Our annual picks for the best players in our coverage area, spanning Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties: Player of the Year: Moriah Connolly, Sr., Palm Harbor University For two years, Palm Harbor University third baseman Moriah Connolly was a multi-sport athlete. She ran track, was a small forward in ...
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Thu. June 13, 2013 at 11:43 a.m. | Times Staff
Pitcher of the Year: Alyssa Queen, Jr., Countryside Why we picked her: Queen’s fastball isn’t all that fast. Her curveball barely curves. She rarely throws one-hitters. All she does is win games. How? She finds a batter’s weak spot and throws at it nearly every time, which is probably why she ...
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Sat. June 01, 2013 at 4:17 p.m. | Bob Putnam
Former major-league pitcher John Frascatore has been named baseball coach at Canterbury. Frascatore was formerly the head coach at Nature Coast in 2010-11. He will teach middle school English as well as coach baseball. “We are very excited about having him here," athletic director Dave Smith said. Frascatore takes over ...
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Tue. May 28, 2013 at 5:42 p.m. | Rodney Page
DUNEDIN In three years of crushing heads, Dunedin’s Brenton Allen has followed a remarkably ascendent career path. • Since becoming a starting middle linebacker, he has developed into the Falcons’ most important defensive presence, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound bruiser with the tiptoe finesse of a ballerina. Allen can stop the run ...
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Tue. May 21, 2013 at 8:10 p.m. | Times Staff
photo gallery VERO BEACH — The umpire waved his arms in the air, signaling the game was over. Canterbury players headed for the dugout, unable to control their emotions. Some burst into tears. Others stood in stunned disbelief. They thought they had thrown a state title away ...
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Sat. May 11, 2013 at 4:42 p.m. | Bob Putnam
photo gallery VERO BEACH — Canterbury is a young, exuberant team that exceeded expectations by advancing to Friday’s Class 2A state semifinal game with a lineup that includes four starters in eighth grade. The inexperience of playing on such a big stage could have been a hazard, especially when the ...
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Fri. May 10, 2013 at 7:15 p.m. | Bob Putnam
ST. PETERSBURG — The fear is gone these days for Canterbury’s youngsters, intimidation replaced by confidence. They are undaunted by the intensity of high school softball as well as the pressure that comes with playing for a perennial state title contender. And they are maturing quickly. Three victims in three ...
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Thu. May 09, 2013 at 9:36 p.m. | Bob Putnam
CLEARWATER — Nate Reed struck out the side in the fourth inning, then homered to tie the score and struck out the side again in the fifth. For a second, the Calvary Christian ace looked invincible. Then the sixth inning happened. A one-out error started a string of very fortunate ...
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Tue. May 07, 2013 at 11:54 p.m. | John C. Cotey
PALM HARBOR — All season Palm Harbor University thrived with an offense that scored runs by the bushel, averaging nine per game. In Friday’s Class 8A region final, the Hurricanes ran into a team even better at scoring — at least in the postseason. Orlando Timber Creek continued its power ...
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Fri. May 03, 2013 at 9:11 p.m. | Bob Putnam
EAST LAKE — East Lake’s Troy Strominger had seen curveballs and off-speed pitches all night, and hadn’t fared too well against them, going 0-for-3 with three strikeouts. But the last one he saw? He liked that one just fine. Strominger solidly drove a full-count curveball into left field to score ...
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Fri. May 03, 2013 at 12:29 a.m. | John C. Cotey
PALM HARBOR — It was all there for Palm Harbor University, everything it wanted. A chance to unseat defending Class 8A state champion Durant and exact revenge for a loss in last year’s region semifinals. The Hurricanes were clinging to a one-run lead in the seventh inning. Logyn Lilley was ...
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Tue. April 30, 2013 at 8:13 p.m. | Bob Putnam
ST. PETERSBURG — What was once unimaginable will be a reality today when Shorecrest hosts district rival St. Petersburg Catholic in the Class 3A region semifinals. At 17-3, the Chargers have the best record in school history and their first district title. Now, they will try to advance to the ...
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Mon. April 29, 2013 at 8:42 p.m. | Bob Putnam
TARPON SPRINGS — East Lake won its third straight district championship with the same formula it has used all season: Pitching, defense and timely hitting. The Eagles overcame a two-run deficit to defeat Sarasota Riverview 3-2 Thursday night. Ryan Wall gave up three hits and one earned run in four ...
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Fri. April 26, 2013 at 12:04 a.m. | Rodney Page
ST. PETERSBURG — Canterbury pitcher Kama Woodall kept mowing down Sarasota Christian batters with ease, so much that the only suspense left in Thursday’s Class 2A region quarterfinal was whether the eighth-grader would record a no-hitter. That ended in the seventh inning when the Blazers got a single. They also ...
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Thu. April 25, 2013 at 10:09 p.m. | Bob Putnam
TARPON SPRINGS — East Lake did not play its best game of the season Tuesday against North Port in the semifinals of the Class 8A, District 8 tournament. Or its second best. Or even third best. But the effort was more than enough to beat the No. 4 seed Bobcats ...
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Wed. April 24, 2013 at 12:12 a.m. | Rodney Page