High-tech swimsuits banned in high school swimming

Via press release from the Florida High School Athletic Association:

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (August 11, 2009) — High-tech swimsuits that have been linked to record performances at all levels of competition the past couple of years have been banned for high school competition, effective immediately.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee approved changes to Rule 3-2-2 that will make the high-tech swimsuit no longer a legal suit for swimmers at the high school level. The committee’s recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Effective immediately, swimmers shall be limited to one swimsuit, which shall be constructed of a woven/knit textile material, permeable to water and air, constructed so as not to aid in buoyancy, and shall not contain zippers or other fastening systems. In addition, the suit shall be constructed so that the style/shape for males shall not extend above the waist or below the top of the kneecap and for females shall not extend beyond the shoulders or below the top of the kneecap, and it shall not cover the neck.

LIVE BASEBALL: Plant vs. Charlotte (Game 3)

Softball starting lineup: week 8

1. Chamberlain (19-1)
On tap: Tues. vs. Alonso; Fri. and Sat. at Bill Longshore Memorial Classic in Naples, Gold Division; Game 1 vs. Miami Westminster, 6:30 p.m.
Why the Chiefs are ranked: After a week off, Chamberlain returns to action with a non-district game against Alonso before traveling to Naples for the Bill Longshore Memorial Classic. Remember, it was Alonso who beat Plant by five runs at the Spring Fling tournament. Chamberlain defeated the Panthers by three runs on two separate occasions, so a win against the Ravens is far from automatic. The Longshore Memorial features eight teams, including host Naples, which is ranked No. 3 nationally in the latest ESPN RISE Fab 50. The Chiefs are guaranteed three games in the tournament.

2. Pinellas Park (21-2)
On tap: Tues. at East Lake
Why the Patriots are ranked: Pinellas Park kept its position as the best team in Pinellas with a 1-0, 12 inning win over Countryside last Thursday. Pitcher Sara Nevins recorded 16 strikeouts and pitched all 12 innings to get her 21st victory of the season. Nevins was also the only Patriot to pick up two hits in the game. Her bunt single in the 12th put runners at first and second base with no outs, and Tatum Mcdowell, right, followed with the game’s biggest hit, a RBI single to centerfield that scored Samantha Martin. The Patriots will play East Lake for the third time on Tuesday. The Eagles knocked off the Patriots in a district game the first time the two teams played. Pinellas Park rebounded to beat East Lake at the Palm Harbor University tournament over Spring Break.

3. Sickles (16-3)
On tap: Tues. at Leto; Thurs. at King; Fri. and Sat. at Bill Longshore Memorial Classic in Naples, Navy Division; Game 1 vs. St. Thomas Aquinas, 6:30 p.m.
Why the Gryphons are ranked: Sickles also travels to Naples for the Longshore Memorial but will be in the Navy Division. Eau Gallie, rated No. 11 nationally by ESPN RISE, is the highest ranked team in Sickles’ division. The Gryphons would have to play Eau Gallie in the semifinals should both teams win their opening game.

4. Countryside (16-6)
On tap: Friday, PCAC championship at Countryside
Why the Cougars are ranked: Countryside has lost three of its last five games, but all five have come against top competition. The Cougars looked awfully impressive in beating East Lake by eight runs last week. And their come-from-behind victory over Palm Harbor University today earned the Cougars a spot in the PCAC championship game, where they will go for their third-straight county title. Injuries, however, are starting to mount up for Countryside. Starting left fielder Shelby O’Donnell hurt her wrist in warm-ups prior to the East Lake game, and starting right fielder Devika Choo Chew tweaked a previously-injured knee in the PHU win. O’Donnell has a cast on her wrist, so she can’t bat or field, although she did come on as a pinch runner against PHU. The severity of Choo Chew’s injury is still unknown.

5. Palm Harbor University (19-4)
On tap: Tues. at Northeast
Why the Hurricanes are ranked: PHU looked all set to leapfrog Countryside after taking a 6-1 lead against the Cougars going into the bottom of the fourth inning today. But Countryside rallied for eight runs in their half of the fourth to keep the Hurricanes in our five hole. PHU was able to rough up Countryside pitcher Alyssa Bache for ten hits, an accomplish in itself. Madison O’Brien and Laura Herndon each had two hits for the ‘Canes, and Kaitlyn Santo, back in the starting lineup after being injured much of the season, had a single and a 2 RBI triple. The Hurricanes wrap up the regular season Tuesday against Northeast.

6. Newsome (18-5)
On tap: Tues. vs. Plant City; Thurs. at Riverview
Why the Wolves are ranked: Newsome was idle last week but has tough games against area rivals Plant City and Riverview this week. Both of those should be good tests for the Wolves as they enter districts. Newsome earned the No. 1 seed for the 5A-8 tournament after going 14-0 in district play. The Wolves averaged 11 runs in district games and gave up just eight runs total. Eight of their wins came by shutout. Only one was close, a 3-2 nailbiter against Bloomingdale a month after the Wolves blanked the Bulls 6-0.

7. Plant (17-5)
On tap: Tues. at Bloomingdale
Why the Panthers are ranked: Plant advanced to the region finals last season for the first time since 2000, but a return this year doesn’t appear to be in the cards. To get there, the Panthers would have to beat a team from 5A-9 (most likely Pinellas Park, PHU or East Lake) in the region quarterfinals. Then Plant would face either Chamberlain or another 5A-9 team in the region semifinals. The Panthers have already dropped two games to Chamberlain this season, and defeating two teams from 5A-9 in back-to-back games seems like a tall order considering Plant has just one win against a team with a winning record (Hillsborough).

8. Mitchell (16-6)
On tap: Tues. vs. Land O’Lakes; Fri. vs. Zephyrhills
Why the Mustangs are ranked: Mitchell destroyed Pasco 11-5 last Tuesday to claim the top spot among the North Suncoast teams. Cortney Radke, left, started and struck out eight batters to get the win. Radke also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs. Heather Muccino was 3-for-5 with a double and a RBI, Stephanie Palazzolo was 2-for-4 with a triple and a RBI and Olivia Kline was 2-for-5 with a double for the Mustangs. Mitchell will continue its stretch against the North Suncoast’s top teams with regular-season ending matchups with Land O’Lakes and Zephyrhills.

9. Bloomingdale (18-5)
On tap: Tues vs. Plant; Fri. at Durant
Why the Bulls are ranked: Since an abysmal 1-0 loss to Brandon, Bloomingdale has won nine games in a row to enter the Starting Lineup for the first time this season. Included in that win streak is a 9-3 victory over Riverview and a 6-0 shutout of River Ridge to win the Spring Fling tournament. The Bulls need victories over Plant and Durant this week to stay in the rankings. They’ll enter the 5A-8 district tournament as the No. 2 seed.

On the bench, waiting their turn (in alphabetical order): East Bay (13-8), East Lake (16-6), Land O’Lakes (13-2), Pasco (20-4), Plant City (17-5), River Ridge (17-4), St. Petersburg Catholic (19-3), Tampa Catholic (14-2), Zephyrhills (15-6)

Softball Starting Lineup: week 6

1. Chamberlain (15-0)
On tap: Tues. vs. Jefferson; Thurs. vs. Space Coast (Cocoa), Kissimmee Klassic Blue Division; Tournament through Saturday, double elimination
Why the Chiefs are ranked: Alexandra Hartshorn threw a two-hitter and Samantha Holle had two doubles in an impressive 6-0 victory over Gaither on Friday. The Chiefs earned a No. 19 national ranking in the first ESPN RISE fab 50 softball poll. They’ll get a chance to prove such high praise this weekend at the 17th annual Kissimmee Klassic, always a measuring stick for the state’s elite. Chamberlain drew Space Coast in the first round, which was ranked No. 22 in the same national poll. Win there and Niceville (No. 14) is the likely quarterfinal opponent. The Chiefs could draw Countryside or Newsome in the semifinals.

2. Pinellas Park (19-3)
On tap: No games scheduled
Why the Patriots are ranked: When the Patriots are hitting, they’re nearly unbeatable, which was the case Saturday at Palm Harbor University’s spring softball tournament. Pinellas Park pitcher Sara Nevins mowed down 17 batters in a 3-0 win over Osceola, then smashed a three-run home run with the Patriots trailing East Lake 3-2 in the fourth to rally for the 6-3 victory. Too bad the Patriots couldn’t have played Countryside, the winner of the other bracket. Would have been fun to see Nevins and Alyssa Bache battle head-to-head. Combined strikeouts between the two might have reached triple digits. The teams are slated to play April 9, though that date has already been moved once.

3. Sickles (14-3)
On tap: Tues. vs. Robinson; Wed. vs. Wharton
Why the Gryphons are ranked: A 6-1 victory over Gaither on Tuesday wrapped up the No. 1 seed for Sickles in the 6A-7 district tournament. Sickles junior pitcher Chelsea Oglevie, left, limited the Cowboys to one run on four hits. Alyssa Hobday had two RBIs to complete a season sweep of Gaither. The Gryphons play non-league games this week against Robinson and Wharton heading into Spring Break for Hillsborough County next week.

4. Countryside (13-3)
On tap: Thurs. vs. Miami Palmetto, Kissimmee Klassic Blue Division; Tournament through Saturday, double elimination
Why the Cougars are ranked: Countryside rockets back into the poll after Saturday’s 1-0 shutout of Palm Harbor University to win their bracket at the Hurricanes' softball tournament. All-Suncoast Player of the Year candidate Alyssa Bache made quick work of the PHU lineup. She struck out six, surrendered three hits and walked one. Hurricanes had five base runners, only one of which reached second base. Bache also drew two walks at the plate. Cougars win a tiebreaker for the second seed in 6A-7 district tourney after finishing even with Gaither (7-3 in district), one game behind Sickles (8-2). Countryside split with the higher-seeded Sickles; Gaither lost both games to the Gryphons. So, Countryside gets the No. 2 seed and the opening round bye. Added bonus: they’ll only need to win one district tourney game to advance to regionals.

5. Pasco (16-1)
On tap: Tues. vs. Nature Coast; Wed. at River Ridge; Thurs. at Sunlake
Why the Pirates are ranked: Pasco can claim North Suncoast supremacy after a cathartic, 6-0 win over Land O’Lakes. Colena Lazar, right, had a phenomenal performance for the Pirates, striking out 10 batters and keeping the Gators off the scoreboard. Six Pasco batters recorded hits in the game. Lucy Schneider went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Latoya Lewis was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Just a solid all-around victory for the Pirates, who get no rest with tough games against Nature Coast, River Ridge and Sunlake this week.

6. Palm Harbor University (17-3)
On tap: No games scheduled
Why the Hurricanes are ranked: Palm Harbor University had no answer against Countryside’s Bache in a 1-0 loss to the Cougars. At times this season, the Hurricanes have succumbed to dominant pitching. Their three losses have come against Nevins twice and now Bache. The Hurricanes finally got their leadoff batter on base for the first time after Laura Herndon’s infield single to start the seventh. Courtney O’Connell sacrificed Herndon to second, and PHU coach Chuck Poetter pulled Kaitlyn Santo off the bench to pinch hit. Santo, who has missed a majority of the season due to injury, crushed a home run earlier in the day in the Hurricanes 20-2 win over Seminole, but she struck out against Bache. The Hurricanes final batter, Stephanie Koutsoumbaris, also fanned to complete Bache’s dominating afternoon.

7. Plant (15-3)
On tap: Tues. at Gaither; Thurs. vs. Southwest Miami, Kissimmee Klassic Gold Division; Tournament through Saturday, double elimination
Why the Panthers are ranked: An 8-3 loss to Alonso at the Spring Fling tournament was a disappointing result for a Plant team in need of quality out-of-district wins. So far, the Panthers have beaten Durant (that’s sub-.500 Durant) and…and…hmm, well that’s about it. Plant and Alonso entered the seventh tied at 3 in their matchup, but the Ravens scored five runs in the final inning to earn the upset win. The Panthers recovered to shutout Lennard and Jefferson, but those wins will hardly scare anybody. Plant needs a good showing at this weekend’s Kissimmee Klassic to stay in the Starting Lineup.

8. Plant City (17-3)
On tap: Tues. at East Bay; Fri vs. Durant
Why the Raiders are ranked: Plant City pulled out of last weekend’s Spring Fling tournament to heal up for an important slate of district games this week. The Raiders' game at East Bay on Tuesday is more or less for the No. 1 seed in the 6A-8 district tournament. East Bay defeated Plant City 1-0 in early March to hand the Raiders their first district loss. If the Raiders can exact revenge, they’ll regain first place. Then they can clinch the top seed with a win Friday against Durant. A loss to East Bay and the Indians win the district outright.

9. Newsome (15-3)
On tap: Tues. vs. Freedom; Thurs. vs. West Orange, Kissimmee Klassic Blue Division; Tournament through Saturday; double elimination
Why the Wolves are ranked: Newsome has quietly put together a 13-game win streak after starting the season 2-3. The Wolves strength of schedule will receive a huge boost this weekend at the Kissimmee Klassic. Newsome boasts three players – Bailey Schinella (.595), Felicia Heaser (.533) and Jenn Owens (.500) in the top ten among Hillsborough hitters.

On the bench, waiting their turn (in alphabetical order): Bloomingdale (16-5), East Lake (14-5), Gaither (10-6), Land O’Lakes (11-2), Mitchell (13-5), River Ridge (16-4), St. Petersburg Catholic (15-3), Tampa Catholic (12-2).

-- BRYAN BURNS