Koby Dail can barely remember a time in his life when he did not play baseball. ...more

December 10, 2007

The emotions already had started pouring out of his players when Tampa Catholic coach Bob Henriquez stood in front of them and boldly told them, "We'll see them again. We'll see them again." ...more

December 10, 2007

Marco Mendoza remembered one day that stunned him his freshman year. With the entire team in full pads and on the field, Mendoza - then a member of the junior varsity - sat with his teammates and listened to the coach talk about the previous week's game. ...more

December 8, 2007

WAUCHULA — The Avon Park girls soccer team tallied its second win of the season against the Hardee Wildcats in a Class 4A-District 10 match-up at Wildcat Stadium on Thursday, winning 3-0. Missy Lander, who has been a vocal leader on the field for Avon Park, was one of three that scored for the Red Devils, who have earned both victories this season against the 'Cats. "We are passing the ball so much better now," said AP head coach Greg Thacker. "I finally have a squad that will stick with the program, and are working hard." Thacker moved Lander to the forward position and has been pleased with the decision. ...more

December 8, 2007

In the first round of early season girls' basketball on Thanksgiving Eve, the Springstead junior varsity (2-0) pulled off a breathtaking 29-28 victory when Shannon Capehart hit a three-pointer with one minute left in overtime. ...more

November 26, 2007

Three-year starter Jeremy Fussell will not be an easy player to replace at quarterback, but the Durant High Cougars have a plan. ...more

November 21, 2007

AVON PARK –– Impact freshmen are hard to come by in sports. Freshmen normally take time to mature, as they take their lumps at the junior varsity level. But occasionally, you'll find exceptions to the rule. Freshman point guard Markida Hawthorne played with the poise and confidence of a senior, scoring 12 points and dishing out countless assists, as the Avon Park Red Devils pummelled the Braden River Pirates 69-46 in a Class 4A-District 10 match-up in the season opener on Tuesday. "She [Markida] really sparked our offense off the bench," AP head coach Paulette Daley said. "She has great ball handling and I like her aggressiveness. Her play enables me to use girls in different spots." Jamee Hawthorne, sister of Markida, was the beneficiary of numerous passes from her sibling, scoring a team-high 17 points, including a pair of 3-pointers against the Pirates. ...more

November 15, 2007

Sunlake High's Chris Leko expected the misplayed balls. He expected his players to often be out of position. He even expected the multitude of blowout losses. What he never expected were the questions. ...more

November 14, 2007

Bishop McLaughlin's 2007 season could have opened in a bit of disarray when Athletic Director Michael Zelenka was forced to assume coaching duties just prior to its start. Thanks to a dominant defense and explosive offense, the Hurricanes haven't missed a beat. ...more

November 14, 2007

Josh Johnson is accustomed to change. Three games into his freshman year, he moved from the Pasco junior varsity to varsity. Last season, he stood by as the Pirates switched coaches, from Dale Caparaso to Tom McHugh. Between, he had to learn new offenses and new positions, and three years into his prep career, he still seemingly is playing everywhere on the field. ...more

November 1, 2007