Cougars-Raiders set for big district match

Durant's 4-0 victory against Tampa Bay Tech was the fifth in a row for the Cougars boys, and it makes for an interesting picture at the top of Class 5A-District 8.

Currently tied with Newsome for second place with a 3-0-2 record, the Cougars face district leader Plant City (4-0-1) on Friday. Should the Raiders win, they will earn the No. 1 seed, with Newsome, which faces Tampa Bay Tech, likely getting the No. 2 spot.

If Durant wins, though, it could force a tiebreaker between the Cougars and Wolves for the No. 1 spot. The teams played to a 3-3 draw earlier in the season.

Durant has accomplished all of this without the services of midfielder Ben Eisenhauer, whom Cougars coach Jamin Hollingsworth calls their second-best player. He was lost for the season when he had to have his spleen removed. Florida Gulf Coast-bound forward Billy Fanning has picked up where he left off his junior season, having scored 16 goals. Hollingsworth thinks Fanning is playing better this season than he was last.

"He can create his own shot, and he's got a fantastic shot," Hollingsworth said. "We don't really have to have much going, but if you give Billy just one opportunity, he can bury it, so we're always in the game because we have Billy, and we're pretty good on set pieces."

Headmasters' Challenge on tap

Tampa Prep will host Berkeley Prep on Saturday in the school's seventh annual Headmasters' Challenge. The series will again be an all-day sports challenge between the schools in five winter sports on the varsity, junior varsity and middle school levels. The schools are 3-3 in the series.

The girls soccer programs will continue the rivalry with a noon match on the Tampa Prep soccer field. Berkeley Prep (11-4-2) earned a 1-0 win in the first meeting with a lone goal from senior midfielder Becca Hurst.

The Buccaneers are coming off a 3-0 win against Clearwater Central Catholic on Tuesday with goals from Samantha Newhaller, Taylor Batye and Amber Famiglietti. The victory earned Berkeley Prep the top seed in the 3A-District 9 tournament. Coach Ken Roberts said the team is excited to face Tampa Prep again in what has become a game of bragging rights for both teams, as well as a chance for tough competition late in the season to prepare for the district tournament.

"It's always a nice opportunity to play a quality opponent in the area," Roberts said. "We have a tough time getting to play the public schools, so getting to play Tampa Prep twice in one season works out nice for us as we get to have a good, strong competitive match."

The Terrapins are led by sophomore forward Colby Maffei, who leads the area with 25 goals, and junior Caroline Cheek, who has 14 assists, ranking second to Steinbrenner's Cici Gonzalez.

For Tampa Prep (9-3-4), a win against Berkeley would be a chance to get back on pace after a disappointing 5-0 loss to Plant in the opening match of the Sarasota Holiday Tournament as well as a pair of ties to Newsome and Lourdes Academy.

"We're excited to play a good team," Terrapins coach Cindy Schofield said. "Quality like that is something we don't get every match."

Nicholas J.E. Murray, Jarrett Guthrie