Eric Smith files harassment charges against alleged victim

Auburn RB Eric Smith, the former Armwood star arrested recently and charged with third-degree assault and disorderly conduct, is fighting back against the alleged victim.

The Opelika Auburn News is reporting tonight that Smith “has filed charges of harassment against the Auburn student he allegedly assaulted outside a local hotel.”

Arrangements have been made for Decari Jenkins to surrender to Auburn police, assistant police chief Tommy Dawson told the paper.

Smith is due in court Nov. 5.

He could face up to a year in jail and no more than a $6,000 fine if convicted of the assault charge, a Class A misdemeanor. According to the paper, “another court date will be set for the allegations against Jenkins, but the two cases could very well be settled at the same time.”

Paper addresses Stephen Garcia’s pros and cons

On Thursday night, former Jefferson standout Stephen Garcia officially becomes THE man at South Carolina That's when, as the starting quarterback, he’ll lead the Gamecocks against N.C. State in both teams' opener.

Garcia has started games before, but never before has he been this clearly entrenched as the No. 1 QB for USC and its slightly demanding coach, that Steve Spurrier guy.

To mark the occasion, the Myrtle Beach Sun News has offerd up five reasons for USC fans to be confident in Garcia and five reasons to worry about him.

On the plus side, the paper notes that “Garcia has a strong arm and quick feet."

But it counters that “Garcia has a bit of that Brett Favre gunslinger mentality” and says too many of his throws “often turn into interceptions.”

You can find the complete story HERE.

--KEITH NIEBUHR

Football: Mitchell adjusts to life without Cody Van De Boe

Mustangs quarterback Cody Van De Boe should have a more definitive prognosis Tuesday after suffering a slightly torn medial collateral ligament in Thursday's preseason loss to Hudson.

Mitchell coach Brian Wachtel said Van De Boe is out a "minimum of six weeks." If surgery is required it could prolong his absence, Wachtel said.

In the meantime, Mitchell quarterback Matt Michaels - a River Ridge transfer - is the new starter this week against his old team.

"He's got tremendous speed and size (6-2, 180 pounds) and runs the option well," Wachtel said. "He's working on his arm strength. ...I have 100 percent confidence in Matt. He's a great scrambler. ...We're adjusting our game plan to what our strengths are. In the end, the gameplan put together is what best fits our team's personnel."

Wachtel said Van De Boe will continue to help the team in various ways such as helping feed plays to Michaels during games.

How has Van De Boe taken the setback?

"About as well as could be expected," Wachtel said.

-- IZZY GOULD

Football: FIU offers Nature Coast junior Ja'Juan Story

Nature Coast athlete Ja'Juan Story, the younger brother of running back Antwan Story, received his first Division I offer last week when Florida International made a verbal offer to the Sharks' junior.

 

Story (6-foot-4, 180 pounds) was the starting quarterback for the JV last season before being called up to varsity mid-season. He even started a game and played the first half in a game against Crystal River..

 

Story is expected to play wide receiver this season, but is capable of playing various positions and will contribute on defense in the secondary. He has  run a 4.3, 40-yard dash according to Shark assistant Robert Kazmier, who confirmed the FIU offer.

 

The Golden Panthers are an up-and-coming FBS program from the Sun Belt Conference. The team finished 5-7 in 2008. Story wouldn't be the first player from the area to attend FIU. Former Central lineman Andy Leavine is currently a senior starter on the offensive line for the Golden Panthers.

-- Derek J. LaRiviere, Times correspondent

Dandy Dozen: Week 1 volleyball rankings

Last year, four bay area teams survived an arduous regular-season schedule and do-or-die region playoff games to advance to the state semifinals at the Lakeland Center. Once again, Tampa Bay is well-stocked with superstar athletes and championship-caliber teams. Plant and Berkeley Prep appear as strong as ever; beyond those two, the picture is a bit less focused. With that in mind, here's our first Dandy Dozen installment for the 2009 season.

1. Plant
New district: 6A-8; Old district: 5A-10
Outlook: The only team in the bay area to win a state title last year, Plant has earned the right to open the 2009 season in the top spot. The Panthers are trying to win a fourth-straight state championship, which would be a first for the volleyball powerhouse. They have the firepower to do so with Maddie Martin, Becca Howard (left) and Ali McCurdy all returning for their senior seasons.

2. Berkeley Prep
New district: 3A-10; Old district: 3A-11
Outlook: Not much separates the first two teams; Berkeley Prep was the only Florida school to defeat Plant last season. Berkeley’s talented trio of timbers – OH Jordan Burgess (6-foot), MB Lindsay Young (6-foot-1) and S MacKenzie Dagostino (5-foot-10) – will try to lead the Buccaneers to a 13th state title. They currently have 12, which ranks second in the bay area behind Tampa Prep’s 15.

3. Palm Harbor University
New district: 6A-7; Old district: 5A-9
Outlook: Seniors Cassie Wilkinson and Cassie Roy, a Mercer University commit, lead a loaded PHU squad. The Hurricanes went 24-4 last season, but were swept in three games by Plant in the region semifinals. The Panthers remain in the same region, so the Hurricanes will have to find a way to narrow that gap if they hope to advance deeper into the playoffs.

Armwood hires Patrick Kelly as new girls basketball coach

Patrick Kelly has been hired to be Armwood's new girls basketball coach, Armwood athletic director Don Hill announced Monday.

Kelly was a Armwood boys basketball assistant under head coach Jeff Pafunda for the past two seasons. He will replace Billy Teeden, who left to become he head boys basketball coach at East Bay.

"He was very enthusiastic and was excited about the opportunity to be the be the top guy," Hill said. "He loves the game of basketball and was looking to become a head coach. We interviewed many candidates and he jumped out at us."

Kelly inherits a team that went 21-5 last season and advanced to the Class 5A region quarterfinals. The Hawks lose five of their top seven scorers to graduation, but return leading scorer Deandra Davis, who averaged 13.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.6 steals a game last year as a junior.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Few more furlongs needed in Wharton QB derby

The battle for Wharton's starting quarterback job officially has stretched into the regular season.

Wildcats offensive coordinator Craig Rainey said Monday a review of Friday night's 15-13 preseason win against Bloomingdale offered no sign of a clear frontrunner among juniors Tanner Stocker and Ryan Hatter and senior Deandre Mills.

"They are making this hard on us," Rainey said.

All three played against the Bulls, with coaches trying to give them an equal number of snaps, Rainey said. Hatter had the lone touchdown pass, a 27-yarder to Xavier Fisher.

"To be honest with you, we discussed it a little on Saturday and truthfully, we don't have an answer yet," Rainey said. "They all three bring something different to the game."

Wharton opens the regular season Friday against Spoto, which has a unique quarterback situation of its own: Spartans seniors Jamar Burns and James Brown are brothers. 

JOEY KNIGHT

Preseason video series: Top running backs

Our preseason video series continues with our look at the area's top running backs. Next up: Top playmakers.

Previous videos (including our elite 8 teams):
Top defenders
Top quarterbacks
No. 1 Plant
No. 2 Armwood
No. 3 Largo
No. 4 Hillsborough
No. 5 Tampa Bay Tech
No. 6 Tampa Catholic
No. 7 Countryside
No. 8 Nature Coast
Highlights from the first day of practice

Sickles' Amber Henson makes jump to ESPN's fourth best junior prospect

From the moment John and Amber Henson moved to Tampa from Texas, the argument began about which one would be the bigger college prospect.

John Henson, now a freshman at North Carolina, was ranked the No. 3 prospect in the nation last year.

And now Amber, a junior at Sickles, is ranked the No. 4 junior prospect in the nation in the most recent ESPNU HoopGurlz Class of 2011 Super 60, which was released Monday.

Amber Henson is also rated the top forward in the Class of 2011 by ESPNU.

She was previously ranked No. 6 by ESPNU.

As a sophomore, Amber Henson was named the Times Hillsborough County girls basketball player of the year. She averaged 19.2 points and 11.3 rebounds, 4.5 blocks, 2.5 assists and 2.4 steals.

-- EDUARDO A. ENCINA

Notes from the U … Palm Harbor U.

PALM HARBOR -- Because the Palm Harbor University football team returned only three starters from last year, the Hurricanes needed an exhibition game more than most.

Just to see what they have.

Well, it turns out what they have might not be so bad.

In a 28-14 win over Clearwater Central Catholic last week, PHU was far from perfect, but coach Mark Haye’s youthful team did enough things right to give fans of the program reason for hope.

“All in all,” Haye said, “it wasn’t a bad start.”

Here are some notes from the game:

-RB Scott Santangelo, one of the team’s most electrifying players, started at tailback and rushed for 80 yards. "He runs extremely hard and has great vision,” Haye said. “He’s not a blazer, but he’s a very, very strong runner.”