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Rodney Page - Preps Reporter
Rodney Page

Preps Reporter

I was born in Iowa City, Iowa but moved to Florida when I was three, which technically makes me a Floridian. I grew up in Pinellas Park and Clearwater and attended Pinellas Park High School. The son of a physical education teacher and avid sports fan, I tried just about everything as a kid. I played golf, racquetball, tennis, fished, water skied and even played middle school football until I got hit trying to make a catch. That doesn’t happen in baseball, so I took that up full time. After graduating from Florida State and working in North Carolina for three years, I ended up back in St. Petersburg and started working part-time for the Times. I've been there ever since. I've worked as an editorial assistant, covered preps, written local feature stories, covered golf (and helped create a local golf website), outdoors, soccer, tennis and helped when needed with our local professional teams. In short, I've tried to be the utility infielder on a very talented team. I'm also the father of two kids who ended up playing soccer, but I’m still not sure what offsides is.

  1. Good luck, opponents, keeping up with Nature Coast’s Dedric Hall
    Yesterday• HomeTeam
    Nature Coast's Dedric Hall does a little bit of everything for the Sharks, which is why they're in the second round of the playoffs.
    The junior can burn you in the running game. He’s nifty in the passing game. And if you’re not careful, he’ll pick off your quarterback, too.
  2. Jack Nicklaus still remembers a lesson he got before the 1986 Masters
    Yesterday• Sports
    Brian McGibbon holds the five dollar bill given to him by Jack Nicklaus
    Nicklaus, in town to support the Chi Chi Rodriguez Academy, celebrates a chance encounter with a 6-year-old.
  3. Milestone victories abound in first round of high school football playoffs
    Nov. 10• HomeTeam
    Clearwater Central Catholic’s Jordan Niles, right, hugs Calvary Christian’s Richie Ilarraza after the Marauders’ playoff win. Niles is a former Calvary player.
    Sunday Morning QB: Clearwater Central Catholic, Steinbrenner and Chamberlain are just a few of the standouts in the region quarterfinals.
  4. Plant, Holy Names swept out of state volleyball tournament
    Nov. 9• HomeTeam
    Plant senior Birdie Frierson, here in a match earlier this postseason, says on Saturday the Panthers "were just a little bit off. The serves were just a little bit off. The sets were just a little bit off. Nothing felt like ‘This is it. This is our point.’ It was that kind of day.”
    Both Tampa teams sustain road losses in the state semifinals.
  5. Clearwater Central Catholic refuses to yield ground to Calvary Christian
    Nov. 9• HomeTeam
    Clearwater Central Catholic's Jordan Niles (22) celebrates with his team as the final seconds tick off in a 49-28 win over Calvary Christian.
    Former Warrior Jordan Niles runs wild, especially in the second half, to keep CCC undefeated against its county rival.
  6. New faces lead Plant, Holy Names to state volleyball semifinals
    Nov. 8• HomeTeam
    Plant senior Sam Caglianone has helped the Panthers reach a Class 7A state semifinal Saturday at 2 p.m. against Oviedo Hagerty.
    Players who weren’t on last year’s rosters play a big part in both teams’ success this season.
  7. Region quarterfinals: High school football predictions for Tampa Bay
    Nov. 8• HomeTeam
    Will River Ridge knock off Atlantic at home on Friday night? Our staff writers sure think so.
    Do you find the reasoning behind Rodney Page and Bob Putnam’s first-round picks sound?
  8. Gaither’s Chance Coleman, Calvary Christian’s Shelton Quarles Jr. born to play the game
    Nov. 7• HomeTeam
    Shelton Quarles Jr. took a leap of faith transferring to Calvary Christian for his senior year, and it's paid off in a big way.
    These kids of former Bucs players have been key to their respective teams reaching the postseason this year.
  9. These Tampa Bay playoff football matchups have mass appeal
    Nov. 6• HomeTeam
    The Clearwater Central Catholic Marauders take the field against Calvary Christian last season.
    Friday’s region quarterfinals offer up rivalries, first-timers, turnaround teams and more.
  10. Port Charlotte hands Osceola first loss of the season
    Nov. 6• HomeTeam
    Volleyball teams around Tampa Bay are in region playoff action this week.
    The Warriors win the first set but can’t keep the momentum in a 3-1 road defeat.