Five Springstead athletes signed with colleges this week, including all-Suncoast LB Luke McLeod. McLeod signed with NCAA Division-II Harding University in Searcy, Ark. He led the Eagles’ swarming defense with 149 tackles (11 for a loss) during Springstead’s district title run. All-around athlete Pedro Estrada signed to play football at ...
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Fri. May 10, 2013 at 11:19 a.m. | Matt Baker
Region baseball: Hernando edition Coming Thursday: A closer look at Wiregrass Ranch and Mitchell 5A: Hernando (24-5) vs. St. Johns Creekside (21-10) Skinny: The loaded Leopards have four college signees and continued their reign as the North Suncoast’s top program by clinching their fourth consecutive trip to the region final ...
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Wed. May 08, 2013 at 5:33 p.m. | Matt Baker
LUTZ — Wiregrass Ranch junior Zach Drury had the utmost respect for nationally ranked Steinbrenner before he took the mound Tuesday night. Two hours later, Warriors coach John Crumbley thought just as highly of Drury, whose two-hit shutout led the Bulls to a stunning 4-0 victory in the Class 7A ...
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Tue. May 07, 2013 at 11:04 p.m. | Don Jensen
WESLEY CHAPEL Soon after Wiregrass Ranch promoted assistant Mike Lawrence to turn around a struggling Bulls team, Lawrence reached out to a few experts in rebuilding programs: Bill Snyder, Bob Stoops and Mark Mangino. • Lawrence knows the trio from his playing days as a running back at Kansas State. ...
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Tue. May 07, 2013 at 6:26 p.m. | Matt Baker
Fivay has plenty of holes to plug after a 6-4 season, losing all-North Suncoast quarterback Tyler Degen, star receiver Andrew Meyer and key parts of the offensive line. All of these questions fade to the background once you talk to coach Chris Taylor about his starting tailback. Rising senior Davion ...
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Mon. May 06, 2013 at 6:02 p.m. | Matt Baker
Hernando SS and Florida commit Christian Arroyo has been named the District 10 MVP by the Florida Athletic Coaches Association, Leopards coach Tim Sims said Monday. Arroyo has brought a string of pro scouts to Brooksville. He ranks among Tampa Bay’s top talents with a .515 batting average, 10 home ...
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Mon. May 06, 2013 at 3:56 p.m. | Matt Baker
Photo gallery JACKSONVILLE — It was a day made for ponchos, not personal records. One taste of Friday’s meteorological cocktail of gray skies, gusts and a ceaseless drizzle, and Springstead high jumper Bobby Harris knew his hopes of equaling his career best of 6 foot, 9 inches at the Class ...
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Fri. May 03, 2013 at 10:13 p.m. | Joey Knight
SPRING HILL — For the first time in the school’s 34-year history, Springstead will be heading to the second round of the state playoffs. In Wednesday’s Class 6A region quarterfinal, the Eagles played through an at-times heavy downpour to defeat Gainesville 13-3 by mercy rule in five innings. Throwing a ...
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Wed. May 01, 2013 at 10:19 p.m. | Derek J. LaRiviere
SPRING HILL — Less than 45 minutes into Springstead’s opening day of spring practice, three players fell atop coach Mike Garofano’s practice plans. “Get off my clipboard,” Garofano said. Now more than ever, Garofano needs those notes. Garofano spent more than a decade as an assistant under Bill Vonada before ...
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Wed. May 01, 2013 at 9:49 p.m. | Matt Baker
Region baseball quarterfinals 7 p.m. unless noted Wiregrass Ranch (17-9) at Countryside (17-10), Thursday Winner gets: Steinbrenner/Seminole in Tuesday’s Class 7A region semifinal Skinny: The Bulls are in the playoffs for the first time in program history. Star pitcher and hitter Zach Drury (team-best 20 RBIs, 1.71 ERA) will try ...
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Tue. April 30, 2013 at 5:34 p.m. | Matt Baker
A few recruiting tidbits from the North Suncoast: * Anclote lineman Josh Parsons has orally committed to Webber International, he announced via Twitter this weekend. Parsons, a 6-foot, 235-pound two-way lineman, racked up 52 tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble during his senior season. He also had four pancake ...
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Mon. April 29, 2013 at 8:13 a.m. | Matt Baker
TRINITY — Mitchell’s first celebration at home plate came in the fourth inning, after Mustangs slugger Marcus Begg bashed a massive home run to extend his team’s lead in Thursday’s Class 6A, District 10 final. The second came an hour later, after pitcher Christopher McCormick launched his glove in the ...
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Thu. April 25, 2013 at 9:47 p.m. | Matt Baker
TAMPA — A full day of fair weather at Leto High promised school records and North Suncoast athletes punching their ticket to states after Wednesday’s Class 3A-2 region meet. The Wiregrass Ranch girls had the highest team finish, tying for fourth place with 46 points; Orlando Evans was the champion. ...
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Thu. April 25, 2013 at 12:08 a.m. | Andy Warrener
TAMPA — The 7A-9 district playoffs started with Freedom’s 11-inning 1-0 play-in victory Monday over Chamberlain. On Tuesday afternoon Gaither dropped a 3-0 decision to Zach Drury and Wiregrass Ranch. In the evening, Steinbrenner punished Freedom 21-4 in five innings. The Warriors and Bulls, both making their first regionals appearance, ...
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Tue. April 23, 2013 at 11:02 p.m. | Andy Warrener
Springstead’s do-it-all senior, Pedro Estrada, has orally committed to Norwich University, Eagles assistant Dustin Kupcik announced Monday evening on Twitter. Estrada, a 5-foot-8, 169-pound running back and defensive back, was one of the Eagles’ most versatile players during their 9-2 season and run to the district title. He rushed for ...
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Mon. April 22, 2013 at 9:17 p.m. | Matt Baker