Calvary Christian senior Valentin Rogatkin, a 6-foot-6, 225 guard from Kazakhstan expected to be one of the Warriors top players, will argue his case at a hardship hearing with the Florida High School Athletic Association on Jan. 11.
In November, the FHSAA ruled Rogatkin temporarily ineligible pending an investigation by the Florida High School Athletic Association into whether he had already exhausted his eligibility.
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 weeks before the season started that Rogatkin was approved; but after a Times inquiry in mid November, Hester informed Bintz 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 in November. "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.
Tampa Catholic girls basketball coach Nancy Kroll may celebrate this win for a while.
The Crusaders, playing Monday in the championship game of the Craig Keeler Memorial Tournament, overcame a 10-point, third-quarter deficit to upset Spruce Creek, 59-55.
TC (13-3) switched from a 2-3 zone to a 3-2, then rolled on a 19-0 run in the fourth quarter to take control of the game. Spruce Creek was coming off a big win over Sickles, which has been ranked in the top 10 in 6A this season.
"This was a really nice win," Kroll said. "They're a really good team."
TC forward Katelyn Bruns scored a career high 16 points, and Sarah Brennan racked up 19. And it was Annie Dziagwa that started that pivotal fourth quarter run with a big 3-pointer.
Former longtime Hillsborough basketball coach Leroy Long called it an "old coach's dream come true."
The 61-year-old waited his entire lifetime for a potentially nationally-renown high school tournament to come to Tampa.
After watching four days of the inagural Tampa Hoops Classic - which brought some touted teams and players from across the nation to the Sun Dome -- Long is convinced one has arrived.
"I'm tickled to death," he said. "I pray that (the tournament) stays. I know that the Tampa area can support an event like this. It's just a shame that we didn't have more people here."
The attendance - about 200 fans each night - was the only hiccup in the tournament, which ended Saturday night with a thrilling, 99-97 win by Orlando Olympia over Humble (Tex) Christian Life; many in attendance described the atmosphere- and competition - as the best game they've ever seen in the area.
In the tournament, there was the University of Florida's top prospect, American Heritage 6-10 forward Eloy Vargas. There were two of the top sophomores in the nation in Bishop Loughlin (Brooklyn) standouts Doron Lamb and Jayvaughn Pinkston. In the championship game, more than six Division I prospects were on the floor at the same time.
Local players, like Plant's Sheldon Cooley and Ridgewood's Lukas Poderis got to cut their teeth against some of the country's best - Plant went 3-1 to win consolation title, Ridgewood took sixth. It reminded Long of the glory days of the old Hooters Tournament in St. Pete, when Amare Stoudemire graced the courts.
Players and coaches from the out of state teams - from New York to Texas and Ohio -- claimed the Tampa Hoops Classic ranks among the best they've been to around the country.
"I think this tournament is second to none," Bishop Loughlin Khalid Green said."We hope we can come back here again."
Event organizers were pleased with the extremely high level of competition, and hope to bring an even better 16-team field next year. There will be four local teams again (Plant, Wharton, Pinellas Park and Ridgewood were this year), with one of them already committed is Tampa Berkeley Prep.
Champion Orlando Olympia, runner-up Christian Life (Humble, Tex), third-place Bishop Loughlin all said they'd love to be back.
Troy Fowler, a member of the tourney's steering committee, said title sponsors, McDonald's and Regions Bank, gave him positive feedback. Though he said the tournament - which had a $90,000 budget - will operate a small loss ("couple thousand," he said), he said it was a "great success, and good building block toward next year."
Buzzer beaters. Heartbreak. Upsets. There were plenty of each Saturday night as several holiday basketball tournaments came to a close.
There was an exciting end to a successful inaugural Tampa Hoops Classic (more on that in a later blog), which pitted several strong teams - and prospects - from around the nation. The championship game, won by Orlando Olympia (99-97 over Humble (Tex) Christian Life) was the best high school basketball game I've ever seen.
Kudos to the bay area champions, like Tampa Prep, Jesuit and Calvary Christian (boys) and Clearwater and Bloomingdale (girls).
To wrap up the holiday tournament season, we'll break down the emerging stars and top performances (click below)
Berkeley Prep memorable run in the prestigious Kingdom of the Sun basketball tournament in Ocala ended in heartbreaking fashion Saturday night.
The Bucs tied the championship game at 62 when Austin Suarez banked in a 3-pointer with five seconds left. But Powder Springs (Ga.) star Trae Golden (36 points), the tourney MVP, nailed a trey at the buzzer to clinch the title.
Berkeley Prep (11-1) was led by Christian Reintgen (18 points), who was named to the All-Tournament team.
The Bucs, ranked No. 1 in the Times Hillsborough County Super Seven, had beaten Lakeland Kathleen, Eastside and Lakewood in a three-day stretch.
In the third-place game, Michael Morrison scored 18 points to spark Lakewood (13-1) past Ocala Vanguard 62-41. Spartans point guard Reggie Reed finished with 36 assists in the tournament, second-most in tournament history behind former er NBA player Sherman Douglas, who had 48 for Washington (D.C.) Spingran in 1984.
-- JOE SMITH and Times correspondent Richard Burton
The Brandon wrestling team is a week away from putting its national-record 456 consecutive dual match wins on the line in the Jim Graves "Beat the Streak" Duals (Jan 4-5 at Brandon); but this weekend in Alabama, the Eagles put on an impressive showing against a strong field in winning the Heart of Dixie Classic in Alabama.
Sparked by five individual champions, the Eagles (895 points) had a convincing win over Alabama power Vestavia Hills (836) and Mount Anthony Union in Vermont (651), winners of a national-record 19 consecutive team state wrestling championships.
The individual champs were Eric Grajales (130 pounds), who won his 200th match Friday, Kevin Timothy (135), Wally Figaro (145), Joey Cozart (140) and Phil Uno (215). Nick Hutchinson (125), Mike Ettore (152), Zaq Berridge (160) and heavyweight Aaron Fullenwider had second-place finishes.
"We had some good battles," Brandon coach Russ Cozart said. "There were a lot of good individual wrestlers there."
The Jim Graves Duals, next week in Brandon, will boast some state powers like Bradenton Manatee and South Dade, along with county teams like Durant and bay area teams like Springstead.
Plant junior guard Sheldon Cooley has made the most of the past four days at the inaugural Tampa Hoops Classic, which has featured some of the nation's top teams - and players.
Cooley saved his best for last Saturday, scoring 19 of his game-high 29 points in the first half of the Panthers 53-45 win over Jacksonville Robert E. Lee in the tournament's consolation bracket championship Jefferson High. Lee, which returned five starters from last year's 5A state semifinalist team, were slowed by what Plant coach Mike Phillips called, "one of the best defensive performances we've ever had."
The Panthers went 3-1 in the tourney, with their only loss to Brooklyn Catholic school power Bishop Loughlin, which just won the third place game.
"We're starting to click," Phillips said.
What a difference a week makes; last weekend, the Panthers suffered a quadruple overtime loss to Chamblerain at the City Hoops Championships, then followed up with a sluggish win over Hillsborough. Going into this prestigious tourney, "I was scared to death," Phillips said.
But Plant answered the call, as did Cooley. The 6-foot-2 playmaking guard, who held his own with Nevada-bound junior guard Luke Babbitt in Thursday's big win, has been one of the more impressive players in the star-studded tournament.
"Sheldon really elevated his game," Phillips said. "He showed he fits among the best."
Earlier in the day, Ridgewood lost 76-60 to American Heritage and Florida bound star Eloy Vargas and Kenny Boynton (35 points) in the tourney's fifth-place game. The Rams went 2-2 in the tourney; Pinellas Park outlasted Wharton 41-37 in overtime, holding the Wildcats scoreless in the final four minutes to seal the deal.
The Brandon boys basketball team, one of the county's best, was without one of its biggest pieces Saturday in the Great Florida Shootout in Kissimmee.
Eagles star forward Evan Ravenel, a Boston College commitment, sat out the first of a two-game suspension handed down by coach Mark Hermann. Ravenel said he earned a technical foul after Friday's win over Harmony High for making a comment toward an official.
Hermann said the officials will send their report to the FHSAA, and he said they are awaiting their ruling.
"We'll just wait to hear," Hermann said.
The Eagles (9-3) went 1-2 in the strong holiday showcase, losing to P.K. Yonge and, on Saturday, to Tates Creek (Lexington, Kentucky) on a last second 3-point play. Brandon plays next Feb. 9 vs Freedom.
Stay tuned later for updates on how local teams did in their holiday tournament championships -- including Berkeley Prep in the Kingdom of the Sun and Middleton in the Gulf Coast Tourney.
Hillsborough girls basketball coach Chris Brazzle has been replaced midseason by former Terriers coach Yolanda Whitehead after Brazzle said he had philisophical differences with the administration.
The Terriers (11-4) play Saturday at 5 p.m. in the Craig Keeler Memorial Tournament.
Brazzle, who was in his third season as head coach and fifth overall with the program, said administration felt he was too aggressive with the players, yelling too much. Frustrated he didn't get enough support from Hillsborough - which he calls "a football and baseball school," he said he was "through with it."
"It was hard to leave," Brazzle said. "I took so much time to build that program, it's sad it had to come to this. I feel bad for the girls - I hope they're successful and continue to build on what we started."
Brazzle said a couple players wanted to quit, but he told them to stick it out and "finish the season."
"I told them, 'Don't quit because of me,' Brazzle said. "They love the game. Sometimes, things just happen."
First-year Tampa Bay Christian athletic director Chad Goebert has had a roller-coaster rookie year.
Goebert, 25, had to oversee his football program drop from 11-man to 6-man this fall. He had to hire 10 coaches.
And now, he will have to hire another.
Goebert said that boys basketball coach Justin Dargahi has been dismissed after a misunderstanding regarding alleged recruiting violations; Goebert said Dargahi made a joke regarding wanting players from another school, and word got back to Goebert. Goebert said the school came clean with the FHSAA, who told him there would be no other punishment if the school took care of things on their own.
"It was an unfortunate joke," Goebert said. "But the FHSAA doesn't have a sense of humor when it comes to serious situations like recruiting. I definitely didn't play to have to (replace a coach) right now."
Goebert said he will take over for the remainder of the season; the Rams are 4-4.
The Bucs basketball team is on one of their best regular season rolls in recent memory, racking up three straight wins against strong teams at the prestigious Kingdom of the Sun Tournament in Ocala.
First were wins over Lakeland Kathleen and Gainesville Eastside. Friday’s victim? Perennial Pinellas County power Lakewood, Class 5A finalists last year. The Bucs (10-0) won 78-64 after going down 10-2 to start the game.
“It’s very rare you play three games of this caliber in a three day period,” Bucs coach Bobby Reinhart said. “I don’t know if we’ve ever played three teams of this caliber in three consecutive days – much less win them.”
As usual, Berkeley won with its team defense – and depth. It wasn’t Zak Kazanski (12 points, 5 rebounds) or Johnathan Gray (17 points) who carried the Bucs Friday. Rather, it was Christian Reintgen, who had some big baskets inside to curb the Spartans early run. The 6-2 junior finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds; that's 13 more points than his average.
"He was just awesome," Reinhart said.
Berkeley, ranked No. 1 in the Times Hillsborough Super Seven, beat Lakewood by 14 to aadvance to the tournament final Saturday against McEachern (Power Springs, Georgia) at 7:30; the past three days, the Bucs have won by no less than nine points.
“Our balance has really carried us,” Reinhart said. “And, all in all, it’s been our defense. Every night we play teams with one or multiple Division I players and we’ve done a very good job of containing them.”
Hillsborough senior defensive lineman Moses McCray may be mum on the strength of his Florida State commitment, but his mother, Vanessa, effectively ended any speculation about her son's college choice Friday afternoon.
"FSU is a done deal," she told the Times Friday.
McCray had told the Times last month his commitment to Florida State was a "soft verbal" and he was "exploring my options" with Louisiana State and Miami. McCray declined to comment on his commitment Friday, only saying he could receive a home visit from LSU coaches this month. McCray had visited LSU this fall, saying it "felt like home."
But it won't be his college home.
"He won't be going to LSU," Vanessa McCray said. "LSU can give up. They're still trying - they've been trying since he took that visit. But that's all it was - a visit."
Vanessa McCray said neither the recent agreement that Jimbo Fisher will eventually take over for longtime coach Bobby Bowden, nor the academic scandal that hit the Seminoles athletic department - and football program - had an impact on her son's decision.
"I saw a few clips of it on the news," McCray said of the self reported academic violations. "But I didn't put too much thought into it."
Armwood senior tackle Matt Patchan, one of the nation's top lineman prospects, will have to miss the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January in Texas due to mononucleosis, coach Sean Callahan said.
Callahan said Patchan will announce his college decision Jan. 5 in a news conference at a New Tampa Hotel. Patchan previously had narrowed his choices to Miami, Florida and LSU. Patchan was recently named first team All USA by USA Today.
Wondering what’s up with Riverview running back Jahleel Addae?
So were we, which is why I called Addae, a West Virginia commit, this morning to ask about his status. Addae pledged to the Mountaineers several months back, but head coach Rich Rodriguez left for Michigan two weeks ago and West Virginia still hasn’t named his replacement.
“There’s nothing new,” Addae said. “I’m just relaxing, taking it easy.”
Addae politely declined to comment further, but said he might have some answers about his future as early as next week. The senior rushed for more than 1,400 yards this fall. Some, however, expect him to play wide receiver in college.
Back in June, the recruiting website Rivals.com produced its list of the state’s top 100 senior football players. These are the Hillsborough County players to make it, along with their ranking:
6. Matt Patchan, Armwood, OL
27. Eric Smith, Armwood, RB
29. Moses McCray, Hillsborough, DL
93. Jahleel Addae, Riverview, RB
98. Fred Sykes, Chamberlain, WR
After watching about two dozen games this fall and talking to various coaches, here’s how I’d rank the county’s top seniors:
1. Matt Patchan, Armwood, OL: Some people think he’s overrated. Some people think he’s doesn’t always play smart. Here’s what I think: Patchan is far and away our most talented prospect. In fact, he’s so quick and agile, he could probably play defensive end in college.
2. Max Holloway, Jefferson, DE: I’m not sure anybody in the county played as hard as this guy. Holloway is headed to Boston College, and I have little doubt he will be a terror in the ACC within two to three seasons.
3. Derek Winter, Plant, WR: Winter struggled in his final game, a loss to Armwood, but I’d rather judge him by his entire body of work. In short, he was sensational, and I definitely think he will succeed at the next level. During the season, Holloway told me that BC’s coaches had questions about Winter’s speed. He thought that was absurd. So do I.
4. Eric Smith, Armwood, RB: I first saw Smith play as a sophomore. In a loss to Hillsborough, he looked pretty average. Man has he improved. Smith isn’t the fastest player around, but he has tremendous vision and is remarkably shifty. Right now, he’s down to Auburn, Bama and Clemson.
5. Jahleel Addae, Riverview, RB: A West Virginia commit who’s now somewhat in limbo because of the coaching change up there, Addae is highly underrated in my opinion. He’s fast, he’s tough, he plays hard every down and he’s emotional. He could play either TB or WR in college.
6. Moses McCray, Hillsborough, DL: Some area coaches weren’t too impressed with McCray this fall, but I know one who was -- the guy he played for. McCray, who is committed to Florida State, has all the tools to be a solid player in Tallahassee.
7. Marc Thomas, Hillsborough, LB: He’s not particularly big (6-0, 205), but has the speed and on-field smarts to make up for it. Thomas probably won’t end up at a big-name program, but the feeling here is that he’ll be an early starter wherever he lands.
8. Mark Popek, Plant City, OL: The fact Vandy has offered him a scholarship means two things: 1. The kid is smart. 2. The Commodores believe he has SEC ability. Word is, they think he could play right away.
9. Carlton Jones, Middleton, RB: Jones has the size and speed to be a better-than-average college tailback. His coach says Florida is interested, and that says a lot. At least one MAC school (Toledo) also is in the picture. With his athletic ability, Jones could do real damage in that league.
10. Justin Bell, Chamberlain, DB: I don’t know Bell’s 40 time or bench press, but I do know this: He has a knack for making plays -- especially on special teams, where he blocked eight kicks this fall. He’s also not a bad cornerback for what it’s worth.
Okay, tell me what I got right … and what I got wrong. I’m fair game, but out of respect for the players, let’s try to keep any chatter about them as friendly as possible. Also, I want to see YOUR top 10 list.
1. Awards. 2. A rap video by Infinite Skillz, starring the likes of Jeff Brinson, Gorby Loreus, Justin Bell, Ja-Vonta Trotter, Max Holloway. 3. Joey Knight raps. Oh, you heard me.
I'm not saying there's not other newspapers in the country that go out this strong at the end of the season....oh, screw it, that's EXACTLY what I'm saying.
Check it out and check back in with a comment. Maybe we'll even get renewed for another season!
Former Hillsborough baseball star Michael Burgess grew up in the same part of Sulfur Springs as ex-Rays outfielder Elijah Dukes and the two are longtime friends. So when Dukes asked Burgess, now a minor leaguer with the Washington Nationals organization, to help out with a holiday gift give-away, he was glad to say “yes.”
“I don’t mind doing stuff for kids,” Burgess said.
The gathering took place Sunday at Tampa’s Macfarlane Park. Burgess and Dukes gave out about 300 gifts – everything from toys to television sets.
“I’m enjoying myself,” the low-key Burgess said via telephone from the event. “Elijah’s doing this, but I chipped in to help buy some toys. Everybody is helping out. The place is packed. There are a lot of kids here.”
Burgess said he hopes to do this sort of thing every year.
If the 2007 Hillsborough grad keeps playing the way he has, he should have the money to do it. Burgess, 19, batted .318 in the minors this year with stints in both the Gulf Coast and New York-Penn leagues. The power-hitting outfielder had 11 homers and 42 RBIs.
Burgess was the 49th overall pick in the Major League Baseball amateur draft.
Jefferson star Max Holloway committed to Boston College three months ago, but left the door open to the possibility of him attending another school -- Florida. "If Florida offers, that's where I'm going to go," Holloway told the Times in October. "Florida has always been my dream school."
His stance apparently has changed.
Holloway told EagleAction.com over the weekend that's he's definitely headed to Boston. Not only that, but he plans to enroll in January.
"I committed to Boston College and I was still open to Florida and no one else," Holloway said in an interview with the publication. "They were real interested in me and then another person committed and they were like, 'The only way I can get a scholarship is if someone doesn't sign with them.' I'm not going to wait for that. I'm happy at BC. I'm not even thinking about Florida now. BC is where I'm going for sure. That's where I want to be."
Tampa Prep forward David Waller picked the right time to have a very good night. With University of Chicago head coach Mike McGrath in the stands, the 6-foot-6 forward scored 23 points in Tampa Prep’s 52-51 win Saturday in the finals of the City of Tampa Championship.
“He talked to my parents after the game,” Waller said. “He wanted me to apply and he seemed interested.”
Waller, a senior, is averaging 18.6 points a game.
He says he’s getting looked at by Columbia, Harvard and Penn, among others.
“For me, it’s mostly about academics,” Waller said. “I’d probably have (scholarship offers) from a whole bunch of schools, but their academics aren’t up to my standards.”
Waller was pleased with his performance Saturday. And it meant even more knowing a college coach was there to see it.
“My coach always emphasizes that you never know who’s watching,” Waller said.
Waller could play either small forward or shooting guard in college.
“He has new people contacting him weekly because he’s such an intriguing athlete,” Terrapins coach Joe Fenlon said. “He can play both inside and outside. And academically, he can qualify to go virtually anywhere.”
Beef O'Brady's State Girls Basketball Poll PALM COAST —The following is the Florida Sports Writers Association’s state high school girl's basketball poll, sponsored by Beef O’Brady’s. Records and first-place votes are in parentheses.
Class 6A 1. Pembroke Pines Flanagan (12-0) (7) 78 2. Pompano Beach Ely (8-1) 67 3. Lake Mary (13-0) 58 4. Orlando Boone (8-1) 48 tie. Sarasota Riverview (11-1) 48 6. Miami Norland (13-2) (1) 41 7. Hialeah (8-1) 40 8. Sickles (12-1) 26 9. Plantation (8-2) 16 10. Miami Lourdes (10-1) 13 Also receiving votes: Orlando Edgewater (13-2) 12, Port Orange Spruce Creek (6-1) 1, St. Petersburg (9-3) 1
Jason Stokes, an assistant at Riverview, has been hired as head football coach at Bloomingdale. He replaces Corey Brinson, who stepped down in November.
Stokes has been with the Riverview staff since 2003.
He started as head junior varsity coach, then became the program’s linebackers coach the following season. He was promoted to assistant head coach in 2007.
Stokes played linebacker at Lehigh.
“He’s a great assistant coach,” Riverview coach Dan O’Regan said. “Anything you wanted, he did. He was a great asset to Riverview. He’s very personal, the kids liked him, he got along with the parents. This is something he’s wanted. He’s going to be good. No one will outwork the kid, I’ll tell you that. If anybody will turn that around, it will be him. He will do whatever it takes to get the job done.”
Brinson went 14-35 in five seasons. The Bulls, 2-8 this fall, haven't had a winning season in two decades of football.
For Armwood senior tackle Matt Patchan, one of the nation's most highly recruited linemen, choosing between his top three suitors - Florida, Miami and LSU - hasn't been an easy chore.
Though a decision could come at any time, Patchan's father, Matt said the senior could take "all the way up to the (U.S. Army All American game Jan 5) to pick."
"He is torn," said Patchan, who played at the University of Miami. "He recognizes the promise of immediate success at the other two teams (LSU, Florida) vs. the history and emotion that goes with Miami.
"And the opportunity is there with all of them. Each had individual things where he feels he might find a niche with them."
Patchan, who had home visits with all three schools last week - including a visit from five Florida coaches -- will enroll at his college choice in January. His father said the family plans to eventually move closer to wherever he goes - whether it be Louisiana, Miami or Gainesville.
"We've had discussions, but he doesn't share a lot," Patchan said. "When he's ready, he'll let us know."
Northeast running back Jeff Brinson said Iowa is the frontrunner among his college choices after visiting the campus last week. Brinson still has scheduled visits for Florida on Jan. 11 and Kansas on Jan. 25. But he's contemplating making a early decision after Hawkeye coaches told him he could start right away.
Largo's Leonard Johnson and Brynn Harvey were late additions to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association all-star game, held Friday at Bryant Stadium in Lakeland.
Both players join Tarpon Springs' Donnel Engram as the only ones from Pinellas county selected for the game.
Pasco senior Jose Montelongo scored three times - twice in last 15 minutes - to set the Pasco County career scoring record Wednesday night with 128 goals. The Pirates defeated Gulf by a score of 4-1. Look for more details Thursday in the St. Petersburg Times.
Not us. Next week, the First Annual Friday Night Rewind Awards Show will hit the web (Christmas Day, to be exact).
Infinite Skills wrote a rap song to unveil our All-Suncoast team (let me just say there's only one thing sadder than dead kittens, and that's getting hit in the face by Ryne Giddens), we show off the Times Players of the Year, and we hand out some awards. Here are the categories and the nominees:
BEST PLAY (Caught by the Rewind cameras) 1. Aaron Murray to Lovell Jackson in the front corner of the EZ to beat Chamberlain. 2. Brian Ackerman 86-yard INT return against Tampa Catholic to give CCC the win. 3. The crazysexycool (called back by penalty) punt return by Ja-Vonta Trotter against Bradenton Bayshore.
SHOUT-OUT OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Guy who made our shoutouts the mostest times) 1. Byronell Arline, Ridgewood 2. Jeff Brinson, Northeast 3. Samir Baker, Brandon SHOUT-OUT DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (Guy who made our shoutouts the mostest times) 1. Austin Forte, Central 2. Ben Perry, Ridgewood 3. Justin Bell, Chamberlain TEAM OF THE YEAR (Team that got the most in-studio love during our 3 a.m. tapings) 1. Chamberlain 2. Keswick 3. Largo
REWIND OPENING OF THE YEAR This is our Peep's Choice Award. We put em all on one file for ya, so check out (1) Foo Foo Bunny; (2) You're not Joey Knight!; (3) Holy Humiliation. Then vote on your favorite below:
Jefferson defensive coordinator Lee Meitzler has stepped down to take a teaching position at Alonso High, Dragons athletic director Bob Morgan said Wednesday.
Morgan said Meitzler wanted to spend more time with his stepson, who attends Alonso, and two younger sons, Jason and Justin, and likely won't coach next year. Meitzler, who finished his second year at Jefferson, also had coaching stints at Hillsborough and Alonso.
Jefferson coach Mike Fenton hasn't decided on a replacement, which could come from within, Morgan said.
The Dragons (5-7) advanced to the region semifinals this season before losing to Plant.
"He has to be one of the best coaches I've ever been around," Jefferson senior linebacker Gorby Loreus said. "He treated me like I was one of his sons - he's like a father figure. It's definitely a (big loss)."
Middleton senior tailback Carlton Jones may be a signing day decision - or close to it, at least.
The Tigers standout has a visit planned for the University of Florida in late January, coach Harry Hubbard said, with Toledo coaches also planning on coming to Tampa next month.
Jones rushed for 1,249 yards and 18 TDs.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up at Florida," Hubbard said. "I know whoever gets him is gonna get a (heck) of a player."
Tigers quarterback Deandre Presley has an offer from Jacksonville, but Villanova is coming on strong, Hubbard said. Middleton's top wideout, Jeremy Blount, will likely make a trip to Grambling.
The schedule of games for the inaugural Tampa Hoops Classic boys basketball tournament has been revised from the one published in Tuesday's editions of the St. Petersburg Times. For the newest schedule, and other tournament information, click here.
The 16-team field features squads from six states, not to mention several of the nation's most prominent recruits. Among them:
* Plantation American Heritage 6-foot-10 post player Eloy Vargas, who has signed with Florida; and shooting guard Kenny Boynton, ranked the nation's third-best junior at his position by rivals.com.
* Humble (Texas) Christian Life point guard Junior Cadougan, ranked among the nation's top 20 juniors at his position by rivals.com.
* Reno (Nev.) 6-8 power forward Luke Babbitt, who has signed with Nevada.
* Jacksonville Lee guard Shaquille Johnson, who led his team to last season's Class 5A final four.
* Brooklyn (N.Y.) Bishop Loughlin 6-6 forward Jayvaughn Pinkston and 6-2 teammate Doron Lamb, widely considered among the nation's top 50 sophomores.
The local entries in this tournament -- Pinellas Park, Ridgewood, Wharton and Plant -- aren't too shabby either. As of today, the area foursome owns a combined record of 28-8.
Two-sport standout Kelsey Horton (at left; photos courtesy Horton family) has long known which sport she will play in college. And now the Durant junior knows which college she’ll be playing it at.
Horton confirmed Wednesday that she has committed to the Florida Gator softball program.
“I’ve always been a Gator fan,” Horton said. “I’ve watched all their sports since I was a little girl. I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else.”
In Gainesville, the 5-foot-10 Horton will play catcher.
But at Durant, she has been a star at shortstop. Last spring, Horton batted .534 with two homers and 21 RBIs. Her on-base percentage was .573. Horton, a Times first-team all-county pick, plays club softball for the Tampa Mustangs.
She also is a solid volleyball performer.
As a middle hitter, Horton helped lead the Cougars to the Class 6A final in November, where they lost to Gainesville Buchholz. She was first on the team in blocks and third in kills.
The Florida Sports Writers Association state high school boys basketball poll was released Tuesday, and several bay area teams are in the fold.
The highest-ranked team is Berkeley Prep (No. 2 in 3A). The Bucs, already boasting wins over Calvary Christian and Oldsmar Christian, face their toughest test later this month in the Kingdom of the Sun Shootout in Ocala.
Also there will be Clearwater, which is ranked No.3 in 5A. Brandon (No. 6 in 5A) is next, with Pinellas Park (No. 7) and Plant (No.8) will compete in the Tampa Classic (Dec. 26th-29th) at the Sun Dome against some strong local and national teams.
Tampa Prep (No.4 in 2A) hosts the second part of the City Championship this weekend, Friday and Saturday.
Blake coach Sean Washington admits he’s a little biased, but in his opinion Yellow Jackets senior Vittorio Ottanelli is without question one of the city’s top offensive linemen. And he thinks it’s only a matter of time before Ottanelli (6-foot-4, 275 pounds) lands his first Division I-A offer.
“He’s far and away the most aggressive (offensive lineman) I’ve seen,” Washington said.
Thus far, Ottanelli has offers from Hofstra, Murray State and New Hampshire, all of which are successful programs at the I-AA level. Florida International, Miami and New Mexico are the I-A programs that have shown the most interest.
Miami coach Randy Shannon stopped by Blake last week to get a closer look.
“They really like him,” Washington said. “But since I ran the ball a lot, he has to work on his pass blocking.”
Washington said he isn’t sure if Miami will offer, but his gut says FIU will.
Riverview linebacker Tamaha Halaufia knows the state he's likely heading to for college and knows when he will begin playing. What he doesn't know is which school he's going to attend.
But he's close.
"It's probably going to be Utah State or BYU," Halaufia said.
Although neither has offered him a scholarship yet, Halaufia said both have shown great interest, especially Utah State, where his father once played.
"I feel pretty good (about Utah State)," Halaufia said. "It's almost definite."
At whichever college he attends, Halaufia (6-foot, 245) won't play right away. A devout Mormon, he plans to begin a two-year church mission sometime in 2008.
"I'm just taking it easy right now and preparing to go on my mission," Halaufia said. "I have faith in my ability that I can play anywhere."
Plant junior quarterback Aaron Murray was named Florida Dairy Farmers Class 4A Player of the Year and Armwood's Sean Callahan earned 4A Coach of the Year honors, FDF released Monday.
Murray, in his first year as starter, completed 60 percent of his passes for 4,013 yards and 51 touchdowns - a new state record - while rushing for 932 and 12 TDs. He led the Panthers to an 11-2 record and spot in the region finals, before losing to Armwood.
Callahan's Hawks finished 13-1 on its way to the Class 4A state semifinal before losing to Booker T. Washington, the eventual 4A state champions. Callahan won two state titles (2003, 2004) and finished state runner-up in 2005, but had never won the Dairy Farmers award. In his 17 years, Callahan has a career record of 143-68.
"This totally blows me away," Callahan said. "That's a pretty significant award - it's very humbling. It definitely reflects on my staff and how we all work together.
"I'm pretty excited, but I also know that there's a coach over there at Booker T. (Washington), he probably deserves it as much as I do."
1. (1) Boca Ciega (11-0) Last week: Beat Palm Harbor University 84-51, beat Seminole 74-26, beat No. 2 Clearwater 64-64. Pirates
are the equivalent of Armwood football. We're having trouble imagining them fallling from the top, especially after Saturday's convincing win over Clearwater.
2. (3) St. Petersburg Catholic (10-0) Last week: Beat Tampa Catholic 63-46, beat Academy of Holy Names 68-51. Barons
have a great combination of rising star (Jerrica Coley), superstar (Sasha Chaplin) and rock steady point guard to hold it all together (Holly Janicki).
3. (2) Clearwater (10-2) Last week: Beat Tarpon Springs 72-49, beat Dunedin 73-44, lost to No. 1 Boca Ciega 64-54. They lost, but Tornadoes officially have one of the best big game players in Pinellas County in Keona Dixon, who had 25 against Bogie to follow up on her 28 against Lakewood.
Plant City offensive lineman Mark Popek wasn’t sure how he’d handle the cold during last weekend’s official visit to Illinois. Turns out, he kind of liked it.
“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” Popek said. “I actually enjoyed it.”
The entire trip went well.
Popek had fun seeing the campus and spending time with the team’s linemen; his mother, who accompanied him, was invited to coach Ron Zook’s house.
Popek (6-foot-6, 310 pounds) said Monday that Illinois, Florida and Vanderbilt are his leaders. He has scholarship offers from Illinois, Vanderbilt, South Florida and Troy.
“Illinois was pretty good,” Popek said. “But I haven’t seen the rest of them yet.”
Popek will make an official visit to Florida on Jan. 12, then see Vanderbilt the following weekend.
1. Clearwater (8-0) This week: Tuesday at Dunedin, Wednesday at Gibbs, Friday vs. Ridgewood, Saturday vs. Alonso Based on the traffic this blog generates, the Tornadoes' success has bred a lot of contempt. The Tornadoes likely will have to feed off such hatred, along with their normal intake of Wheaties, if they hope to make it through this week undefeated.
2. Lakewood (8-0) This week: Tuesday vs. Northeast, Wednesday vs. Dunedin, Friday at Gibbs That rumbling you felt under your feet late Friday night in Gulfport was the aftershocks of Spartans senior Mike Morrison's three dunks in a 17-point whipping of Boca Ciega.
With Rich Rodriguez abruptly leaving the West Virginia program for Michigan this weekend, less than a month before the Fiesta Bowl and two months from signing day, what does that mean for the Mountaineer commitments - like Riverview senior tailback Jahleel Addae.
Addae has long been committed to WVU and Sharks coach Dan O'Regan said the senior has plans to graduate early and enroll in a few weeks. But in this age of recruiting, it wouldn't be surprising if other schools came in late with a push.
O'Regan said many schools dropped off Addae after his commitment to WVU; one school that didn't was Middle Tennessee State, which told him he could get playing time right away. That's not as easy to guarantee at WVU with Steve Slaton and Noel Devine in the backfield.
The number one thing, however for Addae (who racked up about 1,500 yards this season) is getting healthy. O'Regan said the senior had plans to undergo minor surgery to repair a hernia, which he said shouldn't be a big deal.
"He's a tough, tough kid," O'Regan said.
Has the WVU coaching change made for another tough choice?
When reached Monday, Addae declined to comment.
But O'Regan said: "I may be getting some phone calls (today)."
When Miami Northwestern QB Jacory Harris completed 17 of 32 pass attempts for 281 yards and two scores in Saturday’s Class 6A final (a 41-0 win over Orlando Boone), it gave him 49 TD passes for the season.
That means Plant junior Aaron Murray, with 51 TD strikes, will keep hold of his state-record total. The top four all-time single-season leaders in Florida now looks like this:
1. Aaron Murray, Tampa Plant, 51 (2007)
2. Jacory Harris, Miami Northwestern, 49 (2007)
3. Robert Marve, Tampa Plant, 48 (2006)
4. Tim Tebow, Ponte Vedra Beach Nease, 46 (2004)
That’s a pretty good group, huh?
For the record, Murray played in two fewer games (13) than Harris (15). Fans in South Florida, however, would argue that Harris played against a tougher schedule. His Bulls likely will finish No. 1 in the final USA Today national rankings.
SARASOTA - Here are the Florida Sports Writers Association's Class 5A and 6A All-State volleyball teams, which are sponsored by Sun Sports/FSN Florida, with name, school, year and position listed:
CLASS 5A FIRST TEAM
Kellie Catanach, Tampa Plant, senior, setter Maddie Martin, Tampa Plant, sophomore, outside hitter Brittany Potanovic, Fort Myers, senior, outside hitter/libero
Casey Taylor, Venice, senior, outside hitter
Tosin Elebute, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, senior, middle hitter Courtney Zuber, Tallahassee Leon, senior, libero
SECOND TEAM
Correy Johnson, Winter Park Lake Howell, junior, middle blocker Muki Kangwa, Fort Myers, senior, outside hitter Danielle Erb, Tampa Plant, junior, outside hitter Nickie Halbert, Venice, senior, setter Paige Pridgeon, Tallahassee Lincoln, junior, outside hitter Katie Leitner, Lakeland George Jenkins, senior, outside hitter
THIRD TEAM
Channing Salava, Clearwater, senior, setter Kaylee Ream, Venice, senior, outside hitter Elise Walch, Stuart Martin County, sophomore, middle hitter Chloe Mann, Gainesville Eastside, junior, middle blocker Sarah Beebe, Gainesville, junior, outside hitter Jennica Hagberg, Niceville, senior, setter
HONORABLE MENTION
Laurie Gegen, Fort Myers, senior, middle blocker; Courtney McDonald, Bradenton Manatee, junior, middle hitter; Sarah Garner, Daytona Beach Mainland, junior, middle hitter; Morgan Thomas, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, senior, middle hitter; Whitney Welborn, Winter Park Lake Howell, junior, setter; Briana Bahr, Gonzalez Tate, senior, middle hitter; Ali McCurdy, Tampa Plant, sophomore, libero; Sara Rex, Tarpon Springs East Lake, senior, outside hitter; Julie Howlett, Venice, senior, libero/outside hitter; Katie DiGirolamo, Bradenton Southeast, sophomore, outside hitter; Erin Maynard, Gainesville, junior, setter; Kelsey Braley, Gainesville Eastside, sophomore, setter.
ORLANDO -- As a powerful running back at Jefferson in the late 1940s, Rick Casares established himself as one of the country’s top prep performers. At halftime of the Class 5A state final Friday night at the Florida Citrus Bowl, he was honored for what he accomplished with the Dragons.
And he couldn’t haven’t been happier.
Moments after being recognized for making the Florida High School Athletic Association All-Century High School Football Team, Casares was all smiles as he walked off the field.
“Every time I get singled out, I’m really grateful,” Casares said.
Casares, 76, also was a star for the Florida Gators and Chicago Bears. After an 11-year NFL career, he left the game as the Bears’ all-time leading rusher and remained so until Walter Payton broke his records in the 1980s.
Casares was one of two Tampa prep stars to make the 33-member squad, which was selected by a panel of high school experts. Wide receiver Darrell Jackson of Tampa Catholic, who now plays in the NFL, was the other.
Today, Casares lives in Tampa’s Town & Country section.
“I’ve been lucky all the way through,” Casares said.
Brandon senior tailback/defensive back Samir Baker is starting to see his stock rise in recruiting circles.
The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Baker, who played everywhere from tailback to defensive end for the Eagles (7-4), said during the season he mostly received interest from Division II power Valdosta State. But more recently, coach John Lima said Baker is getting looks from Georgia Southern, Illinois State - and South Florida.
Lima said the Bulls are very high on Baker; the senior recently got a 19 on his ACT, and if Baker's grades meet the right criteria, "I think (USF coaches) are going to offer."
Baker averaged 10.2 points per game and 115 all-purpose yards; he rushed for 850 yards in leading the Eagles to the district title before losing to three-time defending state champ Lakeland in the first round.
"I've seen a bunch of Hillsborough County football," Eagles defensive coordinator Dale Caparaso said earlier this season. "I've seen Chamberlain and all those guys. But of all of them, if I had to pick one player to build around, Samir would be at the top of my list."
It didn’t take Carrollwood Day School long to fill out its 2008 football schedule. The Patriots, who only last month decided to jump from six man to 11-man football, have secured 10 opponents for next fall.
CDS will compete as a Class 1B independent.
Additionally, CDS will join an eight-team conference comprised of independent programs at the 1B level. The conference will hold a championship game in 2008.
“Things are good,” Patriots coach Lane McLaughlin said. “Everything is falling together.”
This year, CDS won the six-man Florida Christian Association of Private and Parochial School title.
Berkeley Prep sophomore hitter Lindsay Young was picked for the Class 3A All-State First Team, released Friday with several other bay area standouts.
Young, who led the Bucs to the 3A state final this season, saw teammates, junior libero Christina Theofilos (2nd team) and sophomore setter Becca Howard (3rd team). Holy Names senior middle blocker Maureen Colligan earned 2nd team honors.
Jefferson senior quarterback Zack Grossi, the county's second-leading passer, may still have Colorado State as a possible suitor after all.
The Rams were very interested in Grossi, but after coach Sunny Lubick was fired, the senior didn't know what would happen.
Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Steve Fairchild was named CSU coach Wednesday. Grossi said a few leftover Rams assistants told him they'd pass his tape along to Fairchild and see where he stands.
Grossi said New Mexico, Charleston Southern, Youngstown State and Coastal Carolina will be in to see him before signing day.
When Armwood coach Sean Callahan said two-way senior lineman Matt Patchan was getting recruited "harder than anyone I've had," he wasn't kidding.
Patchan, a 6-foot-8, 265-pound tackle, received the full-court press by Florida Wednesday, with five Gators coaches visiting for dinner.
According to Patchan's mother, DeAnne, Gators offensive line coach Steve Addazio even put on an apron and helped her cook beef tenderloin.
"It was great," DeAnne said. "I think coach (Urban) Meyer really liked it."
Patchan, whom Callahan said will announce his decision next week in a press conference, had narrowed down his college choices to Florida, LSU and Miami, where his father, Matt, played.
All three schools made their home visits this week. Which one will win out?
"I don't even know," DeAnne said. She then joked, "He's trying to make us all crazy."
Bayshore Christian's year just got a little better. The Faith Warriors, who won the Class A state title last month, had five players earn all-state honors.
The Class A and 2A squads were announced Thursday.
Senior outside hitter Jannica Mollett and senior setter Ashlea Ballangee were first-team selections; junior outside hitter Sami Stokes and freshman middle hitter Gabrielle Fernandez were second-team selections; junior libero Sara Lucia made the third team.
In 2A, Tampa Prep junior outside hitter Alena Ransom was a third-team choice. Senior outside hitter Alisa French and junior middle hitter Dana Malinowski were honorable mention selections.
Plant junior quarterback Aaron Murray said his visit from Gators assistant Dan Mullen "went well" Wednesday.
Though he hasn't yet received an offer from UF, Tennessee jumped in on the standout's sweepstakes by offering him today.
Murray, who broke the state record for touchdown passes in a single season (51), threw for over 4,000 yards and rushed for 95 this season, leading the Panthers to the region finals before losing to Armwood.
He's received several big offers in the past few weeks, including Louisville, Stanford, Wake Forest, to go along with Boston College, USF, Ole Miss and Oregon State.
As for Plant senior receiver Derek Winter, he received a visit Thursday from the University of Kansas. Interestingly enough, Winter's parents are from Topeka, Kansas. The BCS-bound Jayhawks will play in the Orange Bowl this year.
Winter has received offers from USF and Army, but Louisville and West Virginia have shown interest recently.
Here are the Florida Sports Writers Association's Class A and 2A all-state volleyball teams, with name, school, year and position listed. Area athletes are in bold. Class 3A-6A teams should be out within the next few days.
