County presents winter sports awards

The Hillsborough County winter sports awards, which annually recognizes top public school athletes for their achievements on the field and in the classroom, were presented this morning at the school board building downtown, and for the first time an award went to the county's outstanding cheerleader.

Bloomingdale senior Kristen Cook was the inaugural recipient of the Williamson-Snapp Outstanding Cheerleader Award. Cook, a two-year team captain, led the Bulls to the Large Varsity Division state championship in this year's first FHSAA Competitive Cheerleading Championships.

"I think it was really a breakthrough moment for cheerleaders and cheerleading," Cook said of Bloomingdale's state win. "I think it shows we're really athletes, that you don't have to throw a ball to be an athlete. We throw people. ... The other athletes, the soccer players and the wrestlers and everyone, know we're athletes because they see us practicing in the cafeteria after school every day."

Cook, who holds a 4.08 grade point average, said she plans to attend HCC and then move on to Southeastern University in Lakeland.

Cook was one of three Bloomingdale student athletes recognized along with girls basketball player Paris Moore and wrestler Austin Figari.

Moore, the winner of the Dottie McGauhgin Female Basketball Player of the Year award, averaged 18 points a game her senior season for the Bulls. An exemplary defender, she set school records for steals in a game (14) and steals in a season (136). She carries a 4.69 weighted GPA. She is a Times All-Suncoast second-team selection. She hasn't decided on a college yet, but is leaning toward attending Rollins College in Winter Park.

"Actually this award does mean more because other people voted it on it, not just my coach, but other coaches," Moore said. "It's good that it recognizes your academics and you're rewarded for what you do in the classroom."

Figari, the recipient of the Tom Wells Wrestler of the Year award, was a four-time state qualifier. He won at least 35 match in each year of his high school career, capped with a 42-win season as a senior. A two-time team captain, he holds a 3.6 GPA.

"It's good to know that all the hard work pays off," Figari said.

Armwood point guard Adam Sollazzo won the Alston "Mac" McGauhgin Award for the top male basketball player in the county. Sollazzo, a Times All-Suncoast first-teamer, ranked 11th in the state and second in the county in scoring (21.7 points per game). He was also named the MVP of the FACA North-South Boys Basketball All-Star Game in Daytona Beach. The East Tennessee State signee carries a weighted 4.6 GPA.

Also, Brandon wrestling coach Russ Cozart was named the Joel Medgebow Wrestling Coach of the Year. Cozart's Eagles won their eighth straight Class 2A state title while nine wrestlers advanced to states. Over his 28 years as Brandon head coach, Brandon has won 19 state wrestling titles and holds the record for the longest winning streak in high school sports.

The County also recognized the winter teams with the top average GPAs. The Plant girls soccer team had the highest team GPA (3.785) of any team. Armwood (3.277) topped all boys basketball teams, while Newsome (3.485) held the top girls basketball team GPA. Chamberlain's wrestling team (3.250) was was tops. Newsome's boys soccer team's 3.383 GPA edged Plant by .065 and East Bay's cheerleading squad had the top GPA (3.530).

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA