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March Gators Captures State

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 26, 2008

It was the first year the Florida High School Athletic Association has officially recognized competitive cheer as a varsity sport. It also was the first time the FHSAA had held a state championship meet.

Not knowing what the competition would be like, Land O' Lakes was hoping to place high and ended up bringing home the top prize of a state championship.

Finally, Land O' Lakes cheer coach Celisa Cook said someone has put Land O' Lakes on the map for something in the state.

On March 8, the Gators pushed through last-minute changes to their cheer and a slip-up in the semifinals to capture a state title in the small co-ed division of the inaugural Florida High School Athletic Association competitive cheer championships in Boca Raton.

"I have a phenomenal group," Cook said. "They work really well together and they persevered."

The Gators 24 cheerleaders beat out second-place Jupiter by half a point. Land O' Lakes scored 417 points and Jupiter received 416.5 from the judges.

This was the fourth competition of the year-long season for Land O' Lakes and the Gators had a good feeling about their chances at the state meet after placing a close second to Fort Walton Beach at a meet in Jacksonville earlier this year.

REPLACEMENT NOT FAR

When Gulf volleyball coach Shari Schau announced her 13-year stint as volleyball coach was over to concentrate on being the girls soccer coach, the school didn't have to look far for her replacement..

Assistant coach Chris Vergnaud, who teaches social studies at the school, was named.

Vergnaud is a 2002 Ridgewood graduate and while a student at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, assisted with the women's volleyball team and played intramural volleyball.

PETTY WINS STAKES RACE

Jockey Jody Petty got the call from owner and trainer John Griggs, and the offer was too good to pass up.

Petty had seen Griggs' prized steeplechase horse, Hip Hop, around the circuit for more than a year, but never had gotten to ride the 7-year-old brown gelding until March 9 at Little Everglades Ranch.

After getting on Hip Hop for the first time right before the day's feature race, he guided him to a 3 1/4-length win in the $35,000 Little Everglades Stakes, also known as the Founders' Cup, before a colorfully adorned crowd estimated at more than 10,000.

SAINT LEO HONORS 5

The 2008 Saint Leo Hall of Fame induction ceremony, held March 27 at the school's new Student Community Center, not only brought out stars from the Lions' past, but it also provided an evening filled with legendary tales, funny anecdotes and more from 60 years of Saint Leo lore.

College and prep school standout William Sharp, baseball players Trevor Hall and John Kozak, softball player Tracy Roy and former soccer coach and current athletic director Fran Reidy were enshrined before a lively gathering of family, friends and former players.

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