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Durant's goal out of reach

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By DAREK SHARP

dsharp@tampatrib.com

Published: November 4, 2009

PLANT CITY - Volleyball order looked like it was being restored as the Durant High Cougars stormed out to a two-game lead in the 5A-8 district tournament semifinal against Newsome High last week.

But Newsome shocked the Cougars and their home crowd with a comeback, winning the critical fourth game 26-24 and then taking the finale 15-11 to end Durant's season last week.

As a result, for the first time in its history, Durant is not in the state volleyball playoffs. Durant reached the state semifinals in its first year (1995) and won state titles in 1999, 2001 and 2002.

Last week the Cougars entered the district tourney as the No. 3 seed but were confident they could knock out the No. 2 seed, Newsome. Instead, Durant saw its season end with an 8-19 mark.

Top seed Armwood also had a semifinal scare, dropping the first game to Riverview before winning.

Riverview eliminated Plant City in last Monday's first round, beating the Raiders 25-9, 25-23, 25-14. Plant City finished with a 9-9 record.

And making it three area teams seeing their seasons end on three straight days, Strawberry Crest bowed out against top-seed Steinbrenner Oct. 28 at the 4A-9 tourney at Jefferson. Steinbrenner is a not-so-surprising playoff team in its first season, as the Warriors are made up of transfers from strong volleyball schools: Alonso, Sickles and Gaither.

Steinbrenner beat the Chargers 25-9, 25-15, 25-19.

Swimmers, cross-country runners enter postseason

The rest of the fall sports postseason - outside of football, where playoffs begin Nov. 20 - is here with swimming holding district meets last week and cross country up next.

Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest swimmers who had times fast enough to make regionals are in action this weekend. Both the Raiders and Cougars will be at the North Shore Pool in St. Petersburg, with Durant in the 2A-3 regional meet Friday and Plant City going Saturday in the 3A-2 event.

Strawberry Crest is in swimming Region 1A-3, which holds its meet Saturday in Sarasota at the Selby Aquatic Center.

Top performers from the regional meets advance to the state finals next week in Orlando.

Cross-country runners from Durant are in action today at the District 3A-4 meet at Sickles. The girls race starts at 4 p.m., followed a half-hour later by the boys race.

Plant City treks to Lake Minneola Trail Park this Saturday for the 4A-3 meet. Hillsborough County teams are pretty much outsiders at this event, with Bloomingdale, Brandon, Freedom, Newsome and Plant City the only squads among the 21 schools participating that are not from the Orlando vicinity.

But the course is spectacular: Lake Minneola is situated between Clermont and Winter Garden and is a major destination for triathletes to train.

The top eight teams and top 15 individuals will advance to the regional meets.

Strawberry Crest will be in action Friday at the 2A-5 meet, held in Al Lopez Park just north of Raymond James Stadium.

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