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Former Gulf High wrestling champ set for pro MMA fight

 
Ladarious Jackson holds a belt he won for an amateur mixed martial arts league. His pro MMA record stands at 9-2-1.
Ladarious Jackson holds a belt he won for an amateur mixed martial arts league. His pro MMA record stands at 9-2-1.
Published Feb. 17, 2016

Ladarious Jackson, a former two-time state wrestling champion at Gulf High School in New Port Richey, is scheduled for his next professional mixed martial arts fight on Feb. 26 at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Tampa.

The Real Fighting Championships is hosting RFC 36, with a nine-bout card. Jackson is scheduled to face St. Cloud resident Matt Ferraiolo in a preliminary fight. Jackson currently has a 9-2-1 career MMA record, and with a victory over Ferraiolo could be in line for an RFC lightweight championship shot.

Jackson has been training with Ramos Universal Martial Arts on County Line Road in Spring Hill.

For tickets or other information, visit rfcmma.com or call (813) 964-9818.

MLB PITCH, HIT & RUN: The Brooksville Parks and Recreation Department is hosting a preliminary qualifier for the Aquafina Major League Baseball Pitch, Hit & Run competition on May 1 in Brooksville.

The skills contest will be at noon at Tom Varn Park and is free to all youth ages 7 to 14. There will be four age divisions: 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 and 13-14.

Winners will move on to the next of four levels of competition, with sectional winners competing at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg and national winners eventually competing at the 2016 MLB All-Star Game at Petco Park in San Diego.

Individual pitching, hitting and running and all-around champions will advance to the next level of competition. Entrants must bring a copy of their birth certificate to the event.

For information, call Desiree Fratianni at (352) 540-3835.

MLB ALUMNI LEGENDS CLINIC: For the 10th consecutive year, the Brooksville Parks and Recreation Department, along with sponsor Cemex and the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association, will team up to host a free baseball clinic for kids at Tom Varn Park in Brooksville.

This is a chance for local youth to learn from former professional ball players. The clinic is open to all kids ages 7 to 14. The event will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. April 10.

Although the clinic is free, pre-registration is recommended. For information, call the Brooksville Parks and Recreation Department at (352) 540-3835.

WOMEN'S 500 CLUB BOWLING: The Hernando County Women's 500 Club will kick off its 2016 tournament season on March 6 at Strike City, formerly Mariner Lanes, in Spring Hill.

The invitational 8-pin no-tap tournament will be open to all 500 Club members currently sanctioned by the U.S. Bowling Congress. The entry fee is $17 per bowler, with check-in at noon. The tournament will start at 1 p.m.

There is no handicap in this tournament. Entries will close Feb. 29. To register, pick up an application at either Strike City or Spring Hill Lanes.

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For information, call 500 Club secretary Sheila Wehrenberg at (352) 688-1575.

UNITED WAY KICKBALL TOURNAMENT: The United Way of Hernando County will host its first kickball tournament on Feb. 20 in support of early literacy and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.

Proceeds will benefit the United Way's Imagination Library, which supplies more than 1,400 Hernando children with a free book every month until the age of 5. The books are distributed at no cost to families, regardless of economic status.

Community partners, including Publix, LRE Ground Services, Regions Bank and Weeki Wachee High School, will compete to win the ultimate kickball traveling trophy. The tournament starts at 10 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. at Anderson Snow Park in Spring Hill.

Admission is free. There will be food, a bounce house, entertainment, raffles, prizes and other activities.

To volunteer or for more information, visit UnitedWayHernando.org/Kickball or call the United Way office at (352) 688-2026.

BROOKSVILLE LIBRARY 5K: The Hernando County Public Library will host the second annual Brooksville Library 5K at 8 a.m. Feb. 27 in downtown Brooksville.

Both the 5K and a Kids Fun Run will start at Lykes Memorial Library, 238 Howell Ave., Brooksville. The Kids Fun Run will begin immediately after the 5K. The cost is $25 for the 5K ($30 after Feb. 20) and free for the Fun Run. Students can run in the 5K for $15 ($20 after Feb. 20).

Each participant will receive a race T-shirt, a goody bag and post-race food and drinks.

Sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels. The run will benefit the Friends of the Library of Hernando County and the YMCA of the Suncoast.

For information, go to brooksvillelibrary5k.com.

ADULT SOFTBALL SIGN-UPS: The Brooksville Parks and Recreation Department is holding registration for its co-ed, men's and women's softball leagues.

For players ages 16 and older, games will be played every Monday (men), Tuesday (women) and Thursday (co-ed) beginning March 8 at Tom Varn Park in Brooksville. Each team is required to pay a sponsor fee of $250 along with player fees of $20 each.

For information, call (352) 540-3835.

DISC GOLF EVENT: Throw Down the Mountain IV, a disc golf tournament that will include approximately 400 players, is scheduled for two weekends in March on property at 9020 Cooper Ter., east of Brooksville.

The entry fee is $79 for all amateur divisions, with all of the fees to be paid out through Sun King Disc Sports. For amateurs, Players' Packs will be available that will include coupons to local restaurants and event stickers.

There will also be open men's and open women's divisions for a fee of $119 per player. All other pro divisions include a $99 entry fee. A minimum of $4,000 will be added to the professional division purse.

All entry fees include $20 for greens fees and the $3 to $4 Professional Disc Golf Association fee.

For information, visit throwdownthemountain.com.

CORNHOLE LEAGUE: A local cornhole league takes place every Wednesday at the Airport Farmers & Flea Market on Spring Hill Drive, south of Brooksville.

Starting at 7 p.m., games run until 9:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to show up 30 minutes early to register and enjoy the food and beverages that are available. Hot dogs, sausages, popcorn, soda, beer and other items are for sale.

Players can sign up for $5 individually. For information, call Dorri Spoto at (352) 796-0268.

HERNANDO SPORTSMAN'S CLUB: The Hernando Sportsman's Club offers firearms safety classes. The next class dates are Saturday, March 2 and April 13. There will also be a special "ladies only" class on June 18.

All classes will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hernando Sportsman's Club on 16121 Commercial Way, north of Weeki Wachee.

This is an introductory class for new shooters. It will include instruction, live-fire training on the range and a lunch break. All materials and equipment will be provided, including the use of a .22-caliber firearm, ammunition, earplugs and eye protection.

The fee is $60, and completion of the class provides the required documentation to apply for a Florida concealed carry permit. Preregistration is required.

Registration for the classes can be completed by calling (352) 597-9931.

The club also will sponsor Machine Gun Shoot events on Feb. 28, in addition to the annual Independence Day Shoot on July 4.

The shoot will be on the club's 200-yard machine gun range. Shooters may bring their own machine guns, pistols and rifles. Besides old cars and trucks, there are usually old fire extinguishers, washing machines, water heaters and various other targets to shoot for fun at various distances.

Admission fee is $20 per shooter. No tracers or incendiary ammo allowed. Participants must be at least 18 years old. Spectator admission is $2, with kids under 15 free with adult. Bring eye and ear protection, including spectators, especially for children.

Food and soft drinks will be available for purchase in the clubhouse. For information about the Machine Gun Shoots, call Randie Rickert at (352) 799-3605.

For information about the club, visit hernandosportsmansclub.com or Hernando Sportsman's Club on Facebook.

Contact Derek J. LaRiviere at derekjlariviere@gmail.com or (352) 584-6337.