Wins come easily for AAU's Rams

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer
In print: Sunday, April 27, 2008

Back row, from left: assistant coach Dexter Moore, DJ White, Malcolm Johnson, Alessandro Alberto, George Westbrook, head coach David White, Carlos Fields, Ryan Andino, assistant coach Rick Spencer. Front, from left: Brandon Spencer, Myles Johnson, Jarron King, O’Brian Smith, Justin Hollis, Dallas Moore.
	[Special to the Times]

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The Florida Rams 2013, a St. Petersburg-based AAU basketball team, has been on a roll. First came a tournament win at the USSSA Clash in Clearwater tournament March 9. The team won the eighth-grade division even though it is a seventh-grade team.

On April 18-20 the Rams won the AAU National Disney Spring Classic under seventh-grade Division I championship in Orlando by winning five straight games. The Rams defeated Team Breakdown of Miami 55-53 in the championship game. Team Breakdown was ranked second nationally by AAU.

Of the 12 players on the roster, nine attend bay area schools. They are DJ White (Bay Point Middle), Malcolm Johnson (Walker Middle School, Odessa), Alessandro Alberto (St. John Vianney School, St. Pete Beach), Carlos Fields (Morgan Fitzgerald Middle), Myles Johnson (Bradenton Prep), Jarron King (Morgan Fitzgerald Middle), O'Brian Smith (Calvin Hunsinger, Clearwater), Justin Hollis (Northside Christian) and Dallas Moore (Morgan Fitzgerald Middle).

The team is coached by David White, a former Boca Ciega standout who also played basketball at Florida State, Dexter Moore and Rick Spencer. The team has been together for three years and either practices or plays year round. Practices are usually at the Wildwood Community Center, Northside Christian School or USF Bayboro. White estimates the team plays 60-70 games per year.

Next on the schedule is the Florida AAU state championship in Clearwater on May 9-11. The season ends with a trip to Las Vegas on July 22-26.

Tennis

A heads up that Saturday, May 10 there will be a free tennis block party event at Clearwater's McMullen Tennis Center from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The free event is open to kids and adults and will have activities for each. The purpose of the block party, which drew nearly 300 participants last year, is to introduce kids and adults to tennis and to display new tennis equipment. For information, call 669-1919.

Jim Schroeder won the Senior Good Life Games 65-69 regional tournament at McMullen Tennis Center on April 15. Schroeder defeated Frank Davis of Tampa 6-1, 6-1 to advance to the state tournament in December. Schroeder is the defending state champion.

Golf

The regional Drive, Chip and Putt contest was held in Kissimmee on April 12, and while no local players advanced to the national championship in August, some did finish in the top three. Marc Szasz of St. Petersburg was third in the boys 11-12 age group and Benjarong Murray of Clearwater was second in the boys 13-14 age group. Overall, there were 48 golfers in seven age groups who competed.

The Belleair Country Club Women's Golf Association sponsored a golf tournament for Pinellas PACE on Monday, April 21. PACE Center for Girls helps disadvantaged girls receive academic, cultural and educational training. Overall low gross winners were Jane Yi, Sharon Zimring, Nancy Burkett and Jackie Emaus, with a gross of 60.

Overall low net winners were Robin Radez, Juice Ahern, Ron Damico and Julia Hall.

Gymnastics

LaFleur's Gymnastics Club of Largo competed in the Prep Opt and Level 7 State Gymnastics Meet in Clearwater on April 2-4. The Prep Opt team took first-place honors and the Level 7 team was third. Mikayla Bellardini (vault, beam, floor) and Andrea Voynovich (vault, beam) took the all-around title in their respective age groups. Cambria Hughes won the beam and Brenna Kirk won vault and floor.

For the Level 7 team, Savannah Chavers won the all-around (beam, floor). Individual event winners were Hanna Gars (beam), Allie Heller (vault, floor), Amanda Ismaili (vault, floor) and Rachel Whisennant (bars).