Spring football gives coaches time to test out players who are new to the sport or evaluate players who have seen little varsity action. • Here are four of the North Suncoast’s secret weapons who saw little or no varsity time last fall but could become game changers this upcoming ...
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Thu. May 16, 2013 at 3:02 p.m. | Matt Baker
BROOKSVILLE Heading into his third season at the helm, one thing Mike Einspahr has taken away from his experience as coach is quality is more important than quantity. • His first spring in 2010, the 72 players who were on the practice field for Central more than doubled the amount ...
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Wed. May 15, 2013 at 9:20 p.m. | Derek J. LaRiviere
Marcus Applefield, Weeki Wachee OL (6-7, 275) The latest: Applefield reeled in his first Big Ten offer Tuesday morning when Purdue extended him a scholarship opportunity, Hornets coach Mark Lee said in a text message. The Boilermakers give Applefield seven offers in the last five days. Florida, West Virginia and ...
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Tue. May 14, 2013 at 8:34 a.m. | Matt Baker
HOLIDAY Despite Anclote’s reliance on the run last fall, the Sharks needed the leadership and skills of quarterback John Forgione to make their first playoff run. • That’s why one of Anclote’s big challenges this spring — along with developing the offensive line — is to find the replacement for ...
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Mon. May 13, 2013 at 8:18 p.m. | Matt Baker
Weeki Wachee OL Marcus Applefield pulled in two more big college offers Monday. The senior-to-be picked up his second SEC offer from Kentucky, on Monday evening, Hornets coach Mark Lee said in a text message. An hour later, Virginia extended him an offer — his 10th — Applefield said via ...
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Mon. May 13, 2013 at 6:45 p.m. | Matt Baker
Led by Division I prospects Malik Johns and Nate Craig, Pasco could have a dozen athletes vying for playing time at running back or receiver and carrying on the Pirates’ tradition of standout skill players. • But one early story in spring is Pasco’s beefier, stronger offensive line that is ...
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Thu. May 09, 2013 at 8:29 p.m. | Matt Baker
Weeki Wachee OL Marcus Applefield continues to be one of Tampa Bay’s biggest recruiting surprises after a hectic Thursday. The senior-to-be picked up offers from USF, UCF, FIU and Vanderbilt today, coach Mark Lee said. His only in-state offer before Thursday came from FAU. The Commodores are Applefield's first offer ...
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Thu. May 09, 2013 at 9:33 a.m. | Matt Baker
Two North Suncoast prospects landed scholarship offers Monday. UMass became the second program to offer Hernando LB/RB Jeremiah Jackson, the Leopards senior said in a text message. Purdue has also offered Jackson, a hard-hitting 6-foot, 215-pound all-North Suncoast prospect. Last fall, he rushed for almost 500 yards while racking up ...
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Mon. May 06, 2013 at 6:51 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
Weeki Wachee OL Marcus Applefield is becoming one of the North Suncoast’s hottest recruits. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound athlete picked up his second offer in a week and his first BCS offer, from Rutgers, on Tuesday, Hornets coach Mark Lee said in a text message. Applefield also has offers from Marshall ...
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Tue. April 09, 2013 at 5:21 p.m. | Matt Baker
UMass became the second football program to offer Weeki Wachee OT Marcus Applefield, Hornets coach Mark Lee said in a text message. Applefield, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound junior, had two sacks and 28 tackles this fall during the program’s first all-varsity season. Last month, he landed the first Division I offer ...
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Thu. April 04, 2013 at 2:17 p.m. | Matt Baker
Lineman Marcus Applefield has picked up the first major college football offer in Weeki Wachee history. The Hornets junior landed an offer from Marshall, Weeki Wachee coach Mark Lee said Wednesday. Applefield, a 6-foot-6, 255-pound tackle, tallied two sacks and 28 tackles this fall during the program’s first all-varsity season. ...
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Wed. March 13, 2013 at 2:23 p.m. | Matt Baker
Offensive player of the year: ATH Janarion Grant, Sr., Pasco Grant, a three-way standout, watched his Pirates dominate the first six games of the year as he sat out with a hand injury. “When I came back, that’s when all eyes were on me,” Grant said. “I had to put ...
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Sat. Dec. 22, 2012 at 11:28 a.m. | Matt Baker
HOLIDAY — Anclote finished its first winning season in school history with a defining 41-3 senior night win against Weeki Wachee on Friday. After clinching a playoff berth Monday, the Sharks (6-4, 5-2) began their third game in eight days with a Willie Barrett touchdown on the opening drive, a ...
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Sat. Nov. 10, 2012 at 12:55 a.m. | Chad Wise
Just because the playoff teams from the North Suncoast have already been decided doesn’t mean the final week of the regular season is meaningless. The teams in action Friday all have something worth playing for, from a boost headed into the postseason to much-needed confidence after rough a 2012 season. ...
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Thu. Nov. 08, 2012 at 3:43 p.m. | Matt Baker