan Wright picked up his 600th win Tuesday night, and you can check out the video right here.

Column right here.

Next up: Freddie Dyles, longtime Gibbs coach who sits atop the all-time Tampa Bay wins list with 674.

(P.S. Randy Shuman, Bogie coach, picked up his 400th win over the weekend.)

TC's odomoter: 1,200 miles and counting

If Tampa Catholic ultimately wins a state title, the Crusaders might consider having an extra championship ring made for their bus driver.

Of the five local football teams still alive in the playoffs, none have more literal mileage on them than the 10-2 Crusaders, who have traveled 1,178 total miles round-trip -- give or take a few detours or missed exits -- for their five longest road trips this season.

The longest excursion so far: last week's 340-mile excursion to and from Clewiston, whom the Crusaders defeated 33-0 in the Class 2A region finals. This week's trip to Homestead -- around 550 miles round-trip -- for a state semifinal game against Miami Archbishop Carroll will exceed that.

"We're used to this, and in fact, the guys kind of thrive on it," Crusaders coach Bob Henriquez said on Tuesday's edition of "Prepcast," now available for downloading at tampabay.com.

"They enjoy the opportunity to get on the bus and enjoy each other's camaraderie and all the stuff that goes along with traveling."

Caparaso applies for Bloomingdale job

Brandon defensive coordinator Dale Caparaso said he has applied for the open Bloomingdale head coaching job.

Caparaso, a former Pasco High coach, helped sparked the Eagles turnaround this season, going from 3-7 to 7-4 as Brandon advanced to the region quarterfinals before losing to three-time defending state champ Lakeland.

Bloomingdale, which has not had a winning season in two decades of football, is trying to replace Corey Brinson, who resigned after the Bulls season finale.

"I think the program has a lot of potential," Caparaso said. "A lot of their other programs are successful. It's a matter of someone going there and getting those kids to believe."

Another candidate is Bulls assistant Brian Surcy, a Bloomingdale grad and former USF standout. Bloomingdale AD Danielle Shotwell has said she expects to have a coach hired around the New Year.

Brandon coach John Lima hired Caparaso before this past season, just five months after Caparaso left Pasco in the wake of his second straight losing season and  unrest among the fan base. Caparaso said he loves the situation at Brandon, but has always wanted to get back into a head coaching spot. He applied for the Gibbs and King openings prior to landing in Brandon.

Prior to Pasco, Caparaso won four state titles in 12 seasons at Bellingham (Mass.) High.

"It's something I hope will happen," Caparaso said of the Bloomingdale job. "But if it doesn't turn out, I'd look forward to going back to Brandon."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Times photo of Brandon defensive coordinator Dale Caparaso.

Freedom's Blackwell receives letter of reprimand

Freedom first-year football coach Marquel Blackwell has been issued a letter of reprimand from the school district for his role in a verbal confrontation with another male teacher, Mark Lennox, nearly two months ago.

School district spokesperson Linda Cobbe said there's been no other discipline for Blackwell, a former USF star quarterback who's now an in-school suspension teacher. The county's Office of Professional Standards investigated the incident, which Cobbe has said had students witnessing both Blackwell and Lennox using profanities in an argument.

Cobbe received a letter of direction, less severe than a reprimand, because he was "reacting" when Blackwell entered his classroom.

Cobbe said Blackwell has a 10-day time period to respond to the letter. Blackwell could not be reached for comment.

The Patriots went 1-9 in Blackwell's first season, but lost their last two games by a combined five points.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Sickles Foster signs with FIU

Sickles senior swimmer Carrie Foster has signed with Florida International. The senior battled mononucelosis for much of the season, but managed to make it to regionals in the 100 butterfly and backstroke.

"They want her to swim everywhere," Sickles coach Scott Parlett said.

Sickles senior Veronica Case will make an official visit to the University of North Carolina, her home state, this weekend.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Jefferson's Fenton: TV report is "completely false"

Jefferson football coach Mike Fenton is "outraged" over what he calls a "completely false" report by Channel 8 Monday alleging he pushed junior guard Christopher Platts to the ground at practice last week.

"The story they got isn't even close to being true," Fenton said Monday night. "That's defamation of character and the whole nine yards. They totally got the wrong person and didn't even give me a phone call. They didn't call me. They didn't call our (athletic director).

"That's just really bad journalism."

John Strang, Channel 8 assignment editor, declined to comment, other than saying the station plans to run a clarification at the 11 p.m. show.

Fenton said the letter the school received from Platts' mother, Zynness Platts, actually alleges that assistant coach Spencer Van Meter - not Fenton - "pushed my son Christopher to the ground and then grabbed him by shoulder pads and threw him to the locker."

Fenton said coaches had to escort Platts off the practice field after the guard began using profanity towards them after being corrected in a drill; then in the lockeroom, Fenton said he  was pushed and threatened by Platts, whom Fenton said was restrained - not pushed - by Van Meter.

"I never pushed him at all," Fenton said. "Once we were in the lockerroom, I never touched him."

Jefferson athletic director Bob Morgan said the school has been investigating the player's complaint, but said it's been "unfounded so far."

Platts couldn't be reached for comment.

"From what we've gathered so far, that didn't happen," Morgan said. "We're still trying to get to the bottom of it."

The Dragons (5-7) wrapped up their season last Friday in a 40-14 loss to Plant in the region semifinals.

The school is still investigating the alleged incident, but the school district hasn't become involved at this point, district spokesperson Stephen Hegarty said.

"My phone has been ringing off the hook," Fenton said. "I've got an 80-year-old mother beside herself coming out of her skin. They don't understand the reprocussions this stuff causes."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Gulf coach's fate in hands of district

A decision on what, if any, disciplinary action to take against Gulf High baseball coach Shaun Wiemer won’t be reached until after his arrest has been investigated by the school district’s employee relations department. Wiemer, 38, was arrested on charges of burglary with battery and simple battery after authorities say he got into a fight over a taxi while trying to leave a Holiday bar about 2 a.m. Thursday.

“It’s kind of a wait and see,” Bucs athletic director Paul Girardi said.

Terry Rhum, the school district’s director of employee relations, said his office is in the initial stages of its investigation. Once it has completed the inquiry, it will submit a report to the superintendent’s office, which will then decide if disciplinary action is warranted.

Jim Davis, assistant superintendent for high schools, said situations like Wiemer’s are handled on a case-by-case basis.

“In each case, it’s different,” said Davis, who added that a person’s previous history plays a part.
Wiemer has no prior convictions in the state of Florida.

Girardi said the incident was “out of character” for Wiemer, who has been the head coach at Gulf for seven seasons.

According to a Pasco County Sheriff’s report, Wiemer got mad when a taxi pulled up at Danny’s Bar on Grand Boulevard in Holiday and someone else got in. Claiming the taxi was his, Weimer reached in, pulled out a passenger and began to “slam his head into the car,” the report said. He then punched another person who tried to stop the fight, the report said. Wiemer claimed the other men “sucker punched” him and started the fight.

According to Girardi, Wiemer was in school Monday. A phone message left at his house was not immediately returned.

--DAVID MURPHY, Times Staff Writer

dmurphy@sptimes.com

Former Alonso coach, Storm assistant named coach of Team Michigan

Here's a blast from the past:

John Fontes, who coached at Alonso for one season and also had a stint as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Storm, has been named the head coach of Team Michigan, which will begin play in the All-American Football League in the spring. Fontes, the younger brother of former Lions coach Wayne Fontes, coached the Ravens in 2001 before moving on to become an assistant coach at the University of Central Florida.

The AAFL is a new six-team professional league with a unique concept: players must have received a college degree in order to participate. The league is expected to feature players who were stars in college but never caught on in the NFL, including former Florida quarterback Chris Leak and former Florida wide receiver Travis McGriff.

Former Michigan State star Charles Rogers and former Michigan quarterback Drew Henson are among those expected to try out for a spot on Team Michigan.

Plant-Armwood tickets on sale Wednesday

Armwood athletic director Don Hill announced this morning pre-sale tickets for the Hawks' Class 4A region title game Friday night against Plant will go on sale at both schools starting Wednesday.

Admission is $7. Kickoff for the contest, being hyped as one of the biggest games ever played in Hillsborough County, is at 7:30 p.m. Catch 47 will broadcast the game live, as will WDAE 620-AM.

Plant and Armwood students may purchase tickets during lunch at their respective schools Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Non-students may purchase them Wednesday through Friday at Plant on the school's driver's education range from 1-2:30 p.m., and in the main office from 3-4 p.m. At Armwood, tickets for non-students will be available in the main office Wednesday through Friday from 1-3 p.m.

Tickets are limited to 20 per person. Hill said he wasn't immediately certain how many tickets would be available, but did say 60 percent of the ticket allotment would go to the Hawks.

TC's top rusher "doubtful" for state semifinal

Tampa Catholic senior tailback Drew Zink. the team's leading rusher, is "doubtful" for Friday's 2A state semifinal at Archbishop Carroll with a sprained right knee he suffered last week, coach Bob Henriquez said.

Zink was hurt late in the third quarter Friday against Clewiston, getting hit by an opposing players helmet at the end of a long run. The 5-foot-10, 185 pound workhorse will undergo an MRI Monday, but Henriquez said the Crusaders will likely have to go without Zink (787 yards).

"He's a quick healer, so we're hopeful," Henriquez said. "But I think that it'd be a stretch to see him out there."

The good thing, Henriquez said, is the Crusaders have depth. Sophomore Henry McCloud (253 yards, 7.3 ypc) filled in admirably for Zink earlier this season, when he was nursing a sprained ankle.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Times photo of Tampa Catholic senior tailback Drew Zink

Shockers at SEBA Basketball Classic

The SEBA Basketball Classic turned out some wild finishes at Tampa Prep - and some surprising upsets.

The biggest ones came Saturday night, when St. Petersburg Catholic beat Wharton by four points in the opener, thanks to 24 points by senior guard Tracy Parks. The Wildcats, having graduated four starters from last year's 28-2 team, are still getting to a groove under first-year coach Comer Copeland - who has the unenviable task of taking over for now USF assistant Tommy Tonelli.

Then there's Sickles, which looked like world-beaters earlier in the week, beating Chamberlain and Wharton on back-to-back nights. But the Gryphons got beat by double-digits by Land O'Lakes Saturday night.

The big winner, though? Middleton. The Tigers, which made a surprising run to the district title last year, won on back-to-back nights at Tampa Prep, including a 65-63 win over Land O'Lakes Friday and a thrilling victory over the host Terps by two points in Saturday's finale.

Terps standout David Waller fouled out with four minutes left, and Tampa Prep missed their last seven free throws, including two with .4 seconds remaining.

"Two nail-biters - great wins," Middleton coach Derek Smith said. "The kids are really starting to build something here."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

H2Oh my God that's cold!

Friday Night Rewind is right here.

Plant's a little sensitive about me wondering aloud a few weeks back about what constitutes running up the score and if it was doing so, but after letting Derek Winter dump a pitcher of colder-than-I-thought water on my head, I'm calling things even. Maybe now the Plant assistant coaches will stop picketing the downtown office.

I'm kidding.
About the picketing part.

And sorry to Largo, who got cut out of The Rewind because of some technical difficulties. Not sure what happened, I'm just the handsome guy in front of the camera stumbling through postgame reports. But I heard something about a lens cap and our camera guy was muttering something about "stupid BetaMax!". No idea what that means.

Murray sets state TD record

Plant junior quarterback Aaron Murray, in his first year starting, broke the state record for touchdown passes with two Friday in the first quarter against Jefferson in the region semifinals. Murray, who entered the game with 47 touchdowns, topped the mark set last year by former Panthers star Robert Marve (48), who led the Panthers to a state championship.

Murray tied the mark with a 54-yard-TD to Derek Winter, then claimed the record as his own with a 17-yard touchdown to Kevin James in the first quarter. Murray finished 12-20 for 289 yards and INT - just his fourth of the season.

Murray's main target was Winter in the 40-14 region semi win, as Winter racked up six catches for 211 yards and 3 TDs.

“I could throw for 80 TDs and 4,000 yards - but if we didn’t win the state title, it wouldn’t be the same,” Murray said before the game. “The goal is to win the whole thing.”

Murray takes potential state record in stride

Plant junior quarterback Aaron Murray, just one touchdown pass away from a state record, has politely shrugged off the stats this week.

The first year starter has tossed 47 touchdowns (only 3 INTs) in leading Plant to a 10-1 record heading into tonight's region semi against Jefferson. His mentor, Robert Marve (Miami) set the record in last year's state title run, throwing 48 in 15 games.

More than likely - win or lose - Murray will grab hold of history tonight. Not that he's planning on making a big deal out of it.

"I could throw for 80 TDs and 4,000 yards - but if we didn't win the state title, it wouldn't matter," Murray said. "The goal is to win the whole thing."

Murray defers credit to teammates, his top targets like Derek Winter, now-injured Cornelius Gallon, tailback Lovell Jackson. Even Kevin James, who's come on for 26 receptions.

Plant coach Bob Weiner said Murray's season has been special, adding that he's never had anyone with such great decision making under center. After all, of Murray's INTs, one was tipped (and he got it back on a fumble), the other was last second toss near end of half. The third, was, probably "his only bad throw all year."

But when comparing Murray to Marve - which has happened quite a bit all year, from opposing players to coaches to even his teammates. Weiner made one point clear.

"Robert was one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever come out of Hillsborough County," Weiner said. "And a main reason was that he led his team to 15-0 and a state championship. That's the standard."

State-record, or not.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Chamberlain's Turner saw it coming

Moments following Chamberlain's 41-17 season-opening win over Gaither, Chiefs assistant Brian Turner went up to Cowboys star tailback Jarvis Giles with some memorable words:

"You're a great player. Don't be down. We'll see you in 11 weeks."

Turner will tell you he's no Nostradamus. But he figured Gaither would bounce back and they could meet again.

The Cowboys will tell you they're a different team. Confidence-wise, of course, they are - considering they've won eight of their last nine.

But the differences Chamberlain may notice more than that when they head into "Death Valley" tonight are personnel ones made by Gaither. Cowboys coach Mark Kantor said there were some changes on the offensive and defensive fronts, following their loss to Plant.

There are more guys playing both ways, they moved TE/DE Justin Lattimore to wide receiver to give them more muscle out there. They put Tony Moore at defensive end, along with Alan Sampson he plays both sides.

Lattimore, who sat out last week's game with a quadricep injury, will be back tonight against Chamberlain, Kantor said.

The bottom line, however - personnel changes or not -- is each team stopping the other's bread and butter. Can Chamberlain contain Jarvis Giles, one of the county's most explosive backs? Can Gaither slow down the Chiefs veer option attack, sparked by junior quarterback Dontae Aycock - who has been one of the county's top players down the stretch.

"They're dangerous with (Aycock)," Kantor said. "He's a game breaker and game-changer, that's for sure."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Tampa Catholic: "Public Enemy No. 1"

Tampa Catholic will be battling more than history when it travels to Clewiston today for a region playoff game.

The Crusaders, knocked out of the playoffs the last two years by Clewiston, will also have to overcome the us-against-the-world mentality of facing teams in the "muck."

"Muck," simply a fancy word for soil, got bigger connotation with Pahokee and Glade Central playing every year for the "Muck Bowl." To Henriquez, though, more than geography, it's the fact the towns really make it one of the tougher home field advantages.

"I don't think Hillsborough County teams have a good record against teams in the muck," Henriquez said. "It's a tough trip - the whole town will show up. We'll be public enemy no. 1 for a week. Every business in town will have a sign up, 'Go Tigers,' "Beat Crusaders.' But we're used to that."

YOUR TAKE: Which bay area team has the best home field advantage?

-- JOE SMITH
joesmith@sptimes.com

Playoff extravaganza!

It's a big day in Hillsborough County. With four playoff games tonight involving county teams, you won't find a better feast of football. To help get everyone in the mood, I'll be posting items right here throughout the day.

But first, here's a look at tonight's lineup and my picks ….

Chamberlain (8-3) at Gaither (8-3), 7:30
When they met in Week 1, the Chiefs won 41-17. Since then, Gaither has shown dramatic improvement and has a legitimate chance to advance. To do so, however, the Cowboys can't rely just on running back Jarvis Giles - they will have to be balanced offensively, which is easier said than done against a physical Chiefs D.

Pick: Chamberlain
Jefferson (5-6) at Plant (10-1), 7:30
Jefferson proved last week it's a lot better than its record. But is it good enough to beat Plant? Maybe. Maybe not. It's not that the Dragons lack talent (they have plenty), it's just that Plant has a little more. And the Panthers have Aaron Murray, who has 47 TD passes, one short of tying the state record.

Pick: Plant
Hillsborough (9-2) at Armwood (11-0), 7:30
You want to see a tough, physical game? This is the one for you. Both of these defenses will hit you hard, that's for sure. Armwood is on a mission to reach the Class 4A final again, but Hillsborough, which it beat 17-0 in the regular season, presents a difficult challenge. The Terriers, however, might not have enough offense to win it.
Pick: Armwood

Tampa Catholic (9-2) at Clewiston (5-6), 7:30
Clewiston ended TC's season last year. And the year before. But now it looks like TC has a good shot to turn the tables. The Crusaders played a difficult regular-season schedule to prepare for a game such as this and that should pay off. Clewiston's offense is average at best, which plays into TC's strength, a defense that has held seven teams to fewer than 10 points.
Pick: TC

Keep checking back in the comments area below ... more items to come.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Cast your votes: The first annual North Suncoast awards

It's still football season in Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, but here on the North Suncoast, we're already looking back on the year that was.

In today's paper, we broke down our candidates for the best of 2007. Check it out, then let us know what you think about the following categories:

Player of the year: Was Byronell Arline's record season enough to land him the honor over Gulf's David Williams, Mitchell's Tate Humphrey and Hudson's Zack Wynn?

Defensive player of the year: Do Nature Coast cornerback Mike Fields' 10 interceptions guarantee him the award?

Game of the year: Z-Hills shoot-out win over Mitchell was the highest scoring of our candidates, but does it have what it take to edge out the other contenders, including a pair of last-second wins by Land O'Lakes and Central's win over Nature Coast?

Most underrated player of the year: We've got plenty of candidates. The question: have you heard of any of them?

Coach of the year: John Benedetto, Mark Nash, Jamie Joyner, Tom McHugh and Chris Taylor all have the resumes. Who's was the best?

Accomplishment of the year: Wiregrass Ranch's first year? Land O'Lakes' 11th straight trip to the playoffs? River Ridge's streak-snapper over Sunlake in the season-opener?

Let us know.

All-county teams

Check out our various all-county fall sports teams, excluding football which will be published in December, live and in vivid color. Agree with our picks? Think we missed the mark on a few? Let us know.

Pinellas
Boys swimming
Girls swimming
Boys cross country
Girls cross country
Volleyball
Boys golf
Girls golf

Hillsborough
Boys swimming
Girls swimming
Boys cross country
Girls cross country
Volleyball
Boys golf
Girls golf

North Suncoast
Boys swimming
Girls swimming
Boys cross country
Girls cross country
Volleyball
Boys golf
Girls golf

Hillsborough LB getting looks, but has work to do

Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Georgia Southern and Iowa State have all shown interest, but thus far Hillsborough linebacker Marc Thomas has yet to receive an official scholarship offer.

The reason?

“He has some to work to do in the class,” Terriers coach Earl Garcia said.

If Thomas gets everything in order, Garcia said he has no doubt the player will have a nice choice of places to play in college. “He’s as good of a football player as we’ve had at Hillsborough,” Garcia said.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Chiefs star banged up

The way the injury felt, Chamberlain senior Justin Bell said, "I thought I broke my leg."

Luckily for the Chiefs, Bell suffered just a deep thigh bruise last Friday against Wharton. However, the injury has kept the two-way standout out of practice the past couple days.

He's jogged and iced. But as coach Billy Turner said, "he can't even do a full squat."

The Chiefs travel to "Death Valley" to face Gaither for a region semifinal Friday night. Chiefs assistant Brian Turner has said his team without Bell can be like "Plant without Aaron Murray," emphasizing Bell's impact on the game. Bell, who makes plays on offense, defense and special teams, is one of the county's most versatile players.

Not to mention toughest, too.

"I'm going to do my best to get back," Bell said. "I definitely don't want to miss this game."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Beef O’ Brady’s Top 25 all-class football poll

Rnk Team (FPV)              Class   w-l lw  pts
1   Miami Northwestern (11)     6A  10-0    1   346
2   Pahokee (3)             2B  11-0    2   335
3   Miami Washington            4A  10-0    3   324
4   Armwood (Seffner)           4A  11-0    4   301
5   Osceola (Kissimmee)     5A  11-0    5   297
6   Madison Co.             2A  10-1    6   271
7   North Miami Beach           6A  11-0    7   264
8   Naples              3A  11-0    8   243
9T  Seabreeze (Daytona Beach)   4A  11-0    9   223
9T  Bolles (Jacksonville)       2A  11-0    10  223
11  Lakeland                5A  10-1    12  194
12  St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Ld.)    5A  10-1    11  185
13  Nease (Ponte Vedra Beach)   4A  10-1    14  178
14  Glades Central (Belle Glade)    3A  10-1    13  177
15  Lincoln (Tallahassee)       4A  10-1    16  168
16  St. Augustine           3A  10-1    17  143
17  Plant (Tampa)           4A  10-1    18  133
18  Columbus (Miami)            6A  11-0    20  116
19  Pace                    4A  10-0    19  111
20  Boone                   6A  11-0    21  89
21  North Marion (Citra)        3A  10-1    22  58
22  Apopka              6A  10-1    23  55
23  Manatee (Bradenton)     5A  10-1    24  36
24  Deerfield Beach         6A  10-1    25  31
25  Cypress Bay             6A  10-1    NR  21
ALSO RECEIVING VOTES
Newberry - 2B, 11-0, 8; Largo - 5A, 11-0, 6; Florida High (Tallahassee) -
2B, 11-0 6; Edgewater (Orlando) - 6A, 9-2, 4; Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens) -
4A, 9-2, 3; South Sumter (Bushnell) - 2B, 9-2, 1; 

Talking playoffs in Hillsborough

Last week, I didn't miss a pick (and yes, I plan to keep pointing that out).

Can I do it again?

Chamberlain (8-3) at Gaither (8-3): When they met in week 1, the Chiefs won easily 41-17. Since then, Gaither has shown dramatic improvement. Even so, I like Chamberlain for the simple fact it has a tough, physical defense. The guess here is that it'll be a tight one. CHS 20-17

Jefferson (5-6) at Plant (10-1): When I picked Jefferson to win last week, I was ripped pretty good by some of our Pinellas County fans. But I had seen the Dragons play four times this fall and it was clear to me this squad had potential. Can the Dragons beat Plant? It would be a nice story if they did, but I just don't see how they're going to slow down Aaron Murray and his strong cast of receivers. PHS 35-22

Hillsborough (9-2) at Armwood (11-0): Hillsborough is one of the few area teams that can give Armwood a game. The Terriers are athletic -- and physical. But the question is, can they score against a ridiculously good Hawks defense? I'm picking Armwood, but I think the Terriers have a very good shot to win if they can score 17 or more points. AHS 16-14

Tampa Catholic (9-2) at Clewiston (5-6): Clewiston ended TC's year in both 2005 and 2006. Both games were close, and this one will be, too. The Crusaders 'D' has proved itself time and again. If the offense shows up, TC moves on. TC 20-18

Okay gang .... let's see your picks

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Hoop it up!

The Times boys basketball video previews are up of our top 8 teams. Check 'em out:
1. Clearwater
2. Lakewood
3. Pinellas Park
4. Ridgewood
5. Calvary Christian
6. Berkeley Prep
7. Chamberlain
8. Oldsmar Christian

Next week: The Times Dandy Dozen Poll for the boys and girls. (Hey, we need something to fill the hole in our hearts left by the end of the Football Fab 50!)

Repeat?

Lots of rematches this week. Column here. So the question is, will it be the same old thing, or does anyone have a chance of reversing that first outcome. With consultation from Las Vegas, a magic 8 ball and a carefully contructed series of rolls and flips with three dice, two pennies and a 1982 Milwaukee Brewers World Series drink coaster, here's how the chances shake out for the teams trying to get revenge:

2:1 -- Dunedin gets revenge on Largo. Packers won first game, but it was OT. Falcons looked good last week.

7:2 -- Gaither gets revenge on Chamberlain. Chiefs won in week 1. That was a loooong time ago. Cowboy defense suspect.

10:1 -- Hillsborough gets revenge on Armwood. Terriers could be best team to lose this week. Should be low-scoring, physical, ugly game. But Hawks might be too deep and too good on defense.

12:1 -- Tampa Catholic gets revenge on Clewiston. This is a playoff rematch, as Clewiston knocked TC out of the playoffs the last three times (2001, 2005, 2006) the Crusaders have been there. Last year was a 10-7 game, the year before 33-28. While Clewiston is only 5-6, they started 0-5 and the combined record of the five teams they lost to was 43-7 (which included a 10-0 team and two 9-1 teams). Four of those five teams are still alive in the playoffs, too. Only LaBelle lost (and to No. 1, 11-0 Naples).

20:1 -- Bradenton Prep gets revenge on Keswick. The Crusaders won 21-0, their lowest output of the season. BP is 6-1 since starting out 0-2, including a playoff upset of Pine Castle. But other than Cambridge, BP hasn't beaten a good team nor one with a winning record all year.

100:1 -- Jefferson gets revenge on Plant. Can't see it. Can't see Plant scoring less than 35, and don't see the Dragons offense being prolific enough to match that, without a strong running attack to keep the Panthers offense off the field.

Who would you put your money on this week?

Newsome's Kyle signs with Clemson

Newsome senior Kelli Kyle will sign with the University of Clemson, Wolves athletic director Paul Lidstrom said.

Kyle finished second in the 100 back (automatic All-American time of 55.81) and third in the 100 fly (57.68) at this year's state meet.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Times photo of Kellie Kyle

Plant City O-lineman on UF’s radar

Plant City's football season ended last Friday, but for Raiders offensive lineman Mark Popek, recruiting season is just getting started. Popek (6-foot-7, 300 pounds) has a scholarship offer from Vanderbilt and is receiving a good look from Florida, Plant City coach Kevin Kelley said Monday.

"I've talked to (Gators coach) Urban Meyer twice," Kelley said. "I don't know if they're going to pull the trigger or not, but they sure seem interested."

Kelley said Popek will attend Saturday's Florida-Florida State game.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Lovell Jackson commits to Wake Forest

Plant senior tailback Lovell Jackson has orally committed to Wake Forest, coach Bob Weiner confirmed Monday.

Jackson, an integral part of last year's state championship team, has come back from nagging hamstring injuries this season to average nine yards per carry. Jackson also has become a big target for junior quarterback Aaron Murray, one of the state's top passers.

Wake Forest has also showed serious interest in Plant receiver Derek Winter, and offered Murray a scholarship.

Jackson was in class and unavailable for immediate comment.

Stay tuned for updates.

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Holy Names swim coaches resign

Academy of the Holy Names swim coach Mara Schultz has resigned, citing a need to spend more time with her family, AHN athletic director Pete Young announced over the weekend.

Schultz has a baby boy, who was born this summer, and she coached the swim team this fall while on maternity leave from her job as Physical Education instructor at AHN. Young said Schultz will remain on the faculty at AHN.

In seven years as Holy Names swim coach, the team won four City Relays titles, two district titles and capturing the region title in 2005. She's coached many collegiate swimmers, including Stephanie DeRito (Florida Atlantic), Kelley Hug (Stanford) and Elizabeth Dowdle (Johns Hopkins)

AHN assistant swim coach Meghan Hinson has also stepped down. She also has a young son and cited the need to spend more time with her family, Young said.

AHN will immediately begin a search to replace the swim coaches. Young said he's also still looking for a volleyball coach to replace Doug Chinchar, who resigned this fall after eight seasons.

Anyone interested in the swimming or volleyball positions at AHN should contact athletic director Pete Young at (813) 786-5731, ext. 320 or pyoung@holynamestpa.org .
--- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Buchholz downs Durant for 6A volleyball title

Durant fought hard. Give them that.

But Gainesville Buchholz was better.

In Saturday's Class 6A state volleyball final at the Lakeland Center, the Bobcats defeated Durant 25-17, 25-16, 25-15. Buchholz, with its powerful offensive attack, had control from the start.

The title is the first for the program.

Durant was trying to win its first championship since 2002.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Class 6A volleyball final live! Durant vs. Buchholz

How big is tonight's Class 6A state volleyball final between Gainesville Buchholz and Durant?

Florida Gator football coach Urban Meyer is here.

Meyer's daughter, Nicki, plays for the Bobcats. He's sitting three seats down from me.

The match gets started at 7 p.m. I'll be blogging live throughout.

Keep track of Durant's attempt to win its first state title since 2002.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Durant volleyball news & notes (including something about that Urban Meyer guy)

With the Class 6A volleyball final between Durant and Gainesville Buchholz at the Lakeland Center set to start in a few hours (7 p.m.), I thought I'd give you a few things to chew on ...

-Buchholz reserve Nicki Meyer has a famous father -- Florida Gators football coach Urban Meyer. Because the Gators played earlier in the day, he's expected to attend tonight's match.

-Buchholz coach Jeff Reavis knows Durant coach Dawn Hough well. He coached her when she was in the Junior Olympics back in the late 1990s.

-Durant last won the championship in 2002.

-Buchholz has never won a state title.

-Even though the Bobcats beat Durant pretty handily earlier this season, Cougars outside hitter Stephanie Eukovich thinks her team will win tonight, and do so by "by staying positive," she says.

-At one point this fall, Durant lost four of five matches. The Cougars turned it around by playing more as a team. "This," Hough said, "is the team I thought we could be all along."

-Wanna know how Durant stopped Jupiter in the semis? It's simple ... It did a better job of keeping the ball in play. "They made less mistakes than we did," Jupiter coach Blane Betz said.

That's it for now .... Live blogging from the match will begin in about two hours.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Friday Night Rewind

Well, I guess everyone else was right. A so-so Hillsborough County team with a losing record (Jefferson) beats a good Pinellas County with a district championship (Bogie) every time.

Friday Night Rewind is right here. Check it out.

Video highlights of Darius Bellamy laying the wood, Jarvis Giles running wild and a look back at Mismatch Friday.

Reviewing the Week 1 football picks for Hillsborough County

A look at my Hillsborough County playoff picks ... and how I did

Sickles (7-3) at Gaither (7-3): The pick -- GHS 22-10; The final -- GHS 37-3 

Wharton (5-5) at Chamberlain (7-3): The pick -- CHS 17-7; The final -- CHS 26-25

Lakeland (9-1) at Brandon (7-3): The pick -- LHS 27-17; The final -- LHS 31-17

Plant City (5-5) at Osceola (10-0): The pick -- OHS 23-10; The final -- OHS 34-17

Jefferson (4-6) at Boca Ciega (8-2): The pick -- JHS 27-26; The final --JHS 34-16

Northeast (6-4) at Plant (9-1): The pick -- PHS 38-20; The final -- PHS 49-12

Lake Region (7-3) at Armwood (10-0): The pick -- AHS 20-0; The final -- AHS 27-6

Hillsborough (8-2) at Auburndale (5-5): The pick -- HHS 33-10; The final -- HHS 42-7

Inlet Grove (6-4) at Tampa Catholic (8-2): The pick --TC 17-7; The final -- TC 35-7

Just wondering --- anybody else go perfect this week? (Please let me soak this in: it doesn't haven't often)

I'll have my Week 2 picks in a few days. Enjoy your weekend folks.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Durant volleyball headed to the Class 6A finals

Durant is back.

Back at the final four. Back in the finals.

For the first time since 2002, the Cougars have earned the right to play for the state championship. Durant defeated Jupiter 25-22, 25-22, 23-25, 25-22 in the semis Friday night at the Lakeland Center to advance. About 200 Durant students stood on their feet the entire match and went crazy at the end.

Durant will play Gainesville Buchholz on Saturday at 7 p.m.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Class 6A volleyball semifinals live!

As a Durant player, Dawn Hough led the Cougars to three final fours.

Tonight, she's back in the state semifinals.

But now, Hough is the coach.

At 8 p.m., the Cougars face Jupiter in the second Class 6A state semifinal at the Lakeland Center. The winner will play Gainesville Buchholz in tomorrow's final. The Bobcats just disposed of Miami Killian in three games.

Can Durant pull it out?

Stay tuned. I'll be blogging live throughout the match.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Culpepper earns Bucs Coach of the Year Honors

Tampa Bay Tech football coach C.C. Culpepper, readying his team to board their bus for their bowl game Thursday afternoon, received some big news.

Culpepper was told by the Tampa Bay Bucs that he was their Coach of the Year, and will be invited to the Bucs Nov. 25th game at Raymond James, where the Titans will run out of the tunnel with the pro players before pre-game warmups.

After two winless seasons, the Titans went 6-4 this season. TBT lost its bowl game at Mulberry Thursday night, 7-0, despite four unsuccessful trips to the red zone. But that didn't take away from the news of the night.

"These kids deserve every accolade, because they were the starting blocks of turning things around," Culpepper said. "They're turning it around from 0-20 to 6-4, and we're happy with what we did."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Playoff fever, Rewind style

Ridgewood knocks off preseason No. 1 Clearwater

Luke Loucks is 6-foot-4.

Mike Lawrence is 5-foot-8. . .in heels.

Loucks recently signed a basketball scholarship with Florida State.

Lawrence is hoping to catch on with a Division II school somewhere.

But as Lawrence squared up against Loucks on the left wing with under five seconds remaining Thursday night, all the measurables disappeared. Lawrence shook Loucks off the dribble, jump-stopped on the low block and hit a desperation lay-up while being fouled from behind (and then hit the free throw) with 1.5 seconds remaining to lift Ridgewood to a 70-67 win over a team many have hailed as the Tampa Bay area's best.

Yes, it was a preseason game, but don't tell that to Gary Anders or Jack Coit. The two veteran coaches kept their regulars on the court the entire game, despite the fact that Ridgewood and Clearwater will meet again in three weeks in a televised regular season game. The game featured two technical fouls, plenty of jawing, and plot shifts worthy of primetime television.

Lawrence scored 16 points and was magnificent on defense, holding Loucks to 13 points. Ridgewood junior Alvin Satram scored 22 points, including a 3-pointer with under two minutes remaining that tied the game at 67-67.

With Loucks, who will play next year at Florida State, forward Adam Pegg, who will play at Delaware, and two other players who stand over 6-foot-6, Clearwater enters this season with a legitimate shot at a state championship. But Ridgewood's hopes are just as high. The Rams probably don't have a D-1 player on their roster, but they appear to have the potential to further last year's run to the regional finals.

The win was particularly sweet for Lawrence, who plays for an AAU team in Largo and competes against guys like Loucks and Pegg every summer.

"I've been playing against these guys my entire life," Lawrence said.

--DAVID MURPHY, Times Staff Writer

dmurphy@sptimes.com

Plant volleyball wins second straight state title

Plant High School volleyball coach Leanna Taylor celebrates the teams three game victory over Leon for the Class 5A state championship. [Daniel Wallace | Times]

This time, there was little drama. The Plant volleyball team just wrapped up their second straight state championship, courtesy of a convincing 3-0 win (25-20, 25-19, 25-20) over Tallahassee Leon at the Lakeland Center.

The Panthers won 22 straight to end their season; in the final, fittingly, it was about their depth. Big matches from junior Ariel Ley (10 kills), junior Jordan Dickie, as well as their top two hitters, junior Danielle Erb (11 kills) and sophmore Maddie Martin (11 kills).

It was quite a swan song for the team's lone senior, setter Kellie Catanach (36 assists, 21 digs), who showed why he's headed to Duke by running the show.

But with all the youth coming back, don't be surprised if Plant's back in Lakeland next year, playing for a three-peat.

That's two Hillsborough County state titles (Plant, Bayshore Christian); there's one more team left, with Durant playing in the 6A semis Friday in Lakeland.

Stay tuned to the preps blog then, as Keith Niebuhr will bring you live updates...

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Live from Lakeland: Plant in state title match

We're back in Lakeland, and the Plant volleyball team will be playing for its second straight Class 5A volleyball title.

The Panthers, winners of 21 straight, take on a scrappy Tallahassee Leon team; Leon shocked St. Thomas Aquinas in the semis, and clearly has Plant's attention.

We'll be giving you live updates, analysis and color from the matchup. To follow, click on the comments section below!

--- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

FHSAA investigating Calvary Christian transfer

Calvary Christian senior Valentin Rogatkin, a 6-foot-6, 225 guard from Kazakhstan expected to be one of the Warriors top players, has been ruled temporarily ineligible pending an investigation by the Florida High School Athletic Association, FHSAA assistant commissioner Sonny Hester said Thursday.

Rogatkin was one of five transfers expected to help the Warriors, Class 1A state semifinalists last year, make the jump to 2A in a district with Tampa Prep, Indian Rocks and Bishop McLaughlin. Calvary Christian coach Dave Bintz said Rogatkin moved from Russia last January, enrolled in Tampa Baptist (now Tampa Bay Christian Academy). But after their coach left, he enrolled at Calvary this fall.

Bintz said the FHSAA told him three weeks ago Rogatkin was approved; but after a Times inquiry Thursday, Hester informed Bintz this afternoon of some missing paperwork; Bintz said the question appears to be if Rogatkin has exhausted his eligibility (in Kazakhstan, he said, high school only goes through 11th grade).

"It's frustrating, really frustrating," Bintz said. "We're trying to do things the right way and follow the rules. We were told we were in compliance, and now they say we're not."

Bintz said he feels bad for Rogatkin, who grew up in a one bedroom home in Kazakhstan, supported by a mother who made just $80 a month. A missionary helped him find Tampa Baptist, and Bintz said he never met the kid until he enrolled at Calvary this fall.

The other new faces for the Warriors are 6-foot-4 junior Adam Smith, who moved in from Michigan. And then there's guards A J Williams (Clearwater) and Montana Brown (Bradenton Prep), who each started for their JV program last year. But Rogatkin was the most intriguing one, a player Bintz said was every bit as good as their standout senior forward Christian bibi Ndongo, a player who has received interest from colleges through his AAU experience.

"Everyone thinks that Dave's got this big recruiting budget and can go over Kazakhstan to get players," Bintz said. "I know that's the perception, but that's not the case at all. We do things the right way."

-- JOE SMITH

joesmith@sptimes.com

Bayshore Christian claims Class A volleyball title

With chants of "We're No. 1, we're No. 1" coming from the crowd, Bayshore Christian players accepted their gold medals Thursday afternoon at the Lakeland Center.

Bayshore won the Class A title with a 16-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-20 win over South Daytona Warner Christian.

It ended on a Sami Stokes kill from the left side.

Bayshore, after a slow start, had too much for the Eagles.

The Faith Warriors finish the season with a 28-5 record.

The program earned its fourth championship, but first since 2004. All have come since 1998.

Is this the top small school program in Florida?

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Class A volleyball final set to begin at 2 p.m.

Can Bayshore Christian claim its fourth state volleyball championship?

At 2 p.m., the Faith Warriors hit to court at the Lakeland Center to face South Daytona Warner Christian in the Class A final.

Bayshore Christian is 27-5. Warner Christian comes in at 27-2.

Bayshore's last title came in 2004.

I'll be blogging live throughout the match to keep you posted.

-- KEITH NIEBUHR