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Lack Of Interest Ends Middleton's Season Early

By JARRETT GUTHRIE

Tribune correspondent

Published: December 4, 2008

Middleton High officially ended its girls soccer season according to Athletic Director Derrick Gaines. Gaines said despite the school's best efforts, the program didn't draw enough interest from the student body to field an entire team. Gaines said his two biggest concerns were not having enough players on a game-by-game basis to compete and fairness to other schools' teams.

Gaines said he posted information about soccer tryouts early in the fall, but when the time came for those tryouts, not enough players showed an interest forcing him to make the decision to pull the plug on the team for the year.

"Like with any sport you advertise tryouts," Gaines said. "So we definitely tried to put a team together and we had players who showed an interest - just not enough."

TERRAPINS NEARING FULL STRENGTH: After Tampa Prep's 6-0 win against Shorecrest Prep on Monday, Terrapins coach Pam Smith said it was nice to finally have here team back in order. With the overlapping of the end of fall sports, Tampa Prep played the early part of the season without defenders Lauren Knocke and Alyssa Bryant, as well as midfielder Spenser Hollar. All three players were finishing the cross country season for Tampa Prep.

"Tonight was the first night we had all of our cross country players back," Smith said. "Now we have to figure what our best lineup is."

The Terrapins are also awaiting the return of senior forward Paige Goodwin, who has been sidelined after offseason knee surgery to repair a torn ACL. Smith said Goodwin is running well while wearing a knee brace, but the team is still waiting for a doctor's note of clearance. Goodwin, who has committed to UCF, had 29 goals and 21 assists last season for the 2A state champion Terrapins.

SENIORS LEADING WAY AT EAST BAY: Seniors Lauren Verbosky, Lindsey Rankin and Morgan Williams are certainly leaders on the field for the Indians, but all three players also rank as the top three students academically at East Bay.

In November, Verbosky won the the Wendy's High School Heisman Award for the state of Florida. The award recognizes students for their excellence in athletics, academics and student leadership.

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