Even though Rick Tocchet spent most of last season behind the bench running the Lightning, the former four-time all-star essentially is a rookie coach trying to lead a once-proud franchise back to being a contender. ...more

December 23, 2009

When the soccer season resumes after the holidays, the hype between Plant City and Durant will build to the teams' regular-season finales. ...more

December 23, 2009

Dwight Dasher ran for 201 yards — the most by a quarterback in a bowl game — and two touchdowns and threw two scoring passes to lead Middle Tennessee to a 42-32 victory over Southern Miss in the New Orleans Bowl on Sunday night. ...more

December 21, 2009

Ryan Reid scored 17 points and Chris Singleton hit the go-ahead basket with 1:05 left in overtime to help Florida State beat No. 22 Georgia Tech 66-59 on Sunday night. ...more

December 21, 2009

Ben Roethlisberger ended the game the way he started it by throwing a touchdown pass to Mike Wallace, a desperation 19-yarder on the final play that rallied Pittsburgh to a 37-36 victory against Green Bay on Sunday, ending the Packers' five-game winning streak and the Steelers' five-game losing streak. ...more

December 21, 2009

The Hudson High girls soccer players know each other well. They are the two-time defending district champs, and many of them play on the same competitive team, including the upperclassmen who play on the Hudson Youth Soccer Lady Cobras U-18/19 team. ...more

December 16, 2009

The last time Plant City High had a winning record in girls soccer was the last - and only - time the Raiders made the playoffs. ...more

December 16, 2009

The Miami Dolphins won another close game with another late defensive stop. This one put them right in the middle of the AFC playoff picture. ...more

December 14, 2009

When Plant High moved up to Class 5A this season, most people thought the defending 4A state football champs had no chance at another title. After all, the Panthers would have to go through Lakeland in the semifinals. ...more

December 12, 2009

Just like it always does at Lakeland's Bryant Stadium, Friday night's Class 5A semifinal game began with the Dreadnaughts taking the field to great fanfare, including a clanging bell and loud cannon. ...more

December 11, 2009