Wilson Leads West Stars To FACA Title

SEBRING - Sickles outfielder Kenny Wilson scored four runs and King's Sean Buckley had a key two-run double to lead the West All-Stars to a 15-6 win against the North All-Stars in the championship game of the 30th annual Florida Athletic Coaches Association Baseball Classic on Saturday at Firemen's Field.

Wilson drew a pair of walks and reached on an error to spark the West offense, which banged out 15 hits off five North pitchers.

"It's an honor to be selected to play in this series, and it was great to be able to represent the west coast of Florida," Wilson said. "We swung the bats well, got solid pitching and our defense was tight. This was a great experience and was even better than I imagined it would be."

Buckley came through in the first inning with a bases-loaded double down the right-field line off Niceville right-hander Austin Wood for a 3-0 lead.

Sarasota's Casey Kelly allowed one hit and struck out three in two innings, had two hits and drove in one to earn West MVP honors. Middleton's Jamie Mallard blasted a three-run homer in the seventh.

Jefferson coach Pop Cuesta led the West team, and he was on the winning team for the fourth time in his career. "Over the years of this event we have a tradition of winning when a Tampa coach is in charge," Cuesta said.

Indian Rocks Christian Tops Cambridge 49-6

LARGO - Because Cambridge's baseball team played in the Class 1A state final Tuesday, seven starters on the football team were wrapped up in baseball. They only logged three practices with the football team this week and put on pads for the first time Saturday, when the Lancers faced Indian Rocks Christian in the team's spring game.

It showed. The host Golden Eagles jumped ahead, scoring the first five touchdowns in the first half, mostly using a punishing ground game, to win 49-6.

Due to graduation and the baseball team's success, Cambridge had only three starters on defense with any significant experience.

IRC took advantage of that with its fullbacks - junior Lou Mason ran for 108 yards on nine carries and scored a touchdown, and eighth-grader Devontae West ran for 31 yards on five carries.

The biggest play of the game came when Cambridge quarterback Etienne Turner hooked up with Dixon Phillips for a 92-yard score with four seconds left in the first half.

"The ending of that first half was perfect because the tight end and the quarterback had played before, so it showed what we can do when our quarterback gets time," Cambridge coach Rick Shears said.

Lee Diekemper