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Recruiting

  • Girls Basketball: Jefferson F Shayla Wilson commits to North Florida

    Girls Basketball: Jefferson F Shayla Wilson commits to North Florida Jefferson girls basketball player Shayla Wilson has committed to North Florida, her mother, Evelyn, said Friday. Wilson, who measures 6-foot-1, is the first player from Jefferson, male or female, to collect both 1,000 points and rebounds in a career and led this year's Dragons with 14.6 points per game. Jefferson ...
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    Sat. May 19, 2012 at 2:59 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Baseball: Wharton P Collin Woody commits to College of Central Florida

    Baseball: Wharton P Collin Woody commits to College of Central Florida Wharton pitcher Collin Woody committed to the College of Central Florida, a junior college in Lecanto, Fla., he said Saturday in a text message. Along with fellow senior hurler Shaun Rubin, Woody led Wharton (21-9) in its most successful season in program history as the Wildcats won their first first ...
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    Sat. May 19, 2012 at 1:04 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • East Lake's Balazs Orzo signs with Lindenwood

    East Lake’s Balazs Orzo signed with Lindenwood University, an NAIA school in Belleville, Ill.  Orzo, a 6-foot-5 small forward, was a second-team all-conference selection who helped the Eagles finish 20-7 and advance to the Class 8A region semifinals for the first time. He averaged 8.2 points and a team-high 7.6 ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 5:14 p.m. | Bob Putnam

  • Two Gibbs basketball players sign

    Gibbs basketball players Javonta Pearson and Marquel Walton each signed with colleges this past week, Gladiators coach Larry Murphy said. Pearson, who averaged 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and helped Gibbs win the conference title, is headed to Tuskegee University. Walton, who graduated in 2011 and started on ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 5:09 p.m. | Bob Putnam

  • East Bay's Duque finds juco home

    East Bay's Duque finds juco home East Bay senior guard Dario Duque, who helped lead the Indians to their first district boys basketball title in 42 years this past season, will sign with South Georgia Technical College, a two-year program in Americus, Ga. Indians coach Billy Teeden and Ben Bromley, Duque's travel-ball coach, confirmed the commitment. ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 2:40 p.m. | Joey Knight

  • Knights' Hector lands first offer

    Robinson two-way standout Bruce Hector, among five returning senior starting offensive linemen from 2011, has been offered by Akron, Knights coaches confirmed earlier this week. It's the first offer for the Gulf transfer, an offensive guard and defensive tackle. A second-team offensive lineman on the Times' all-county team last season, Hector was ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 12:05 p.m. | Joey Knight

  • Springstead DE heading to Polar Bears

    Springstead DE/TE Austin Howell will sign with Ohio Northern University next week, Eagles assistant Dustin Kupcik said Friday morning. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior recorded 38 tackles and a sack last fall. The Polar Bears are a Division III school in Ada, Ohio. They finished 6-4 last season.
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:08 a.m. | Matt Baker

  • AATL's Oliver signs with Oklahoma school

    AATL's Oliver signs with Oklahoma school Academy at the Lakes guard Amelia Oliver has signed with Bacone College in Muskogee, Okla.  Oliver led the Wildcats with 18.9 points per game and shot 47 percent from the field during her senior season. She was one of AATL’s top players this winter and helped the team advance to ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 1:59 p.m. | Matt Baker

  • Ball State Cardinals offer Hernando ATH Tyrail Hawkins

    Tyrail Hawkins, Hernando (5-foot-11, 180 pounds) The latest: Ball State handed the Leopards athlete his first Division I offer Thursday, Hernando coach John Palmer said. Hawkins is the second senior-to-be on his team to get a D-I offer, after pass rusher Darren Hambrick. Offers: Georgia Southern, Ball State Last season: ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 1:45 p.m. | Matt Baker

  • Tampa Catholic OL Corey Martinez receives first SEC offer

      Tampa Catholic OL Corey Martinez, a rising junior, picked up his 2nd verbal offer from Kentucky, his father, Ronnie, said. Martinez, who stands at 6-foot-4 and weighs 305 pounds, also has an offer from USF.  Martinez figures to be one of the top area recruits from the class of 2014 ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 12:47 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Baseball: Alonso 3B Juan Bracamonte signs with Webber

    Baseball: Alonso 3B Juan Bracamonte signs with Webber Alonso 3B Juan Bracamonte signed with Webber International, Ravens coach Landy Faedo announced Wednesday. Bracamonte, who was voted the team's most improved player, led Alonso's regulars with a .429 batting average and two triples. The two-year starter also scored 13 runs, drove in six runs and was a perfect 13-for-13 in stolen ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 8:17 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Baseball: Bloomingdale 2B Nolan Schrenker commits to Newberry College

    Baseball: Bloomingdale 2B Nolan Schrenker commits to Newberry College Bloomingdale 2B Nolan Schrenker committed to Division II Newberry (S.C.) College Wednesday, he said via text message. Schrenker, the leadoff hitter for the Bulls (22-4), hit .370 with a team-high nine doubles and 30 runs scored. Schrenker also hit a triple, a home run, drove in 17 runs and stole ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 5:09 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Springstead wrestlers sign to compete at the next level

    Three-time state champion and two-time national champion Cody Ross has signed with the University of North Carolina for the upcoming fall. Ross, who owns the Springstead records for wins (186), was dominant in his tenure with the Eagles. He had narrowed his choices  to American, James Madison, Tennessee-Chattanooga, Duke, North ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 2:47 p.m. | Derek J. LaRiviere

    • Recruit: Sean Redman
      Temple, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
    • Recruit: Cody Ross
      North Carolina

  • Two Countryside baseball players sign with colleges

    Countryside pitcher/outfielder Vinny Ballantoni and outfielder Adam Rasmussen have signed college letters of intent. Ballantoni will attend Rollins College in the fall while Rasmussen will play at Florida Christian College in Kissimmee. Ballantoni was 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA for the Cougars this season. Rasmussen hit .270 with three doubles.
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 1:10 p.m. | Rodney Page

  • Gaither DE Ernest Suttles picks up first BCS offer, third MAC offer

    Gaither DE Ernest Suttles picked up his third offer from a MAC school when Ball State offered him, Cowboys coach Jason Stokes said Wednesday morning. Later in the day, Indiana became the first BCS school to extend Suttles an offer.  The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Suttles, who also holds offers from Ohio ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 10:27 a.m. | Laura Keeley

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Special reports

Spring football 2012 Spring football 2012

Latest news

  • State baseball: Venice denies Brandon the Class 7A title

    State baseball: Venice denies Brandon the Class 7A title PORT ST. LUCIE — It was a remarkable run for Brandon, a team with no college commits or transfers that won 10 in a row to advance to the Class 7A state championship game. Of course the Eagles would have preferred to walk away with the first baseball title in ...
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    Sun. May 20, 2012 at 9:16 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Baseball: Canterbury seniors finally have state bragging rights

    Baseball: Canterbury seniors finally have state bragging rights ST. PETERSBURG — Around this time last year, Canterbury’s softball team was busy winning a Class A state championship. The Crusaders’ baseball team wasn’t so busy. While happy for their classmates, returning members of the baseball team made mental notes. They wanted to be the ones getting pats on the ...
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    Sat. May 19, 2012 at 5:42 p.m. | Rodney Page

  • Brandon High reaches state baseball final

    Brandon High reaches state baseball final PORT ST. LUCIE — After waking up at 6 a.m., the Brandon baseball team stumbled through its pregame fielding warmups. Three straight singles by the first three Eagles batters resulted in zero runs in the top of the first. And then three fielding errors in the bottom half of the ...
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    Sat. May 19, 2012 at 3:05 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Former Plant coach Mike Phillips gets job in Tennessee

    Former Plant coach Mike Phillips gets job in Tennessee Fourteen months after being dismissed as Plant boys basketball coach, Mike Phillips is getting another shot at running a program. Phillips confirmed to the Times on Saturday morning that he has been hired as coach at Rhea County (Tenn.) High, located roughly 30 miles north of Chattanooga. The job reportedly ...
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    Sat. May 19, 2012 at 10:18 a.m. | Joey Knight

  • Complaint filed in 2010 alleged recruiting by Armwood

    Complaint filed in 2010 alleged recruiting by Armwood Just last month, when discussing the Florida High School Athletic Association’s six-month investigation into the Armwood High School football program, executive director Roger Dearing said, “We don’t suspect anybody from Armwood recruited.” And when the organization’s 45-page preliminary report was released Monday, the focus was on the five players on ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:54 p.m. | Laura Keeley

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Latest Football News

  • Spring football: Agape Christian 38, Cambridge 0

    At Skyway ParkScore: Agape Christian 38, Cambridge 0Spring game-breakers: The Lancers were stuffed at every attempt to run the football. However, their short passing game was effective, especially in the first half. Rising sophomore quarterback Garrett Young went 12-for-15 passing for more than 100 yards. He threw two interceptions, but ...
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    Sat. May 19, 2012 at 7:59 p.m. | Andy Warrener

  • Spring football: Admiral Farragut 22, Berkeley Prep 21

    Spring football: Admiral Farragut 22, Berkeley Prep 21 At Berkeley Prep Score: Admiral Farragut 22, Berkeley Prep 21 Spring game-breakers: AFA quarterback Colby Robinson led a furious rally, throwing two touchdowns in the final five minutes of regulation. The last one, a 30-yarder to 6-foot-3 receiver Kevon Woods, came with 1:22 remaining. The Blue Jackets decided to go ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:46 p.m. | Bob Putnam

  • Spring football: St. Petersburg Catholic 55, Indian Rocks Christian 0

    At Indian Rocks Christian Score: St. Petersburg Catholic 55, Indian Rocks Christian 0 Spring game-breakers: Rising senior running back Ryan Green is the consummate professional. Not only does the highly touted recruit race past defenders with ease, but he’s willing to be the lead blocker for other runners. Green finished ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:44 p.m. | Basil Spyridakos

  • Spring football: Tampa Catholic 35, Crystal River 21

    At Crystal River Score: Tampa Catholic 35, Crystal River 21 Spring game-breakers: After losing their top two running backs from last season to transfers, the Crusaders may have found a few answers at that position. Junior TJ Harrell, who played linebacker last year, impressed in his first live action at ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:20 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Spring football: Sarasota Out-of-Door 46, Keswick Christian 27

    At Sarasota Out-of-Door Score: Sarasota Out-of-Door 46, Keswick Christian 27 Spring game-breakers: The Crusaders fell behind 19-0 at the half and were down 26-0 early in the third quarter before they went on a furious rally. Taylor Angell led the comeback. But the Keswick Christian quarterback did it more with ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:17 p.m. | Bob Putnam

  • Spring football: Nature Coast 34, Lecanto 8

    At Lecanto Score: Nature Coast 34, Lecanto 8 Spring game-breakers: Working out four quarterbacks for the starting job during the game, the front-runner seems to be rising junior Luis Espinosa. After throwing only two passes last season without a completion, he threw three touchdowns in the game, connecting with rising ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:16 p.m. | Derek J. LaRiviere

  • Spring football: Clearwater Central Catholic 20, Hernando 7

    Spring football: Clearwater Central Catholic 20, Hernando 7 At Hernando Score: Clearwater Central Catholic 20, Hernando 7 Spring game-breakers: Clearwater Central Catholic’s Jake Shade looked good in his new positions. A quarterback last season, Shade had a pair of key tackles in the defensive secondary and caught a sliding 22-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. His replacement ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:15 p.m. | Matt Baker

  • Spring football: Carrollwood Day 41, Sarasota Cardinal Mooney 41

    At Carrollwood Day Score: Carrollwood Day 41, Sarasota Cardinal Mooney 41 Spring game-breakers: Rising senior Robert Davis had his helmet popped off, his knee banged up and struggled to find running room in two quarters, but a 72-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was vintage Davis as he slipped, ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 10:39 p.m. | Andy Warrener

  • HomeTeam Huddle: Time for game faces in Pinellas

    HomeTeam Huddle: Time for game faces in Pinellas The monotony of banging pads against teammates ends this weekend for most private schools in Pinellas County. Now the real fun begins. There are six games tonight and one Saturday night involving eight of the nine private schools. (Canterbury is the only one not playing.) After a month of practice, ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 9:59 p.m. | Bob Putnam

  • HomeTeam Huddle: Berkeley easing in to new era

    HomeTeam Huddle: Berkeley easing in to new era Few coaches prepare for their pregame warmups, from calisthenics to claps out of the huddle, as meticulously as Berkeley Prep’s Dominick Ciao. Tonight, with a palatial new fieldhouse presiding over Newman Stadium from the north end zone, Ciao will roll out a 2012 Buccaneers team that should line up and ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 9:25 p.m. | Joey Knight

  • HomeTeam Huddle: North Suncoast pass rushers have sacks in the bag

    HomeTeam Huddle: North Suncoast pass rushers have sacks in the bag The North Suncoast boasts plenty of talented pass rushers, including a handful of Division I prospects. Here’s our best guess at who will lead the area in sacks in the fall: 1. Joey Ivie, Pasco: There’s a reason the 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive lineman has a half dozen SEC offers. 2. ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 8:54 p.m. | Matt Baker

  • HomeTeam Huddle: Season of change for Golden Eagles

    HomeTeam Huddle: Season of change for Golden Eagles LARGO — Indian Rocks Christian graduates 15 players from its senior class, including nearly every skill player. Quarterback Casey Woods, who threw 30 touchdowns last season, is gone. So is Woods’ favorite target, Sean Culkin, who had 18 touchdown receptions. “We lose pretty much everyone who handled the ball last ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 7:12 p.m. | Times Staff

  • 2012 transfers also feeling the heat at Armwood

    2012 transfers also feeling the heat at Armwood The ripple effect of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s six-month investigation into Armwood High School’s football program has stretched to at least a half-dozen players who have yet to slip on a game jersey for the Hawks. As a result of that probe, they won’t wear one any time ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 6:11 p.m. | Joey Knight

  • HomeTeam Huddle: Bloomingdale loses QB full time to baseball

    HomeTeam Huddle: Bloomingdale loses QB full time to baseball Bloomingdale returns 14 starters from last year’s 4-6 campaign, the most successful year since 2008, when the Bulls made their only playoff appearance in the school’s 26-year history. One starter who won’t be back, though, is rising senior quarterback Cody Crouse, who quit football to focus on baseball, coach John ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 5:44 p.m. | Times Staff

  • Springstead OT Allen frames his future by focusing on his physique

    Springstead OT Allen frames his future by focusing on his physique SPRING HILL — When Will Allen stepped on the scale at Florida State’s junior day this past winter, he didn’t like what he saw. 326 pounds. That number looks impressive on rosters and recruiting sites where bigger almost always means better for offensive line prospects. But the Springstead offensive tackle ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 3:55 p.m. | Matt Baker

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Other News

  • State baseball: Brandon players rely on strong bond

    State baseball: Brandon players rely on strong bond When Brandon and New Smyrna Beach meet in the 10 a.m. breakfast game today in the Class 7A state semifinals, there will not be a single college commitment on the field. But there will be plenty to watch. Family The last time Brandon advanced to the state tournament, in 2008, ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:52 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Chamberlain High senior Madison Gonzalez's home runs lead to state title

    Girls do dig the long ball. � During her wild weekend stay in Clermont, Chamberlain senior Madison "Madi" Gonzalez hit four of them. � In what may go down as one of the greatest solo efforts in Florida state tournament lore, Gonzalez (four home runs, 11 RBI) helped the Chiefs ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 3:02 p.m. | Times Staff

  • Tampa Prep gears up for state title bid

    TAMPAVeteran Tampa Prep coaches Joe Fenlon and A.J. Hendrix, with 41 years of experience at the school between them, talked about the glaring omission from their resumes earlier this school year.Neither, at the time, had won a state title."We gave each other the business a little and kid around about ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 11:52 a.m. | Times Staff

  • Cardiac Cougars PREVAIL

    Turns out, the Cardiac Cougars were as resilient as they were riveting.Hit with one deluge after another — in the form of rain, runs or raw grief — Durant's softball team kept standing. And winning.Shortly after the last downpour arrived at the National Training Center in Clermont, the Cougars (24-4) ...
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    Fri. May 18, 2012 at 10:58 a.m. | Times Staff

  • State baseball: Jesuit feels familiar pain after semifinal loss

    State baseball: Jesuit feels familiar pain after semifinal loss PORT ST. LUCIE — It was billed as the mythical national championship, a game between what Perfect Game deemed the best teams in the country. And it was decided on one pitch. In the top of the eighth inning Thursday, John Kilichowski, who had given up only one earned run ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 11:09 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Column: Jesuit's Kilichowski struggles to put heartache into words

    Column: Jesuit's Kilichowski struggles to put heartache into words PORT ST. LUCIE — Another state tournament appearance, another long bus ride home for Jesuit baseball. Sometimes, it’s a balk. Other times, it’s a kid who suddenly can’t throw strikes, or one bad inning or one bad pitch. This time, it was a home run with two outs in inning ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 10:42 p.m. | John C. Cotey

  • Live blog: Jesuit vs. Plantation American Heritage

    The state baseball tournament in Port St. Lucie kicks off with a bang for area teams on Thursday, as Jesuit and Plantation American Heritage, ranked No. 1 and 2 nationally by Perfect Game, square off in a Class 5A semifinal. Can't make the drive down to Digital Domain Park? Join ...
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    Thu. May 17, 2012 at 8:06 a.m. | Times Staff

  • State baseball: Kilichowski's style throws Jesuit foes a curve

    State baseball: Kilichowski's style throws Jesuit foes a curve TAMPA — There’s a joke at Jesuit, and it goes like this: hard righty, soft lefty. The Tigers have Lance McCullers, who deals his 100 mph fastball from his right hand. As for the “soft lefty,” that’s 6-foot-5 junior southpaw John Kilichowski, who is normally in the 88-91 mph range ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 11:40 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Tampa Catholic hires Ridgewood's Matthew Rocha as girls basketball coach

    Tampa Catholic hired Ridgewood’s Matthew Rocha as girls basketball coach Wednesday, the school announced in a news release. Rocha, a Jacksonville native, spent two years at Ridgewood and leaves the program with a 34-20 record. Tampa Catholic principal Thomas J. Reidy cited Rocha's basketball knowledge, passion and attendance of a Catholic ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 4:52 p.m. | Laura Keeley

  • Brandon High baseball teams heads to 7A semifinals May 19 in Port St. Lucie

    BRANDONCatcher's gear is often referred to as the "tools of ignorance," but it's certainly hard to qualify that statement when it's strapped to a kid with a nearly 6.0 grade point average.Maybe Adam Sass just hasn't had enough time to settle in yet.Sass, who has been catching for less than ...
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    Wed. May 16, 2012 at 10:28 a.m. | Times Staff

  • FACA taps four locals for all-star softball game

    The FACA all-star softball classic is this weekend at Ocala Forest. On Friday, the East and West all-stars square off at 6:30, followed by the North vs. the South at 8. The winners meet Saturday at 11:30 in the championship; the consolation game is at 10. The local players competing ...
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    Tue. May 15, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. | Times Staff

  • Clock strikes midnight and Durant's Cinderella postseason rolls on

    Clock strikes midnight and Durant's Cinderella postseason rolls on For one surreal postseason, they brandished courage and camaraderie, power and persistence, fortitude and fielding prowess. But at the very end, the Durant Cougars found themselves bereft of one vital quality: sleep. Insomnia never seemed so blissful. Well after midnight Tuesday morning, following a second rain delay, the Cardiac Cougars ...
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    Tue. May 15, 2012 at 1:08 p.m. | Joey Knight

  • State softball: Durant claims first title

    State softball: Durant claims first title CLERMONT — Durant’s mystical playoff run of happy bounces and goose-bump wins wrapped up in the wee hours this morning. The Cougars, undeterred by rain delays before and during the game, won their first state softball title with an 8-2 victory over Miami Palmetto in the Class 8A championship. Once ...
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    Tue. May 15, 2012 at 12:51 a.m. | Bob Putnam

  • River Ridge names new boys basketball coach

    River Ridge has promoted JV boys basketball coach Chuck Butler to head coach. “It’s something I’ve always loved to do,” Butler said Monday evening. Butler was an all-state basketball player at Citrus before turning pro in jai alai out of high school. A horrific back injury ended his career in ...
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    Mon. May 14, 2012 at 7:09 p.m. | Matt Baker

  • Seminole hires SPC's Gary Kolb as girls soccer coach

    Seminole hires SPC's Gary Kolb as girls soccer coach Seminole hired St. Petersburg Catholic coach Gary Kolb to take over its girls soccer program, Warhawks athletic director Tom Scott said. Kolb replaces Steve Kuplicki, who retired after coaching soccer in the county for 32 years, including the past 24 with Seminole’s girls. Kolb coached boys soccer at Largo before ...
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    Mon. May 14, 2012 at 2:16 p.m. | Bob Putnam

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