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Teams Back In Action As Districts Approach

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By RICK HARMON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 7, 2009

Students returned to school throughout the county Tuesday following a two-week holiday vacation. Most athletic teams also return to play this week after the same two-week layoff.

Here's a breakdown of what's happening as we head toward the district tournaments:

GIRLS SOCCER: District tournaments begin Jan. 19 at Countryside (6A-7), Jan. 20 at Ridgewood (5A-7), Jan. 19 at Hudson (4A-8) and Jan. 20 at Tampa Prep (2A-9).

Hudson (4A) and River Ridge (5A) have clinched district titles and first-round byes in the tournament. Mitchell leads 6A-7 and can win the title with a win against St. Petersburg on Thursday.

BOYS SOCCER: District tournaments begin Jan. 26 at Mitchell (6A-7), Jan. 27 at Central (5A-7), Jan. 26 at Springstead (4A-8) and Jan. 27 at Bishop McLaughlin (2A-9).

Land O' Lakes can win the 5A-7 title Friday when it hosts Central. The Gators won 3-0 the first time the teams played, Dec. 3 at Central, playing without leading scorer Dominic Cutrofello, who received two yellow cards early in the game and was ejected.

Pasco hasn't lost since starting 0-2 (losses to Mitchell and Land O' Lakes), going 10-0-2. Pasco (9-0-2) is second in 4A-8, one point behind Gulf (9-0-3), and the two teams meet tonight at 6:30 at W.F. Edwards Stadium in Dade City. On Dec. 1, they tied 1-1. Hudson (7-3-2) is in the hunt for the district title but has a loss and a tie against both Gulf and Pasco and would lose any head-to-head tiebreaker.

Mitchell will host the 6A-7 district tournament, but the Mustangs won't earn either of the first-round byes. The Mustangs (2-3) finished fifth in the district. Bishop McLaughlin (4-0) leads 2A-9 with games remaining against Hernando Christian (Friday) and Academy at the Lakes (Jan. 13).

GIRLS BASKETBALL: District tournaments begin Feb. 2 at Nature Coast (4A-8), Feb. 3 at Lakeside Christian (1A-11), Feb. 4 at Countryside (6A-7) and at Wesley Chapel (5A-7) and Feb. 5 at Tampa Prep (2A-9).

Wiregrass Ranch (4A) and Wesley Chapel (5A) are undefeated in district play but have important games remaining. The Bulls (10-0) have a rematch with Gulf (8-2) on Jan. 15. Wiregrass, winner of 12 in a row, won the first meeting 45-43.
Wesley Chapel (13-0) is the only undefeated team in the county, and the 5A-7 title probably will come down to the Jan. 24 game at Central. Mitchell is in third place in 6A-7 and still has to face the leaders - St. Petersburg (Jan. 22) and Sickles (Thursday) - for a second time. Academy at the Lakes (1A-11) and Bishop McLaughlin trail the field in their respective districts.

BOYS BASKETBALL: District tournaments begin Feb. 9 at Sunlake (4A-8), Feb. 10 at Land O' Lakes (5A-7) and Lakeside Christian (1A-11), Feb. 11 at Mitchell (6A-7) and Feb. 13 at Bishop McLaughlin (2A-9).

Ridgewood is probably the team to beat in 5A-7 and in the Sunshine Athletic Conference. The Rams (13-2) lead Land O' Lakes by one game in both the district and the SAC. The Rams downed the Gators 91-60 on Dec. 16 and will meet again Jan. 23.

Hudson is still in the hunt for the 4A-8 title but will have to beat undefeated Springstead to do it.

Mitchell is only one game behind Sickles in 6A-7. The Mustangs (3-1) lost to Sickles 51-45 on Dec. 8 and get a return match Jan. 23.

The least-known success story is at Bishop McLaughlin. The Hurricanes are 10-1 and tied with Tampa Prep for the 2A-9 lead. Bishop McLaughlin lost to the Terrapins 61-28 in the finals of the Keswick Christian tournament but still have two games (Jan. 16 and Jan. 30) against Tampa Prep.
Academy at the Lakes also leads its district at 3-0 in 1A-11 play, but Citrus Park Christian (3-1) and Canterbury (2-1) are right behind.

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