Offers coming in for Middleton lineman

Middleton coach Harry Hubbard knows his strength this upcoming season will be on his lines. So it's no coincidence that two linemen are receiving the most college interest.

Defensive lineman Andreal Coleman -- who is 6-foot-2, 270 pounds -- has quickly become the Tigers' most highly recruited rising senior. Coleman (left) has received scholarship offers from Georgia Southern, Cincinnati and Troy, Hubbard said Thursday.

Hubbard expects more offers to come in for 6-foot-4, 245-pound offensive lineman Luis Polanco. Troy has already offered him.

"They like him because he's only played one year of ball and he has no bad habits," Hubbard said.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Cabino named Pinellas Park coach

Jon Cabino, who turns 35 on Monday, was hired  to take over the varsity program at Pinellas Park. He replaces Allen Carden, who left the Patriots after four seasons to be the head coach of the Tornadoes.
“I guess you could say it was an early birthday present,” Cabino said.

Cabino was a varsity assistant at Clearwater for six seasons under Jack Coit. In 2004, Cabino took over the school’s junior varsity program and was undefeated his first three seasons. He finished 59-4.

Two months ago, the Tornadoes' varsity position opened up when Coit retired. Cabino applied, then watched as the Clearwater administration cycled through candidates from Florida and beyond.
In the end, the Tornadoes tabbed Carden as the coach.

“I was a little disappointed, but I understood why the decision was made,” Cabino said. “What hurt me was my lack of head coaching experience at the varsity level. Now, I can get that at Pinellas Park.”

Cabino said he was interviewed for the Pinellas Park job on Wednesday. He also said he applied for the opening at Gibbs and had an informal meeting with the school’s administration three weeks ago.

“It came down to whoever offered me a job first,” Cabino said. “I knew I couldn’t go wrong either way.”
On Monday, Cabino plans to meet with the Pinellas Park players.

-- BOB PUTNAM

Plant City's Lowe getting attention

One thing is for sure about Plant City next football season: Rising senior Duran Lowe will see plenty of action .

Incoming coach Jason Strunk said he will use Lowe (left) in a variety of positions, including linebacker and safety. He will be on top of the Raiders' depth chart at running back, filling the shoes of the departed two-headed rushing monster of Sirchauncey Holloway (transferred to Armwood) and Keith Dawson (graduation).

But Lowe's college future could be at safety. He's added 15 pounds to his 215-pound frame, and two m ajor  Division I school have taken notice. Both Wake Forest and USF have made scholarship offers to Lowe, Plant City offensive coordinator Wayne Ward said.  Ward said more will likely be on the way.

Read more on Plant City in tomorrow's Times.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Follow ex-King star LIVE!

As we speak, former King standout Stephen Locke, a left-handed pitcher for the Florida Gators, is pitching in the NCAA Regional at Tallahassee against Tulane. You can follow the play-by-play action HERE. A junior, Locke is 5-2 with a 3.07 ERA.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Petey Smith breaks down final 5

Heralded Armwood LB Petey Smith announced his five finalists today -- Auburn, Alabama, Illinois, Louisville and North Carolina. He broke down each to the Times.

Auburn: "They're really showing me the most love. They send me a lot of mail with quotes and stuff that I like. And the depth chart is looking pretty good there."

Alabama: "They came on me at the end of the spring. I talked to (coach) Nick Saban, and he told me they were hurting at linebacker. They run the 3-4, and he told me they wanted a big body in the middle."

Illinois: "It's a program on the rise, especially after beating Ohio State last year. The recruiting coach is a real down-to-earth person. I could see myself fitting into their scheme."

Louisville: "They also came in on me late, toward the end of the spring. They're hurting at linebacker, too. A lot of people committed early and they don't really have a lot of commitments. I'm at the top of their list I guess you could say. They call me all the time."

North Carolina: "Keith Newman -- he's our linebacker coach at Armwood -- he played there and he's been in my ear. Their program is on the rise. I'll probably take a trip up there next weekend."

Right now, Smith said all five schools are "even."

Early in the process, it was assumed by some Smith would land at Florida State because he is a lifelong Seminoles fan. But although FSU offered him a scholarship, Smith said the Seminoles "just didn't come after me."

As for the prospect of playing at 'Bama, arch-rival of Auburn, where his brother Eric will play running back, Smith had this to say: "The first thing Nick Saban told me was, 'Just look at it like this ... even if you come and don't play, at least you'll have a story on ESPN because everybody will be talking about it."

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Ex-Wharton assistant leaves post, may rejoin 'Cats staff

Former Wharton football assistant James Jones has quit his post as head coach at Pompano Beach Ely and may rejoin the staff at Wharton, he told the Times on Friday morning. Jones, an Ely graduate, led the Tigers to a 6-5 record last fall -- his only season with the program. They lost to eventual Class 5A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas 13-12 in the region quarterfinals (story HERE).

Jones chose to leave Ely because the school could not guarantee him a spot on the faculty.

Jones, a former Florida Gator legend and NFL veteran, said he is "considering" an offer by Wharton coach David Mitchell to re-join the staff. His son, Jairus Jones, is a standout safety for the Wildcats.

"We talked," Jones said. "And he said he'd love to have me back."

The opportunity is enticing, Jones said. He not only enjoyed coaching at Wharton under Mitchell before departing for Ely, but would have the opportunity to spend more time with his son, a probable Division I-A recruit.

"It's his senior season," Jones said. "I'm going to watch every game regardless."

Mitchell would love to have him.

"I don't have an ego," Mitchell said. "I believe that any way I can get an assistant, I'll do it. He was a great asset to our school so I said, 'Hey, the door is open.' He's welcome with open arms."

NOTE: Here is a Times photo of Jones' famous one-handed, game-winning TD catch against Miami in 1981.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

LSU latest to offer Wharton star

Wharton safety Jairus Jones (6-foot-2, 205 pounds), a rising senior, received his biggest scholarship offer to date Thursday night -- from national champion LSU. Iowa and Michigan State also offered Thursday, joining Nebraska and Florida Atlantic, who offered earlier this month.

"I know he's excited about the (LSU offer)," said Jones' father, former NFL running back James Jones.

Florida, the elder Jones' alma mater, has expressed interest and Jairus Jones is expected to hear soon whether the Gators would like him to join their program. Other schools also are in the hunt. "Clemson is interested and I'm pretty sure they're going to hop on board," Wharton coach David Mitchell said. "And I'm pretty sure Tennessee is going to hop on board, too."

NOTE: Mitchell says Indiana offered today.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Tape speaks for Williams

Chamberlain receiver Anthony Williams has yet to make a catch in a Chiefs uniform -- sitting out  Chamberlain's spring game because he transferred from Jefferson -- but his tape is speaking for itself.

Williams received three more scholarship offers Thursday -- from Arkansas, Ball State and Troy. The Arkansas offer, his third from an SEC school, came just days after the Chiefs sent his highlight tape to Arkansas.

Williams, who also has offers from Georgia, Ole Miss, Rutgers, Indiana and Marshall, made 38 catches for 388 yards and three touchdowns last fall.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Recruiting Analyst: Local RBs among state's best

How good are our local running backs?

Good enough that well-known recruiting analyst Jamie Newberg of Rivals.com profiled four of them in his latest column -- Dontae Aycock of Chamberlain (who plays QB for the Chiefs), Adaris Bellamy of Dunedin, Jarvis Giles of Gaither and Sirchauncey Holloway of Armwood -- and said they were among the best in a state loaded with talent at that position. Newberg reports that, already, "more than 30 Florida running backs have been offered scholarships by major-college programs."

Newberg, by the way, calls Giles the "most explosive" RB in Florida.

Note: I'd link to the story, but it's available to Rivals.com subscribers only.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Houston out at Berkeley Prep

Berkeley Prep baseball coach Justin Houston resigned from his post last week, the school's athletic director  Bobby Reinhart confirmed Thursday, but will stay on staff as a physical education teacher.

Reinhart, who said he received Houston's resignation last Tuesday, said Houston resigned for personal reasons. Houston coached the Buccaneers for four seasons. Berkeley advanced to the region semifinals twice in that span, in Class 2A in 2005 and in Class 3A in 2007, but the Bucaneers went 10-16 this season.

Reinhart said the school will immediately begin a search for a new coach -- ideally hiring a coach who would be on staff at the school, he said. "There's no rush," Reinhart said. "We want to do out due diligence because baseball season is a long way off."

Houston could not be immediately reached on his cell phone.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Hernando finalists announced

Hernando will interview five finalists Friday afternoon for its football job with a new coach to be named next week.
Among the finalists are current coach Rodney Byrd, Port St. Joe coach John Palmer and Winfield (Ala.) coach Danny Adams. All three were finalists during last year's search.
Incoming Hernando principal Ken Pritz made all supplemental positions open to the public. Interviews begin at 2 p.m. Friday and conclude by 6:30 p.m.
The other finalists include Celebration athletic director/football coach Eddie Carnley and Trinity Valley Community College assistant John Launius.

--IZZY GOULD
izzygould@gmail.com

McAllister not ready to name leaders

Demonte McAllister, a highly recruited defensive tackle from Alonso, had every intention of naming his top five college choices after spring practice. But something happened in May: The scholarship offers kept rolling in, one after the other and sometimes several in a day.

"The (colleges) called so many times," McAllister said. "There were so many out-of-area numbers that sometimes I stopped answering."

Because of this, an admittedly stressed McAllister said Thursday he now won't trim his list of schools until "sometime this summer." The 6-foot-3, 250-pound rising senior did, however, again confirm Florida State and Southern California will make the cut. His other top offers have come from Georgia, Florida, LSU, Miami, Michigan and Ohio State.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

In recruiting, Suarez's father knows best

Three decades ago, Manny Suarez was a highly recruited basketball player.

His son, Austin, is in a similar situation today. A standout shooting guard at Berkeley Prep, the 6-foot-6 rising senior has received interest from programs such as Buffalo, Holy Cross, Jacksonville, James Madison, N.C. State, Rice, Stetson, Tulsa, UCF, USF and Wichita State.

To say the least, Manny Suarez, who played at Jacksonville from 1974-78, is taking a significant role in his son's recruitment. Most significantly, he serves as a liaison between the colleges and Austin. And it's a role he takes serious.

"I don't give out his cell number," Manny Suarez said.

The reason? A math teacher at Berkeley Prep, the elder Suarez doesn't like the idea of his son being bothered during times when his focus should be on school. "Most players I talk to that are heavily recruited, that seems to be the biggest complaint," Manny Suarez said. "I don't want him getting hounded. He's still a teenager. Our main emphasis is on education. He needs to concentrate on the books."

Manny Suarez, who was recruited by Georgetown, Holy Cross and UConn before settling on the Dolphins (who had appeared in the NCAA title game a few years earlier), says the recruiting game hasn't changed in many ways through the years but has in others.

"I heard all the same stories 30 years ago," he said. "The one thing (coaches) are better at this time around is that they know how to use the teenage lingo. When I was recruited, it felt like I was talking to an adult. Now, these coaches are a lot more savvy."

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Countryside grad is first-team All-American

Countryside grad GiOnna DiSalvatore, a standout for the UCLA softball team, was named a first-team Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American on Wednesday. A freshman infielder, she is second on the team with a .377 bating average, produced four homers and a team-best 44 RBIs. Earlier this month, DiSalvatore was named to the All-Pac-10 second team and made the conference's All-Freshman team. The Bruins begin play at the Women's College World Series today against Arizona at 9 p.m. The game will be aired live on ESPN (Gametracker will be available online at UCLABruins.com).

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Running first, then football for Revord

Connor Revord, a star in both track and cross country, intends to play football this fall at Jesuit for the first time. But before he starts offseason conditioning with his future teammates, he plans to put all of his energy into two upcoming track and field events -- the Golden West in California and the Nike Outdoor Nationals in North Carolina. Both take place in June.

"I have to keep training for those," said Revord, who was second in both the 800 and 1,600 meters at the Class 2A meet, and anchored the 4x800 relay team to gold.

The Nike Outdoor Nationals are June 21. Revord said his focus would shift to football "probably June 22." Revord last played football when he was in the eighth grade. Now a 6-foot, 155-pound rising senior, he will suit up as a wide receiver. Because of track, a sport in which he likely will be a national recruit, Revord didn't participate in spring football. But he did watch a handful of practices and ran a few routes with the quarterbacks.

"I've always wanted to play since my freshman year," Revord said. "But I went into cross country because I thought it'd be better for track."

This fall likely will be Revord's first without cross country. He doesn't think transitioning from football to track will be an issue.

How much will Revord play next season? "We have a good team," he said. "We've implemented the spread offense and that leads to more opportunities to get on the field."

--KEITH NIEBUHR

A New Chelo Huerta for Terriers?

Despite tough economic times, Hillsborough football coach Earl Garcia firmly believes he can add a  significant piece to his program.

Garcia is poised to raise $1 million to renovate Chelo Huerta Field, a project that would include installing a synthetic turf field, a new rubberized track, press box improvements and aesthetic improvements to the stadium's fencing area. Hillsborough recently received permission from the school district to begin fundraising.

It's a huge pricetag, but if the project is successful, Hillsborough would be the first county public school to install an artificial turf field (They cost about $650,000 to install). Jesuit installed a sythentic turf field before last football season. Two other public schools, Plant and Chamberlain, are pursuing artificial turf fields. All three schools are land locked.

But Garcia believes his project is realistic. He hopes to receive a $200,000 gift from the NFL Grassroots program, which helps renovate sports fields in low-income urban areas. He hopes to receive a matching grant from the Bucs and also fundraise through the football boosters.

"A lot of people say we can't do it," Garcia said. "But a lot of people said we couldn't build (a football fieldhouse) either. We feel like if we can leave that to Hillsborough and the community here, that when I retire we will have done everything we need to do -- besides win a state championship -- and we're still trying for that."

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

High School Baseball All-star Classic

The second annual Hillsborough vs. Pinellas County all-star game will be at Tropicana Field on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. The matchup, which features 50 of the best seniors from private and public high schools in the area, also will air live on Catch 47. Times staff writer John C. Cotey  will provide color commentary during the broadcast. Gate 4, the only entrance, will open at 6:30. For admission, a donation toward the Hillsborough and Pinellas County Education Foundations will be accepted.

Pinellas roster
Pitchers: Jacob Rogers (Dunedin), Blake May (Largo), Max Kreuter (Dunedin), Patrick Eckelbarger (Seminole), Robby Thigpen (Shorecrest), Brad McAllister (Boca Ciega), Ryan Weber (Clearwater Central Catholic), Jacob Barnes (St. Petersburg), Joey Kase (Tarpon Springs). Infielders: Nash Reling (Seminole), Craig Goodman (Clearwater), Jamison Sweat (Dunedin), Chris Calhoon (Seminole), Shaun Starnes (Seminole), Ben Stewart (St. Petersburg Catholic), Joe McLemore (CCC), Tim Younger (Clearwater), Sam Mende (CCC). Outfielders: Tyler Abadal (St. Petersburg), Bryant Gibson (Seminole), Steve Vick (Clearwater), Jay Taylor (Seminole), Jeff Reynolds (Shorecrest). Catchers: Ryan Schneider (Dunedin), Max St. Hilaire (Largo). 
Coaches: Stefan Futch (St. Petersburg), Dan Genna (Tarpon Springs), Bill Ruttercutter (Pinellas Park), George Lehr (Gibbs)

Hillsborough roster
Pitchers: Greg Holsen (Jesuit), Robbie Scime (Leto), Alex Panteliodis (Alonso), Andrew Virgili (Wharton), Corey Thomas (Middleton), Aaron Gerbasi (Plant City), Matt Brazis (Jesuit), Dan Trinka (Brandon), Anthony Ferrara (Riverview). Infielders: William Knox (Tampa Catholic), Justin Cameron (Spoto), Sherman Johnson (Alonso), Taed Moses (Durant), Sean Buckley (King). Outfielders: Mitchell Lopez (Jefferson), Eduardo Gonzalez (Freedom), Preston Tucker (Plant), Kenny Wilson (Sickles), Ryan Fleming (Hillsborough), Jarryd Reid (Middleton), Eric Gerken (Tampa Catholic). Catchers: Jared Womack (Plant), Mike Granda (Chamberlain). Designated Hitters: Jamie Mallard (Middleton), Sergio Delgado (Gaither).
Coaches: Scott Hoffman (Wharton), Dick Rohrberg (Chamberlain), Bob Pagano (Sickles), Landy Faedo (Alonso)

Pirates' Brown commits to Saint Leo

Pasco senior right-hander Dustin Brown confirmed Wednesday morning he has committed to Saint Leo, though the Lions currently are without a coach.

Brown, one of only two North Suncoast players chosen to compete in last weekend's prestigious FACA All-Star Classic in Sebring, said the Division II school's proximity to his home and his familiarity with some teammates trumped the fact Saint Leo has no coach.

The school announced early last week Coach Ricky Ware's contract wasn't being renewed. Brown said he committed to the program shortly before Ware's dismissal; two of Ware's assistants remain employed by the university.

Additionally, two of Brown's Pasco teammates, pitcher Aaron Brandt and utility player Dylan Giella, have said they still intend to enroll at Saint Leo later this year.

"I still want to go there," said Brown, who previously talked with Lions coaches about a scholarship but hasn't formally received an offer yet. "I found out about seven or eight players that were going to sign (with the Lions) aren't going to now, so maybe that will free up some money for me."

An outfielder when he wasn't pitching, Brown hit .347 with four home runs and 32 RBI this past season. On the mound, he went 8-3 with a 3.02 ERA, striking out 67 in 51 innings.

Armwood DB in no hurry to commit

Angelo Hadley, a standout free safety at Armwood who is considered one of the state's best prospects in the Class of 2009, has scholarship offers from some of the country's elite programs, but he said Tuesday he's "wide open" at this point and is in no rush to commit.

"It's still early in the process," he said.

Hadley's top six schools at the moment are (in alphabetical order) Auburn, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina and USF. All but Florida has offered, but Hadley is hopeful that is about to change. The Gators stopped by Armwood last week to check out the 6-foot, 190-pound rising senior in person, and Hadley said he was told he will know by Friday if Florida will ask him to become a Gator.

Hadley plans to take three to five official visits in the fall then make a decision well before National Signing Day.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Aycock now up to 15 offers

Four more schools offered scholarships to Chamberlain quarterback Dontae Aycock on Tuesday -- Arkansas, Iowa, Louisville and Tulane. That gives him 15 to date, Chiefs assistant Brian Turner said. A 5-foot-10, 190-pound rising senior, Aycock is such a versatile player he's being recruited to play several different positions. Most schools, however, project him to play running back. USF, Georgia Tech and Kansas are some of the other notable programs in the chase. Georgia Tech is recruiting Aycock as a QB. The Yellow Jackets recently received a commitment from a four-star QB from Indiana, but Aycock said that wouldn't affect his decision one way or another. Georgia Tech "told me they were going to try to sign three quarterbacks," Aycock told the Times last week.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Cambridge's Shears resigns as football coach, will stay on as baseball coach

Rick Shears (right) has resigned from his post as Cambridge Christian's football coach, but he will resume coaching the Lancers baseball team, athletic director Scott Thompson said Tuesday.

John Kelly, an offensive assistant and strength and conditioning coach for the Lancers for the past two seasons, will take over the football program.

Kelly, a 1997 Armwood grad who played tight end under coach Sean Callahan, was also an at Armwood for four years, including both state title seasons. He also assisted at Edward Waters College and was a graduate assistant at USF. It will be Kelly's first head coaching job. He was a finalist for the Plant City vacancy and also interviewed for the Spoto opening.

Kelly said he will bring a multiple-formation spread option offense to Cambridge, "hopefully using a lot of the good things I've learned in my past coaching jobs and hopefully not a lot of the bad things," he said. Over the spring, Cambridge went form a power-I attack to a split-back veer option offense.

"I'm very excited," Kelly said. "Having been at Cambridge the past two years, I have a familiarity with the kids and a comfort level with the program. Hopefully I can put them in a position to be successful this upcoming season."

Shears' decision to step away from football -- he was head coach for three years, going 17-13 -- was heavily based on his family. He wants to be closer to his son, Erik, who will be playing college football at Quincy University in Illinois, during the fall.

Shears' return to the baseball team, however, is a surprise. He took the job two weeks before the season started when the Lancers couldn't find a coach with the understanding it would be for just one season.

The result was Cambridge's best season in school history: a 26-3 record and the team's first trip to the state championship game. Shears was also able to build a staff of fine young assistants, including former Jesuit pitcher and first-round draft pick Sam Marsonek and former HCC infielder Tony Alvarez. But even after the Lancers' 8-6 loss to Jacksonville Eagle's View, he was still convinced he was "one and done."

Thompson asked Shears to coach both sports next season. But after talking to his family, and sitting down with his son, he decided it was the right time to leave football. For at least a year, he has targeted Kelly as a suitable successor -- "He is a tremendous X's and O's guy," Shears said -- and was convinced he would be leaving the program in good hands after meeting with Kelly last week.

"Looking at the situation and knowing I wanted to be there for Erik, I told Scott that it was probably football that was going to have to take the back seat," Shears said. "And with the coaching staff and players we have returning (for baseball), with a couple bounces I think we can hopefully do the same things we did this year and maybe do a little more."

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Jefferson lineman gets first I-A offer

He's big, strong, has good feet and solid grades. That's why Jefferson offensive lineman Jarrod Gant will almost certainly be a Division I-A recruit. Dragons coach Mike Fenton said Tuesday that Gant (6-foot-3, 295 pounds) has interest from schools such as Florida State, USF, Syracuse and Northwestern and recently received a scholarship offer from UAB. Gant, who carries a GPA in the 5.0 range, plays tackle for Jefferson, but projects to be a guard or center in college. "He's just a real good football player," Fenton said. "He's got a good nasty streak in him."

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Berkeley Prep to start boys volleyball

Randy Dagostino can't predict how long it might take for boys volleyball to catch on as a high school  sport as it has in states like Pennsylvania, New York and California, but he's willing to try and find out.

Dagostino, who has won 12 state titles coaching the Berkeley girls volleyball team, has received approval from the school to start a high school boys volleyball program.

Dagostino coaches Berkeley's middle school boys program, which includes Tampa Prep and about eight other middle school programs. He will coach Berkeley's high school entry.

Boys volleyball is a FHSAA-recognized sport -- 118 schools participate in the spring -- but most programs are isolated to the Orlando and South Florida areas, meaning the Buccaneers are in for some long trips.

"Someone's got to get it started," Dagostino said. "For the schools, starting a boys volleyball program is a no brainer. Every school has balls. Every school has an adjustable net. There are very few occupied gymnasiums in the spring. If you wanted to start a sport at little or no cost to the school, it's got to be boys volleyball.

"It will catch on," he said.

He can take comfort in the success of his Tampa Bay Juniors Under-14 boys club team, which one the East Coast Championship National Qualifier in Richmond in just its first tournament playing on regulation nets. The win earned the team a berth to the Junior Olympics on July 5-8 in Sandy, Utah.

"Florida is the perfect place for it," Dagostino said. "So many boys are playing it. Look everyday out on the beach. They're just not playing it indoors. Maybe we on the West Coast have never been organized enough to start something, but I'm willing to be a pioneer for the sport."

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

ESPN The Magazine honors Jesuit grad

Chris Swauger, a senior outfielder at the Citadel and one-time Jesuit star, has been named as an academic All-American by ESPN The Magazine. Swauger, who batted .360 with 10 homers and 35 RBIs this season, was a second-team selection. He carries a 3.94 GPA in Business Administration. Here are links to his home page and to the Citadel's season statistics.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Two locals reach WCWS

There's a decent chance that a week from now, one of our local products will finish her season with a national title. Palm Harbor University grad Kristina Hilberth of Florida and Countryside grad GiOnna DiSalvatore of UCLA are both competing at the Women's College World Series, which begins Thursday in Oklahoma City. Hilberth's Gators are seeded No. 1. UCLA is the second seed.

Here's a little bit about each player ...

Kristina Hilberth: A 5-foot-6 junior utility player, she's hitting .282 and has 13 RBIs. She has a .991 fielding percentage.

GiOnna DiSalvatore: A 5-foot-9 freshman infielder, she is second on the team with a .377 bating average -- to go along with four homers and a team-best 44 RBIs.

You can track the WCWS HERE.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Whom would be your award-winners?

Can you believe it -- another school year has come and gone. And what a year it was. From Riverview to New Port Richey and all points in between, the Times' vast coverage area had so many tremendous individual and team performances there isn't enough room in this blog to list them all. Which ones stand out? You tell us. If you were handing out trophies for the following awards, whom would you give them to:

1. Male athlete of the year (any sport):
2. Female athlete of the year (any sport):
3. Team of the year (boys or girls):
4. Athletic program of the year (overall):
5. Most inspirational person (athlete or coach):
6. Most likely to succeed at the next level (boy or girl):
7. Most gritty (boy or girl):
8. Unsung hero (coach or athlete)
9. Boys coach of the year:
10. Girls coach of the year:

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Freedom alum named All-SEC in track

Freedom grad Calvin Smith, a sprinter for the Florida Gators, was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference on Monday. Smith, a sophomore, earned the honor for his stellar efforts this spring in the 400 meters (he placed third in the conference, 45.83 seconds) and 4x400 relay (he ran the second leg on the SEC runnerup squad.).

Smith and his teammates will compete at the NCAA East Regional this week in Tallahassee.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Holle 'excited' by Gators' run

When the Florida Gator softball team earned a spot in the Women's College World Series during the weekend, Samantha Holle, a Chamberlain star and Gator commit, couldn't watch. That's because she had her own (travel ball) game to play. But not long after Holle exited the field, her mother gave her the news.

"I was pretty excited," Holle said.

A little while later, Holle, a rising senior who plays shortstop for the Chiefs, gave Florida coach Tim Walton a congratulatory phone call. "I told him, I'll be watching," Holle said.

When Holle committed to the Gators in January, Florida was just another team. But since then, the Gators have jumped onto the national stage by going 67-3, earning the No. 1 national ranking and reaching the WCWS.

"That was (Walton's) main goal," Holle said. "That's what he told me. He wanted to get to the world series and he wants to win it."

Holle is one of two county players committed to the Gators. Durant's Kelsey Horton, also a senior to be, is the other.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

ESPN The Magazine honors Freedom grad

Laura Gioia, a Freedom graduate and standout tennis player at Furman, has been named as a 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III selection. The junior was chosen to the second team. Gioia holds a 3.82 GPA with a Health & Exercise Science major. This spring, she was named Southern Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player -- and earned first-team all-conference honors for both singles and doubles. Gioia recently competed in the NCAA Division I Tournament. You can read more about her HERE.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Two more for McAllister

Clemson and West Virginia are the latest to step up to the plate and offer Alonso defensive tackle Demonte McAllister a scholarship. This should come as little surprise. Both schools traditionally have recruited the Sunshine State well, particularly West Virginia.

But the question is, are both too late?

McAllister (6-foot-3, 250 pounds), who burst onto the recruiting scene earlier this year when Florida State became the first to offer, plans to trim his list of schools to five next week. He told the Times on Thursday night that FSU and Southern California are assured of making the cut. The three remaining spots are "wide open," he said.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

TBT grad dazzles in first AFL start

An injury to another player got Tyrone Timmons into the Tampa Bay Storm lineup for the first time Friday night. But now, it looks like it will be hard to take him out of it.

Making his Arena Football League debut, Timmons electrified the crowd with seven catches for 69 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Cleveland. His final score, which came on an 8-yard pass from quarterback Brett Dietz, gave the Storm what proved to be an insurmountable 14-point lead with 4:21 to play.

When asked what he was most pleased with following the game, Storm coach Tim Marcum mentioned Timmons' name first. "How about No. 3?" he said. "Let's start there. He is a force." Later, Marcum said, "We've got to find a place for him."

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

Bloomy grad earns loss ... finally

Tip your cap to Bloomingdale grad Ryan Strauss.

It took 57 games this season, but Strauss, who plays for the Florida State Seminoles, finally earned his first loss of the season when FSU fell to Virginia 5-3 in the ACC Tournament on Friday night. Strauss, a senior right-hander, threw four-plus innings and allowed five hits and four earned runs in falling to 8-1 for the fourth-ranked Seminoles. He has a 4.39 ERA.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

An unlikely rivalry?

Was a football rivalry born in Ruskin Friday night?

Take from it what you will -- it was just one quarter of spring football -- but Lennard and Tampa Catholic are already jawing as if it were fall.

Yes that's right, defending Class 2A state finalist Tampa Catholic and Lennard, which won just one game last season.

But they're in the same district, and Friday night, Lennard came one fumbled field goal snap away from beating the Crusaders in the their quarter of play in a three-team round-robin jamboree that also included Spoto. The game ended scoreless after the Longhorns missed a 32-yard field goal attempt. Tampa Catholic committed a pair of costly 15-yard penalties to keep Lennard's drive alive.

In the postgame huddle, new Lennard coach George Edington reminded his team that the Crusaders last game was the state title game. 

"The reality is Lennard can take a moral victory if they like, but the bottom line is that we stopped ourselves with penalties on offense and we kept their drives alive with penalties on defense," Tampa Catholic coach Bob Henriquez said. "Their kids played hard. Our kids didn't play very smart. I guess a new rivalry is born, but it will be a different story when we come down here next year."

Edington is confident the Longhorns can play with TC.

"We needed a confidence builder so bad to start us out," Edington said. "We had our chance to beat these guys tonight and we let it slip a little bit there at the end. Other than that, up until this point, that's one of the better nights of our program. We've got talent. I expect us to compete next year. We've got a lot of seniors. We're going to be alright. We've got them coming over to our place next year, so hopefully we can turn the table on them. We're gonna try."

Lennard hosts Tampa Catholic on Oct. 31.

Spring wrapup ... what's your take?

With spring football practice concluding this week, now is the perfect time to talk about the upcoming season. With that in mind, here are a few questions for each of you to answer. Have fun!

1. Which team has the best chance of winning state and why?

2. Who is the area's top recruit?

3. Who is your sleeper team?

4. Who are the area's three best quarterbacks?

5. Which of the area's dominating defensive linemen would you want on your team?

6. Which team isn't deserving of the hype it has received?

7. Who will have the region's most dominant defense?

8. Who will have its best offense?

9. If you were an opposing coach, which skill player would scare you the most?

10. Who is our hardest hitter?

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Brinson named Knology athlete of the year

Northeast's Jeff Brinson was named the Knology Cup athlete of the year for Pinellas County.

Brinson, one of the nation's top running backs, rushed for 1,906 yards last season, including a county-record three 300-yard games. He also was a district champion in the shot put.

"It was a nice surprise to get this award," said Brinson, who has signed to play football wth Iowa.

Brinson will receive a $2,000 scholarship. He said he plans to use the money for airfare to visit his family during winter and spring breaks.

-- BOB PUTNAM

Leto's Deering is RB to watch

How good is Leto running back Jeremy Deering? On Friday, Falcons coach Hugh Dehnert said he was recently told by an assistant from a major college that program intended to offer Deering a scholarship sometime in the near future. And he's only a sophomore.

"He," Dehnert said, "is the most talented kid at the high school level I've ever been around. He's special."

Deering (6-foot-1, 190 pounds), who also is a standout in the 110-meter and 300 hurdles, rushed for nearly 500 yards last season. This fall, he'll split time in the backfield with senior-to-be Antwoun Howard, but Dehnert said a 1,000-yard season is possible. In Thursday night's 14-6 jamboree loss to Jesuit, Deering produced one run of 30-plus yards and was solid throughout the half.

"He's very, very explosive," Dehnert said. "If he gets a crease, he can go. He can score a touchdown at any moment."

-- KEITH NIEBUHR

No more steroids tests

Florida will no longer test high school athletes for steroids, Florida High School Athletic Association spokeswoman Cristina Alvarez confirmed Tuesday.

The one-year pilot testing program, established by the Florida Legislature last summer, was not renewed for several reasons including the state's financial crisis.

The program tested 700 students participating in football, baseball, softball and weightlifting at a cost of $100,000. Just one student-athlete, a football player, tested positive. Florida is one of the first states to randomly test high school athletes.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Private school all-star baseball game

A private school all-star baseball game between seniors from Pinellas County and Sarasota County will be played June 6 at Jack Russell Stadium in Clearwater.

Here is the roster for the Pinellas all-stars.

Jojo Hess, Northside Christian
Noah Smith, Indian Rocks Christian
Matt Oliphant, Indian Rocks Christian
Dave Pelletier, Admiral Farragut
Joey Cuda, Canterbury
Brandon Hamilton, Canterbury
Johnny Lancaster, Canterbury
Mitchell Todd, Canterbury
Jeff Reynolds, Shorecrest
Hashim Lakhani, Shorecrest
Ryan Kindt, Calvary Christian
Paul Meola, St. Petersburg Catholic
Ben Stewart, St. Petersburg Catholic

Coaches:
Raul Hernandez, Northside Christian
Charlie Guastella, St. Petersburg Catholic
Dave Smith, Canterbury

-- BOB PUTNAM

Pinellas Park to select finalists next week

Pinellas Park athletic director Leslie Hopkins said he will whittle down the field of 17 applicants for the boys basketball position this weekend and will have a list of finalists next week.

Hopkins said of the 17 applicants, about one-fourth were from Pinellas County. The interview process likely will last the next two weeks and a head coach should be named by the end of the school year.

The Times will get the list of finalsts next week.

-- BOB PUTNAM

Bellamy to play tonight

Dunedin running back Darius Bellamy, who sat out most of the spring to work on his grades, will play in tonight's game against Bradenton Southeast.

Falcons coach Mark Everett said Bellamy had the required 2.0 GPA to play this spring, but he wanted to see him improve his grades to remain eligible in the fall.

"(Darius) came back with two solid progress reports, so we let him participate the final week of spring practice," Everett said.

Bellamy, who rushed for more than 1,900 yards last season, committed to USF two months ago.

-- BOB PUTNAM

Gaither's Lattimore drawing Division I-A interest

Gaither coach Mark Kantor is convinced standout running back Jarvis Giles won't be the Cowboys' only Division I-A recruit. By the time all is said and done, he thinks wide receiver Justin Lattimore will be one, too. Kantor said Friday that Lattimore is among the best receivers he has coached, and he has coached some good ones (USF's Carlton Mitchell comes to mind). Lattimore (6-foot-3, 217 pounds) is unique for his position because he is strong (he started the 2007 season at tight end), fast, has solid leaping ability and soft hands.

"He's more physical than the others I've coached, which gives you a different dimension," Kantor said. "Justin has the physical tools to be a very good tight end/receiver (in college)."

Thus far, Ball State, Florida Atlantic, Kansas, Miami, Missouri, Nebraska, UCF, USF and Wake Forest have shown interest. As more schools check out Giles, who is arguably the area's top running back recruit, Kantor thinks it will only help Lattimore.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Area softball standouts impressing at Francis Marion

Francis Marion University's Shannan Tyson and Jessica Birchmeier were named to the 2008 Louisville Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association NCAA Division II South Atlantic All-Region second team squad the school announced Thursday.

Tyson, who played for Seminole and was named to the Times all-county second team in her senior season with the Warhawks, hit leadoff for Francis Marion and batted .377, scoring 38 runs and driving in 28. A junior shortstop at Francis Marion, Tyson tied a school single-season record with 21 doubles and hit in 25 consecutive games at one point.

Former Ridgewood standout Birchmeier, a sophomore left fielder for Francis Marion, led the Patriots in batting average (.383) and RBIs (42) while hitting 13 doubles and four home runs.

Tyson and Birchmeier were named to the Peach Belt All-Conference team following the season. The duo led Francis Marion to a 39-16 record -- the third-highest win total in school history -- and the team's first-ever Division II national tournament bid.

-- BRYAN BURNS

Middleton names new girls basketball coach

Middleton has named Bernadette Morgan-Smith as its new girls basketball coach, athletic director Derrick  Gaines said Thursday.

Morgan-Smith, who is a teacher at Middleton, is a King High graduate. This is her first head coaching job.

"She is a good solid person," Gaines said. "She will bring a lot of energy and knowledge to the position."

Morgan-Smith wil take over a team that just 6-15 this past year and loses its top two scorers, including leading scorer Quinette Johnson (16.1 ppg).

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Larry the Cable Guy Gits-R-Done in WPB

There's a neat story out of Palm Beach County, where the Berean Christian football team has been resurrected after a 27-year hiatus. And it happened largely because of famed comedian Larry the Cable Guy, whose real name is Dan Whitney. Whitney, 45, played football at Berean Christian, a parochial school in suburban West Palm Beach, in 1980 and '81. When word got back to him the school was trying to restart the program, he opened his wallet to Git-R-Done. You can read more about Larry the Cable Guy in today's Palm Beach Post. For your viewing pleasure, here's a photo from Whitney today (left) and another from his high school yearbook.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Two new offers for Hillsborough RB, plus interest from FSU

Hillsborough running back Lindsey Lamar, who already had scholarship offers from schools such as USF, Boston College and Wake Forest, has picked up two more -- from Rutgers and Toledo. But the big news is that a new school has entered the picture.

Florida State.

Seminoles offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher watched the Terriers play Thursday night and the team has started to show "a lot of interest" during the past week, Lamar said. That makes sense. Lamar (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) is one of the state's elite sprinters, and the FSU roster is in need of a speed upgrade. Lamar rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last fall on close to eight yards per carry.

Lamar has said he wants to play football and run track in college. FSU arguably has the nation's top track program. The Seminoles have won back-to-back national titles.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Friday's spring football scoreboard

If you can't make tonight's area spring football classics or jamborees, check out our live scoreboards on the main high school page at highschool.tampabay.com.

Here are tonight's games:

Hernando County
Ocala West Port at Hernando, 7

Hillsborough County
Spoto, Tampa Catholic at Lennard, 6:30
Freedom, Wharton, Tampa Bay Tech at King, 6:30

Pinellas County
Bradenton Southeast at Dunedin, 7
Northside Christian at Seminole, 7
Sarasota at Dixie Hollins, 7
Bradenton Christian at Shorecrest, 7
Pinellas Park at North Port, 7
East Lake at Port Charlotte, 7
Tarpon Springs at Venice, 7 

Jesuit alum Crumbley honored

Jesuit graduate J.J. Crumbley, a senior pitcher at Division I Florida Gulf Coast, has been named first-team All-Atlantic Sun Conference. A right-handed reliever, Crumbley was 6-2 with five saves this spring and had a 1.50 ERA in 24 appearances (at one point, he threw 31 consecutive scoreless innings). He was the only reliever selected to the team. Crumbley finished his career by posting school records in appearances (86) and saves (14). The Eagles finished the season 38-15 overall and 25-8 in the conference. But they were not eligible to play in the postseason as a first-year Division I program per NCAA rules.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Two of McAllister's final five set

Alonso defensive tackle Demonte McAllister, one of the state's top recruits in the Class of 2009, said after the Ravens' spring jamboree Thursday night that he will likely announce his five finalists next week. Two teams are assured of being on that list, he said -- Florida State and Southern California.

"I'm going to go ahead and knock it down," McAllister said. Who else will make the list? McAllister gave no hints, saying only he was "open." Florida, Miami, USF, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State and North Carolina are some of the other notable programs that have offered him scholarships.

Scout.com rates McAllister (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) as the country's 97th's best prospect.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Bad back can't slow down Dixie Hollins star

A herniated disk could have derailed Dixie Hollins softball pitcher Camille Morgan and her dreams of playing collegiately after back surgeries in December of 2006 and June of 2007 sidelined her for all but five games of her junior season. The back ailment also robbed Morgan of the summer travel ball circuit, which is important for getting noticed by college scouts.

So, when Morgan started playing at 100% again this January and was awarded a full scholarship from St. Petersburg College in the same month, the senior decided to commit immediately to the two-year program.

"I didn't play that much over the summer," said Morgan, who started 20 of 22 games for Dixie Hollins on the mound and batted over .500 in leading the Rebels to the region quarterfinals. "SPC was the first to offer, so I took it. It's close to home."

Morgan said she is thinking about studying psychology at SPC but is still "up in the air." She hopes to move to a four-year program after her