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Jefferson Getting Help With Hydration

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The Tampa Tribune

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 10, 2008

Jefferson High coach Mike Fenton barely had time to celebrate his team's victory against Robinson on Sept. 12. He was too busy tending to one of his players who had to be rushed to the emergency room with full body cramps.

In an effort to prevent that from happening again, Fenton did some research and found a company, Hydration Nation, that would help in that cause.

Hydration Nation sets up camp, so to speak, before every Jefferson game. In a mobile tent, players get intravenous fluids of basic saline and oxygen and also have access to treatment after games if needed.

"Basically we are hydrating the body and refueling it with what the body needs," Hydration Nation CEO Eric Luetkemeyer said. "Their performance level is increased as well. Players feel better and that helps them play better."

The company is providing the service to Jefferson for free in an effort to showcase the benefits and eventually plan on talking to county administrators about including others schools at a cost. Since Jefferson began using Hydration Nation, Fenton said none of its players has experienced cramping during games. In fact, he's seen a noticeable difference the day after games.

"Saturdays are light lifting days for us because guys are sore, but they have been recovering a lot quicker now," Fenton said.

NO ROOM FOR ERROR: As far as must-win games go, Leto's district contest with Jefferson tonight is as must-win as you can get, or else ...

"We really need to win this one, or we've got to beat Plant to get into the playoffs," Leto quarterback Jeremy Deering said. "It's one or the other."

In order to keep the playoff dream alive and to jump-start their offense, Deering, Hillsborough County's leading rusher, was moved from tailback to quarterback earlier this season. Last week against Lennard, he accounted for 447 yards of offense, including 326 yards rushing. And since making the switch in the middle of the Sept. 12 game against Tampa Bay Tech, Deering has thrown one touchdown in each of his four games under center.

"It's different," Deering said. "I just like to play wherever they put me."

ON OPPOSITE SIDES: When Freedom travels to face Hillsborough in a Class 4A-District 11 game tonight, two former USF teammates, now coaches, will be standing on opposite sides of the field.

Freedom coach Marquel Blackwell and Hillsborough offensive line coach Joe Sipp were teammates at USF, Blackwell as the quarterback and Sipp as an offensive lineman.

"He was my center," Blackwell said.

Blackwell said they are good friends, but when their teams play each other, the phones stop ringing.

"We probably won't talk much this week," he said.

Although he is winless against Hillsborough as a head coach, Blackwell was an assistant on the 2006 Freedom team that won at Chelo Huerta Field, 24-21.

WILLIAMS NO LONGER WITH CHIEFS: Chamberlain senior receiver Ed Williams is no longer with the team and has withdrawn from school, assistant coach Brian Turner said.

Alonso High AD Kent Glover confirmed that Williams has enrolled at Alonso. "When he will be eligible has not been determined," Glover said.

Williams, a starting receiver, had five catches for 116 yards and one TD in five games. He transferred from Jefferson to Chamberlain in the spring.

VOLS OFFER TC'S GREEN: The University of Tennessee has joined the list of Division I schools that have made an official scholarship offer to Tampa Catholic junior quarterback Christian Green, Crusaders coach Bob Henriquez said.

Green already has received offers from several Division I powers, including Florida, Florida State and Michigan.

TERRIERS LINEMAN OUT ONE MORE GAME: Hillsborough senior lineman Chris Platts will sit out the final game of his three-game suspension tonight when the Terriers host Freedom.

The FHSAA hit Platts with the ban because of his ejection from the Terriers' Sept. 19 loss to Chamberlain. In that game, the 6-foot-2, 275-pound Platts was ejected in the second quarter for a punch and kick he landed on Chamberlain defensive lineman Dontavious Pyron.

Platts appeared to be retaliating for Pyron holding running back Lindsey Lamar on the ground after Pyron had tackled Lamar on a rushing attempt.

Katherine Smith, Nick Williams, Bill Ward

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