Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Corey Salzer, Berkeley Prep Unweighted GPA: 4.0 Standardized test score: 2290 SAT (Perfect 800 on writing and math, 690 in critical reading) Sports: Basketball, lacrosse, volleyball College: Washington University in St. Louis (volleyball scholarship) Proudest academic accomplishment: An AP scholar with honor and member of no ...
Read more
Wed. June 12, 2013 at 2:36 p.m. | Joey Knight
Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Eric Chao, King Weighted/unweighted GPA: 8.50/3.83 Standardized test score: 2350 SAT (perfect 800 on math and reading, 750 on writing) Sport: Swimming College: Washington University in St. Louis Proudest academic accomplishment: The valedictorian in King’s International Baccalaureate program, Chao finished his senior year ranked second academically ...
Read more
Tue. June 11, 2013 at 11:31 a.m. | Joey Knight
At Plant Scores: Plant 22, Robinson 0; Jefferson 55, Leto 0 Spring game-breakers: Plant needed just one minute, 36 seconds to score on the opening drive after Colby Brown found Alexander Jackson for a 7-yard touchdown. That score was set up by a 44-yard gain on a swing pass to ...
Read more
Thu. May 23, 2013 at 11:31 p.m. | Bryan Burns
When Armwood’s first-team defense completed its goal-line stand with a fourth-and-2 stop to conclude Friday evening’s intrasquad scrimmage, rising junior defensive end Byron Cowart was lined up at nose guard. Cowart (6-foot-5, 250 pounds), shaping up as the area’s top recruit from the Class of 2015, said he’s hopeful of ...
Read more
Mon. May 20, 2013 at 11:13 p.m. | Joey Knight
The stretching and special teams work have concluded Friday afternoon at Brandon’s practice when a late arrival, Mario Rodriguez, jogs onto the McLane Stadium field in full pads and presents a signed index card to coach Dean Eychner. “Tutoring?” Eychner asks, gazing at the card with the teacher’s signature. “Uh, ...
Read more
Fri. May 17, 2013 at 8:31 p.m. | Joey Knight
First-year Robinson coach Shawn Taylor navigates practices these days in a sleek new golf cart with shiny rims and the Knights’ logo emblazoned on the side. • It’s one of the few fully loaded units on Jack Peters Field. Taylor, a Knights alumnus selected to replace retiring Port Tampa icon ...
Read more
Thu. May 16, 2013 at 9:39 p.m. | Joey Knight
The football vernacular is loaded with names — derby, duel, controversy, quagmire — for quarterback competitions. We’re not going to affix any such label to those occurring locally. Suffice to say, some county jobs are up for grabs. Here are some more prominent vacancies, and those vying for them. Alonso ...
Read more
Thu. May 09, 2013 at 11:14 p.m. | Times Staff
Where did all the yards go? • All but one of the county’s seven 1,000-yard rushers in 2012 will graduate and move on to college programs, leaving frustrated defensive coordinators and would-be tacklers in their wake. • Now, the game-day burden falls on their old coaches to figure out a ...
Read more
Wed. May 08, 2013 at 10:23 p.m. | Times Staff
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 ...
Read more
Fri. May 03, 2013 at 12:37 a.m. | Bryan Burns
When we went looking for the stars of 2013, we zipped right past the pretty-boy quarterbacks, the speedy running backs, the hard-hitting linebackers and the fancy-footed wide receivers and defensive backs. This year, they’ll be taking a back seat to those referred to, lovingly, by their coaches as the big ...
Read more
Tue. April 30, 2013 at 8:34 p.m. | John C. Cotey
TAMPA — After only a handful of pitches, it was clear Brandon Caples did not — and would not — have his best stuff. The King senior, who came into the game with an 8-0 record and 1.25 ERA, was obviously not his usual self in the District 6A-11 championship ...
Read more
Fri. April 26, 2013 at 12:15 a.m. | Joel Anderson
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 ...
Read more
Tue. April 23, 2013 at 11:07 p.m. | Joel Anderson
TAMPA — There were about a half-dozen slices of white birthday cake set atop the park bench. A celebratory sushi dinner awaited the girls when their intra-squad doubles match was over. Everyone was all smiles, seemingly just another day at the park for the defending Class 4A state champions. “It’s ...
Read more
Thu. April 11, 2013 at 9:55 p.m. | Joel Anderson
Player of the year M/F Shaddy Douidar, Sr., Tampa Prep Why we picked him: An inconspicuous midfield distributor as an underclassman, Douidar enjoyed one of the most astounding breakthrough seasons of any local player in recent memory. A setup guy for 2012 Class A Player of the Year Jordan Hayes, ...
Read more
Sat. March 16, 2013 at 8:12 p.m. | Times Staff
At Jefferson Scores • Robinson 7, Tampa Bay Tech 6 • Strawberry Crest 4, Steinbrenner 1 • Jefferson 6, Alonso 0 Pitchers of the day Strawberry Crest junior Austin Boatwright threw a complete game against Steinbrenner with three strikeouts and allowed one run on nine hits and a walk. … ...
Read more
Tue. March 12, 2013 at 9:45 p.m. | David Rice