TAMPA — King senior right-hander Brett Morales admits that it sometimes takes him an inning or two to get comfortable on the mound. Once Morales locks in, however, he’s usually unshakable. On Thursday, even a 30-minute lightning delay couldn’t break Morales’ concentration. The Florida signee threw a three-hitter in King’s ...
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Fri. May 03, 2013 at 12:37 a.m. | Bryan Burns
VALRICO — Before the district tournament started Monday, Wharton coach Scott Hoffman noticed a funny little quirk about the bracket. It looked awfully familiar. The Wildcats were poised to face the same teams they had last year, when they won the District 8A-7 championship and made it to the region ...
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Tue. April 23, 2013 at 11:07 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Player of the year: OH Sidney Brown, Jr., Berkeley Prep It was Berkeley Prep’s third match of the 2010 season and Academy of the Holy Names wasn’t supposed to put up much resistance. So then-Bucs head coach Randy Dagostino left assistant John Coup in charge and spent the night celebrating ...
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Tue. Dec. 25, 2012 at 5:50 p.m. | Times Staff
Player of the Year Sidney Brown, Jr., OH, Berkeley Prep Why we picked her: Brown ably filled the shoes of Jordan Burgess and Mackenzie Dagostino, two of the most decorated players in Hillsborough and Berkeley Prep history. She was the undisputed leader of the Bucs’ run to the Class 4A ...
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Wed. Dec. 19, 2012 at 5:51 p.m. | Joel Anderson
TAMPA — Freedom wasted little time putting Wiregrass Ranch on its heels Tuesday night, scoring the first 12 points. Then it knocked the Bulls on their backs. Finally, it made sure they stayed right there. From start to finish, the Patriots were in control, winning the Class 7A, District 9 ...
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Tue. Oct. 23, 2012 at 11:12 p.m. | John C. Cotey
Volleyball Hillsborough Super 7 1. Berkeley Prep (11-11): Continuing a season-long pattern, the Bucs handled local opponents — Steinbrenner and Clearwater Central Catholic — with ease but struggled against out-of-town opponents in last weekend’s prestigious Tampa Bay Invitational tournament. 2. Wharton (17-0): The Wildcats have rolled through a four-game stretch ...
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Wed. Oct. 10, 2012 at 2:28 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Hillsborough Super 7 1. Berkeley Prep (8-8): After another underwhelming performance in another major tournament, the Bucs hold on to the top spot by the narrowest of margins. If Berkeley Prep doesn’t fare better in the Tampa Bay Invitational, there will be some changes in next week’s rankings. 2. Wharton ...
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Wed. Oct. 03, 2012 at 12:40 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Volleyball Hillsborough County Super 7 1. Berkeley Prep (3-1): The Bucs head into their Berkeley Premier tournament on a three-game win streak with a chance to reclaim their spot among the nation’s top programs. We’re saying they’re the best in the county until someone proves they aren’t. 2. Wharton (10-0): ...
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Wed. Sept. 19, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. | Joel Anderson
TAMPA — Exactly one month ago, King was 9-8. Since then the Lions have won nine straight, including a 6-2 win over Osceola to send them to the Class 6A region semifinal against Lakewood Ranch on Tuesday. “It’s not one thing,” coach Jim Macaluso said about the streak. “We’ve had ...
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Thu. May 03, 2012 at 11:05 p.m. | Laura Keeley
TAMPA — When Gaither coach Frank Permuy was unhappy with his team’s pregame preparation, he shut down the clubhouse, so as a result the Cowboys took extra swings in the batting cage. And Gaither stayed in rhythm once the game started Thursday, stroking a season-high nine extra-base hits en route ...
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Thu. April 26, 2012 at 9:57 p.m. | Laura Keeley
PLANT CITY — The previous three times Durant had faced Bloomingdale this season, the Cougars scrapped across two runs only to see the Bulls put up three. And in the teams’ fourth meeting of the year, Durant once again manufactured two runs. But this time, with the win-or-go-home stakes that ...
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Wed. April 25, 2012 at 12:19 a.m. | Laura Keeley
Times’ Super Seven Records through Tuesday 1. Chamberlain (17-1): As you read this, Bianka Bell just got another extra-base hit 2. Durant (15-2): For now, Cougars hold at No. 2 despite Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to Bloomingdale 3. Plant City (11-4): Raiders fell to a pair of East Coast powers in ...
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Wed. March 28, 2012 at 12:10 p.m. | Joey Knight
TAMPA — After the first five minutes of Berkeley Prep’s home Class 4A region semifinal Tuesday, Academy of the Holy Names coach Jeff Davis had used his two timeouts and his team trailed 9-1. Berkeley Prep continued to dominate all night, save when coach Randy Dagostino played his reserves in ...
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Tue. Nov. 08, 2011 at 9:35 p.m. | Times Staff
RIVERVIEW — In a match full of furious momentum shifts, Riverview was just three points from arguably its biggest win in program history. After rallying from two games to one and trailing in the decisive fifth game 10-3, the Sharks’ season ended Tuesday night with a 18-25, 25-13, 27-25, 19-25, ...
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Tue. Nov. 01, 2011 at 11:36 p.m. | Times Staff
VALRICO — Plant wasn’t used to nervous moments like this early in the postseason, but the five-time defending state champion has grown used to the fact that this year is different. With a new coach, a retooled roster and several regular-season road bumps, the Panthers came into Thursday night’s Class ...
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Fri. Oct. 28, 2011 at 12:15 a.m. | Times Staff