Wiregrass Ranch LB/RB Jordan Mutcherson has received his first college offer, from Youngstown State, Bulls coach Mike Lawrence said Sunday in a text message. Mutcherson, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior, is one of Pasco County’s sleeper prospects after transferring from Zephyrhills to Jefferson to Wiregrass during his junior year. As a ...
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Sun. June 09, 2013 at 4:54 p.m. | Matt Baker
Day 3 of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft included rounds 11-40. Here's a look at some locals who were selected on the final day: RHP Kyle Westwood, University of North Florida, Astros (13th round, No. 377 overall): The former Palm Harbor University pitcher has the distinction of being the first ...
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Sat. June 08, 2013 at 4:39 p.m. | Times Staff
Pitcher of the year: Brandon Lawson, Sr., Hernando Why we picked him: Lawson had a statistically dominant season on the North Suncoast’s top team to edge Mitchell’s Cobi Johnson and a loaded group of pitchers for repeat honors. The 6-foot-2 right-hander posted a 0.27 ERA — one of the lowest ...
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Sat. June 08, 2013 at 3:40 p.m. | Matt Baker
On Thursday, four bay area players were taken on Day 1 of the MLB first-year player draft. In addition to Hernando SS Christian Arroyo’s historic first-round selection, Durant RHP Tyler Danish, Gaither SS Oscar Mercado and Wharton IF Tucker Neuhaus went in the second and sandwich rounds. Joining them ...
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Fri. June 07, 2013 at 4:32 p.m. | Times Staff
It’s foresight from here, baby. For the remainder of the summer, we’ll peek at the 2013 season, project on it and pontificate about it — at length. But before that, let’s reflect once more on what we saw this past spring. (Our lists are not ranked in order of importance ...
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Fri. June 07, 2013 at 2:31 p.m. | Times Staff
Durant’s Tyler Danish had a funky sidearm delivery that scared off many major-league clubs. Gaither’s Oscar Mercado closed his high school career with an underwhelming senior season. And Wharton’s Tucker Neuhaus barely played at all, struggling with nagging injuries and family tragedy. But, as goes the old adage, all it ...
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Fri. June 07, 2013 at 12:37 a.m. | Joel Anderson
Tampa Bay’s rich tradition of elite prep baseball prospects stretched all the way to Brooksville on Thursday night. Hernando shortstop Christian Arroyo became the first high school player in Hernando County history to be drafted in the first round when the San Francisco Giants picked him 25th overall in the ...
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Thu. June 06, 2013 at 9:43 p.m. | Matt Baker
Ricky Giles will return to the dugouts of Pasco County. A year after his controversial exit from Pasco, Giles has been hired as the head baseball coach at Zephyrhills, Bulldogs athletic director Bruce Cimorelli said Thursday morning. “It’s coming back home…” said Giles, a ZHS alum. “My roots are out ...
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Thu. June 06, 2013 at 10:09 a.m. | Matt Baker
Hudson has hired three new coaches in the last few weeks, Cobras athletic director Keith Newton said Wednesday morning. Larry Hinkle is the new wrestling coach, and Melissa Caruso is the school’s new cheerleading coach. The Cobras hired Denise Watson to coach boys cross country. She’s also the boys track ...
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Wed. June 05, 2013 at 10:06 a.m. | Matt Baker
Zephyrhills senior ATH Jordan Roberts has his first college offer, from Bethune-Cookman, Bulldogs coach Reggie Roberts said Tuesday morning in a text message. Roberts, a 6-foot receiver/cornerback, is one of the North Suncoast’s top all-around athletes. He scored twice last fall in his first high school football season. He’s also ...
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Tue. June 04, 2013 at 11:47 a.m. | Matt Baker
Wiregrass Ranch standout pitchers Zach and Austin Drury have orally committed to North Florida, Bulls coach Jeff Swymer announced Monday night on Twitter. Zach Drury, a 6-foot junior, was one of Pasco County’s top talents this spring. He posted a 1.73 ERA with 97 strikeouts in 60.2 innings. He pitched ...
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Mon. June 03, 2013 at 10:02 p.m. | Matt Baker
Over the past few days, Tucker Neuhaus has performed for scouts in big-league ballparks like Target Field in Minneapolis, Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and, of course, Tropicana Field. None of the venues have made Neuhaus, the son of a longtime college baseball coach, particularly awed or nervous. He suspects ...
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Mon. June 03, 2013 at 5:21 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Player of the Year: Morgan Tolle, Jr., River Ridge Why we picked her: Tolle was the most accomplished hitter on one of Tampa Bay’s top teams. “She was hot all season,” teammate Makenzie Goluba said. “Her bat never stopped.” Tolle led the Royal Knights with a .558 average and the ...
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Sat. June 01, 2013 at 4:16 p.m. | Matt Baker
Former Plant High School star offensive lineman Richy Klepal, who retired from football in September after suffering a near-fatal concussion, has been cleared to start non-contact summer workouts with Florida State. “Cleared to practice everything but hitting,” Klepal said via Twitter Friday. “Its good to be back #NoleNation bout to ...
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Fri. May 31, 2013 at 8:10 p.m. | Joel Anderson
A couple of hours after revealing his top 12 colleges via Twitter early Tuesday evening, Jesuit linebacker Vincent Jackson Jr. offered a quick assessment of each school with staff writer Joey Knight. Afterward, Jackson, among the nation’s top 100 rising seniors according to national recruiting analyst Tom Lemming, said he ...
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Fri. May 31, 2013 at 8:03 p.m. | Joey Knight