The ding from Kurt Browning’s iPhone sounded all weekend as parents bombarded the Pasco superintendent to support Jeff Swymer, who resigned as Wiregrass Ranch’s baseball coach last week rather than face a likely yearlong suspension for drinking beer on a trip for a school-sponsored tournament. Browning received two-dozen emails from ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 7:10 p.m. | Matt Baker
TAMPA — If you’re looking for the secret to the athletic success of Tampa Bay’s winningest high school, Rob Nelson doesn’t really have anything earth shattering to reveal. Just an extremely strong community, mixed in with a healthy dosage of school pride, a group of athletes — many of them ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 6:27 p.m. | John C. Cotey
Clearwater guard Eric Hester has transferred to Oldsmar Christian, Tornadoes coach Tom Shaneyfelt said. “This was something that was in the works before I was hired,” Shaneyfelt said. “I know that Eric is no longer enrolled here. There’s nothing I can do about that. I can just coach the players ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 4:43 p.m. | Bob Putnam
Lakewood wide receiver Jocqui Ellison said he likely will announce his college decision on Wednesday. Ellison said Monday that he is deciding between Indiana and USF, with a heavy lean toward the Bulls. “I’d say it’s about 75 percent that I’ll commit to USF,” Ellison said. Ellison has a workout ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 2:00 p.m. | Bob Putnam
USF has landed the commitment of the bay area’s top quarterback prospect in the class of 2014, Wharton’s Chase Litton. The senior-to-be moved up his decision after Miami Jackson quarterback Quinton Flowers reportedly announced his pledge to USF over the weekend. Litton moved quickly to secure a spot in Willie ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 12:59 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Gibbs wide receiver/defensive back Maurice Hall committed to UCF over the weekend. Hall, listed as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, had offers from six other schools, including Oklahoma, USF and West Virginia. “Maurice went on a visit there this past weekend, and he really liked it,” Gladiators coach Rick Kravitz ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 12:37 p.m. | Bob Putnam
Gaither rising senior quarterback Alex McGough has orally committed to Florida International, making him the first of the bay area’s top signal-callers to choose a school. “Officially a FIU panther!!!,” McGough said via his Twitter account Sunday night. The 6-foot-3 McGough held one other offer, from Colgate. But he generated ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 10:43 a.m. | Joel Anderson
Two-dozen of the bay area's top boys and girls prep basketball players convene at Berkeley Prep this evening for a one-night summer showcase. The Tampa Bay Futures Shootout, staged by the Florida Association of Basketball Coaches, will feature nearly 40 players from the area and surrounding counties (Polk, Sarasota, Manatee) ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 9:43 a.m. | Joey Knight
Gibbs graduate Trayvon Bromell followed up his victory in the 100 by finishing second in the 200 in 20.91 seconds Sunday at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals. Unlike Saturday, there were no national titles for locals on the final day of competition. But there were several strong performances. Hillsborough's Jorian Ordway ...
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Mon. June 17, 2013 at 1:27 a.m. | Bob Putnam
Countryside defensive back Mike Johnson whittled down his list of offers by announcing a tentative list of his top 10 schools on Saturday. Johnson's list is wide-ranging and includes just state schools: Florida State and UCF. The other colleges who made his cut are: Arizona, Louisville, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Texas ...
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Sat. June 15, 2013 at 11:30 p.m. | Bob Putnam
Before heading for the University of Alabama, Jeremiah Green made one final breathtaking bound at the prep level Saturday evening. Competing at North Carolina A&T University, the former Hillsborough High star won his second consecutive New Balance Outdoor Nationals triple jump title with a personal-record effort (52 feet, 2 inches). ...
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Sat. June 15, 2013 at 9:31 p.m. | Joey Knight
As he crouched in Lane 4 at the start of Saturday's 100 meter race, Trayvon Bromell knew that his biggest threat would come from Cameron Burrell, the son of former world-record holder Leroy Burrell, who was two lanes away. With an explosive start, Bromell, a recent Gibbs graduate, sliced through ...
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Sat. June 15, 2013 at 9:15 p.m. | Bob Putnam
Plant rising junior cornerback Derrick Baity has received his first scholarship offer, from USF, he said Saturday. Baity’s coaches told him about the offer following the Panthers’ participation at the USF Sling 'N Shoot 7-on-7 tournament on Saturday. “It feels so good,” Baity said. “I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling yet.” The ...
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Sat. June 15, 2013 at 7:29 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Alonso senior William Taylor-Haynes, who eclipsed 14 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles as a senior and placed third in the event at the Class 4A state meet, signed Friday with North Carolina State. The news was reported on Alonso's track and field website. A four-time state medalist, Haynes had been ...
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Fri. June 14, 2013 at 9:41 p.m. | Joey Knight
Durant star Tyler Danish has confirmed that he signed with the Chicago White Sox after they made him the 55th overall pick in the MLB draft last week. Danish will accept the White Sox’s deal, choosing – as expected – a professional career over a scholarship offer from Florida. “It’s ...
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Fri. June 14, 2013 at 6:17 p.m. | Joel Anderson