Miracle Sports has released the final state softball rankings of the spring. (Full disclosure: I send results to poll organizers to help assemble rankings).

Bloomingdale ended the season fifth overall after winning the Class 8A state championship. Canterbury finished on top in 2A – one of three local schools in the top five of that classification.

Full rankings:

ALL CLASSIFICATIONS

1. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas (7A) 30-2

2. Westminster Christian (3A) 27-2

3. Pensacola West Florida (4A) 28-1

4. Harmony (7A) 28-3

5. Bloomingdale (8A) 27-3

6. Plantation American Heritage (5A) 25-6

7. Pembroke Pines Charter (6A) 21-6-1

8. P.K. Yonge (4A) 24-4

9. Belleview (5A) 26-6

10. Ponte Vedra (5A) 27-1

CLASS 8A

1. Bloomingdale 27-3

2. Hagerty 28-5

3. Miami Coral Reef 22-9

4. Cypress Bay 21-7

5. Orange City University 23-4

6. Alonso 22-5

7. Apopka 22-5

8. Park Vista 21-9

9. West Broward 18-7

10 Wellington 23-4

Honorable mention: Vero Beach 15-10; Cooper City 20-7; West Orange 19-7; Winter Park 18-9; Miami Palmetto 17-7; Hollywood McArthur 9-17

CLASS 7A

1. Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 30-2

2. Harmony 28-3

3. Cantonment Tate 24-5

4. Melbourne 26-4

5. Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer 22-8

6. Bartow 23-6

7. Clermont East Ridge 22-5

8. Bradenton Lakewood Ranch 22-8

9. Durant 20-9

10. Coconut Creek Monarch 20-4

Honorable mention: Plant City 20-9; East Lake 17-7; Hialeah American 19-9; Fort Myers 19-8; Navarre 18-10; Lake Howell 18-11

CLASS 6A

1. Pembroke Pines Charter 21-6-1

2. Jacksonville Creekside 21-6

3. Columbia 28-2

4. Lake Region 25-7

5. Chamberlain 23-4

6. Ocala Forest 26-3

7. North Fort Myers 22-6

8. Doral Academy 20-7

9. Venice 22-7

10. Auburndale 22-7

Honorable mention: Deltona 19-5; St. Augustine 17-9; Orange Park Oakleaf 17-11; Jefferson 16-7; Miami Goleman 17-9; Jensen Beach 13-13

CLASS 5A

1. Plantation American Heritage 25-6

2, Belleview 26-6

3. Ponte Vedra 27-1

4. Bradenton Bayshore 23-5

5. Lynn Haven Mosley 17-7

6. Glen St. Mary Baker County 23-4

7. Wauchula Hardee County 17-7-1

8. Hernando 27-3

9. River Ridge 26-4

10. Eustis 14-8

Honorable mention: Green Cove Springs Clay 20-8; Cape Coral 17-9; Rockledge 19-9; Pompano Beach 17-7; Lakewood 15-12; Crawfordville Wakulla 10-16

CLASS 4A

1. West Florida 28-1

2. Gainesville P.K. Yonge 24-4

3. Miami Gulliver Prep 24-7

4. West Nassau 23-6

5. Delray American Heritage 18-11

6. Cocoa Beach 24-6

7. Mulberry 15-14

8. Fort Pierce Lincoln Park 20-3

9. Montverde Academy 21-5

10. South Sumter 16-9

Honorable mention: Tallahassee Florida High 19-10; Jacksonville Bolles 17-10; Miami St. Brendan 15-7; Holy Names 15-7; Coconut Creek North Broward Prep 10-7; Fort Myers Bishop Verot 13-15

CLASS 3A

1. Miami Westminster Christian 27-2

2. Tallahassee North Florida Christian 19-4

3. Lake Worth Trinity Christian 24-3

4. Moore Haven 17-5-1

5. Niceville Rocky Bayou Christian 15-4

6. Carrollwood Day 16-8

7. Fort Lauderdale Westminster Academy 17-4

8. Jacksonville University Christian 17-11

9. Belle Isle Cornerstone Charter Academy 18-9

10. St. Petersburg Catholic 14-6

Honorable mention: Admiral Farragut 16-4; Mount Dora Bible 18-9; Marathon 13-12-1; Lakeland Christian; Orlando First Academy; Bradenton Saint Stephen’s Episcopal

CLASS 2A

1. Canterbury 23-6

2. Monticello Aucilla Christian 19-4

3. Boca Raton Grandview Prep 11-8

4. Academy at the Lakes 15-4

5. Cambridge Christian 15-6

6. Sarasota Christian 16-3

7. Central Florida Christian 21-5

8. Orlando Christian Prep 14-6

9. Pine Castle Christian 14-13

10. Master’s Academy of Vero Beach 11-16

Honorable mention:; Winter Garden Foundation Academy; Quincy Munroe; Southwest Florida Christian; Princeton Christian; Hollywood Sheridan Hills Christian; Homestead Colonial Christian

CLASS 1A

1. Chiefland 19-5

2. Dixie County 22-1

3. Jay 24-4

4. Sneads 26-4

5. Bell 18-11

6. Wewahitchka 17-8

7. Pierson Taylor 14-6

8. Hilliard 12-7

9. Port St. Joe 18-8

10. Lafayette 18-10

Honorable mention: Chipley 17-9; Ponce de Leon 12-12; South Walton 14-11; Crescent City 9-14; Milton Central 9-11

Here are the PCAC North and South County baseball teams, as voted on by public school coaches:

Coach of the Year: Dan Genna, East Lake

North County

First Team

Pitchers: Brad Deppermann (East Lake), Christian Townsend (Countryside), Steven Plaskett (East Lake). Catcher: Douglas Borgh (Seminole). Infielders: Chris Berry (Seminole), Tyler Short (Largo), Keegan Maronpot (East Lake), Trevor Jensen (Dunedin), Charlie Skantze (Countryside). Outfielders: Cody Miller (Seminole), Aaron Turman (Dunedin), Jack Skantze (Countryside), Jacob Silverstein (Seminole), Andrew Young (Clearwater). Utiility: Max Romanski (Tarpon Springs), Eric Sexton (Dunedin).

Second Team

Pitchers: Briian Auerbach (PHU), Zach Taylor (Countryside), Austin Lamoureaux (Seminole). Catcher: Justin Glover (Dunedin). Infielders: Aaron Dickson (Tarpon Springs), Tyler Koser (Seminole),  Reed Brinkman (Clearwater), Jacob Henniger (Largo), Cameron Churchill (East Lake). Outfielders: Eric Kehoe (Tarpon  Springs),  Ethan Roberts (Seminole), Ian Lisle (East Lake), Travis Carden (Largo), A.J. Hrica (PHU). Utility:  Nick DeSantis  (East Lake), Matt Tharp (Seminole).

Honorable mention

Clearwater: Zach Marshall, Garrison Bryant, Quinnn Blauvelt.

Countryside: Mike Adams, Tommy Labella, Kevin Rosinski, Kyle Kania.

Dunedin: Colton Widdows, Tim Luth.

East Lake: Andrew Monahan, Ryan Wall, Christian James.

Largo: Logan Liddie, Matt VanJelgerhuis, Drew Guido.

Palm Harbor University: Ethan Olivero, Adam Jurco, John Pichman.

Seminole: Nate Tomilonus, Joe Favetta.

Tarpon Springs: Matt Sakellarides.

South County

First Team

Pitchers: Keith Weisenberg (Osceola), Colton Tison (Northeast), Brandon Grigsby (Pinellas Park). Catcher: Bret Maxwell (Northeast). Infielders: Bo Bichette (Lakewood), Joseph Simmons (Dixie Hollins), Connor Labrie (St. Petersburg), Tully Allen (Boca Ciega). Outfielders: Chris Clark (Northeast), John Miller (St. Petersburg), Richie Rivera (St. Petersburg), Abbi Jiminez (Osceola). Utility: Ryan Griffith (Pinellas Park), Donovan Pink (Lakewood).

Second Team

Pitchers: David Sokol (St. Petersburg), Josh Hale (Northeast), Tanner Watkins (Boca Ciega). Catcher: Mike Kleinman (Osceola). Infielders: Zack Roberts (Pinellas Park), Jamaal Chaney (Lakewood), Jaret Helinger (Osceola), Jason Mugavero (Northeast). Outfielders: Will Condon (Northeast), Jake Ferguson (St. Petersburg), Joey Coca (Osceola), Tristan Allen (Pinellas Park). Utility: Nick Adams (Boca Ciega), Devin Reyes (Dixie Hollins).

Honorable mention

Dixie Hollins: Dominick Gervato, Anthony Mosgaard, Mike Leary.

Osceola: Ethan Wheeler, Garrett Sullivan, Buddy Dougherty, Tyler Malinowski.

Northeast: Jesse Moeller, Brien Story, Brandon Reiss, Drew Vimond, Kobe Hartley.

Boca Ciega: Darius Blasingame, Bradley Watson.

Pinellas Park: Daniel McHenry, Chase Stevens, Tyler Curry, Kenny Brush, Derek Jaar.

St. Petersburg: Sam Goodis, Matt Mainelli, Dylan Mlotkowski, David Phrathep, Aaron Houghton.

Lakewood: Mike Ferrandiz, Lance Smith, Marcus Bradley.

In a busy 24 hours in south St. Petersburg, which major colleges like Ohio State, Florida and Miami swinging through to take a look at standouts like Lakewood quarterback Ryan Davis and Gibbs defensve back Craig Watts, there was one big surprise.

Marquez Walls was offered by Louisville.

A junior varsity standout last season, the 5-foot-11, 180-pound Gibbs defensive back picked up the first offer of his prep career after impressing Cardinal recruiter Greg Brown at practice.

"He had offered Craig Watts, but I said come out to practice and watch (Walls) and I bet you'll love him,'' said Gibbs assistant coach Bob Lindsey.

Sure enough, he did. In a one-day span where Lakewood's Davis and Savion Smith picked up Louisville and Ohio State offers, Lakewood's Tyrell Hubbard-Smith picked up his third offer, from USF, and Watts was offered by Temple, Louisville and Ohio State, Walls joined the ranks of Pinellas County recruits.

Later Wednesday afternoon, Walls also picked up a Alabama-Birmingham offer, as did Watts.

"I wasn't expecting it to happen that quick,'' said Walls, a rising junior who played on the varsity basketball team this past winter. "It's an amazing experience."

Walls will play defensive back and wide receiver for the Gladiators this fall, and is also the team's punter.

Lindsey said he is also attracting interest from Florida State, and expects the 2016 prospect to pick up a few more offers this spring.

"Athletically, he's one of the biggest freaks in the county,'' Lindsey said. "Colleges will love that."

East Lake’s first practice in preparation for Friday’s Class 7A state semifinal against Kissimmee Osceola started with players pulling weeds. It’s been five weeks since the Eagles have played a home game, so a little maintenance was needed. 

But, hey, at least they’re still using their field in mid May.

Ever since its final home game on April 4, a 3-1 win over Countryside, East Lake has been on one long, unlikely journey. Among the highlights: 

• A 1-0 win at Tarpon Springs on April 16 that clinched the PCAC north championship. 

• A 3-0 win over Osceola the next night to clinch the PCAC title.

• A 2-1, eight-inning win over Pinellas Park in the Class 7A-9 district semifinals that clinched a region tournament berth.

• A 3-2 loss to Northeast in the district final that meant yet another road trip. This one was at perennial power Sarasota, where East Lake pulled off an improbable 2-1 win in 10 innings. 

• A 9-0 win at Northeast in the region semifinals, the Eagles’ first win over the Vikings in four tries this season. 

• A 7-3, nine-inning win at Melbourne that included a ninth-inning grand slam by Andrew Monahan, who was mostly a platoon player prior to the playoffs. 

And now a trip to Fort Myers to play Osceola, which also is a district runnerup. 

“It seemed like in the second half of the season we played a lot of road games and it geared us up for the run we are making,’’ senior second baseman Andrew Prozzillo said. “We had to get out of our comfort zone, and it kept us hungry and focused.’’

East Lake is making its first appearance at the state tournament since 2002, when it lost a heartbreaker in the final, 8-7 to Lynn Haven Mosely. There have been several East Lake teams since that were talented enough to get back, including this year’s team. 

But throughout the season it seemed the Eagles (21-8) were finding ways to lose. There was a narrow loss to Northeast, followed by a head-scratching 6-3 loss to Largo.

There were two more losses to the Vikings and a loss to Clearwater Central Catholic. During spring break, there was a 10-0 loss to Orlando Olympia, followed by a 4-0 shutout to Pinellas Park. 

“I think when we started the season we were a little overconfident,” coach Dan Genna said. “And I knew when we got into the district play we would have the big target on us. The road goes through East Lake in the district this year. We knew that. But if we are better, it’s only an eyelash better. We didn’t hit early and we almost had to get our butts kicked. Those losses made the team hungrier.

“We didn’t panic. We had to go through those growing pains. Every season is different. We had to get an identity.”

The identity became lights-out pitching and just enough hitting.

Right-hander Brad Deppermann (5-3, 0.98 ERA) took control on the mound. He threw seven innings against Sarasota, giving up only one run. He shut out Northeast the next week, allowing only three hits. He will start against Osceola on Friday night.

“Whenever we have Dep on the hill we feel confident we can win,” senior shortstop Keegan Maronpot said. 

Steven Plaskett has been just as reliable. He has a 0.73 ERA in 38 innings pitched, all in relief. He shut down Melbourne for six innings to earn the win. 

Ryan Wall and Cameron Churchill can both be used as starters or relievers should East Lake make Saturday’s final. 

“With our pitching staff, we knew we would get better,” Maronpot said. “Our hitting had to get better eventually. I think we all felt that we were in a good spot.”

Maronpot, a Wake Forest commit, leads the team with a .430 average and nine doubles. Deppermann is hitting .359, and Monahan .312 with two big home runs. 

Maronpot said the team never doubted it could go far in the playoffs. But he admitted there were more than a few players’-only meetings before regionals. 

“We had to crack down on a few things,” he said.

East Lake brings a quiet confidence to Fort Myers. Maronpot remembers last season being in class watching a live stream of his friends at Clearwater Central Catholic playing in the state semifinals. 

Now his team will take center stage. 

“Actually, looking back on it, I’m glad that we lost (in the district final),” Maronpot. “As a senior, I definitely wanted to win a district championship. But since we didn’t, it kept me going. I’m not just going to be happy with a district championship. If we’re not going to win districts, then we might as well win a state title.”

State semifinal
Class 7A: Kissimmee Osceola vs. East Lake
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday; JetBlue Park, Fort Myers
Admission: $9 per day; parking is $8.

BROOKSVILLE — To say that new Central coach Chris Sands took over an ailing program might be an understatement. Central has won only four games in the past four seasons and was winless last fall.

The biggest issue for the Bears has been the lack of fundamental play in the trenches. The presence of 1,000-yard rusher Robbie Bradley was not indicative of Central’s skill up front, where the team lost seven fumbles and the quarterback was always under pressure.

Sands, whose background is as an offensive lineman and line coach, is not worried about the past.

“I’m an offensive line guy, so I’m never worried about line play,” the former Florida A&M standout said. “I am always going to put my sprinkle on (the line). We have guys competing for jobs, which always helps to motivate.”

The plan is to install a spread offense for the upcoming season. With rising senior Cody Brooks returning to man the quarterback position, the coaching staff is confident. Brooks was one of three players to see playing time under center for the team last year, passing for 38 yards and five interceptions in six games. Of the 45 players to come out for the Bears, Brooks has taken a leadership role.

He will have a different, deeper crop of running backs to help relieve some pressure. Alvin Jones, a 215-pound Hernando transfer, will see his fair share of carries as a bruising force between the tackles, while another transfer, Devonte Bates from Springstead, looks like a smaller, shiftier-type back.

The other member of the committee in the backfield is rising senior Anthony Williams. As a linebacker for Central last year, Williams had 49 tackles and three sacks.

The most impressive player this spring has that been newcomer Breon Wyatt. The rising senior is only 5 feet 7, 115 pounds but is exactly the kind of player could thrive in a spread offense as a slot receiver.

“(Wyatt) hasn’t played organized football since middle school, but I saw him play basketball earlier this year,” Sands said. “He has great body control and athleticism.”

By the numbers: River Ridge LB/RB Chris Schwarz
5.83 Yards per carry as a sophomore (most on the team)
250 Bench press figure at the district weightlifting meet
250 Pounds lifted in the clean and jerk to finish third at districts
52 Tackles in only five games last fall
2 Games with two tackles for a loss (Land O’Lakes and Pasco)

Keep an eye on
If Pasco is looking for a big wide receiver to repalce Nate Craig, it doesn’t have to look far. Sherwin Emmanuel, a 6-foot-4 basketball player, could be a breakout guy for the Pirates in the fall. The rising senior has good speed and hands and will be useful as a threat around the goalline. North Carolina was taking a closer look at him as a recent practice, and he could be a difference maker in an offensive attack that relies on the run. 

Audible
“Business as usual.” — Springstead coach Mike Garofano on the Eagles, who are coming off of the best playoff run in Hernando County history

For kicks
Fivay kicker Josh Jones was recently named one of the country’s top 50 kickers by Kicking World. He was the camp series’ triple threat champion in Orlando this spring, booting a 50-yard field goal and performing the best in kickoffs and punts. Jones nailed a 48-yard kick for the Falcons against Hudson as a sophomore last year.

Staff writers Matt Baker and John C. Cotey contributed to this report. 

As juniors last season, Doug Sandberg and Logan Crouse — the Bulls’ two leading receivers — combined for 1,207 yards and 10 touchdowns. But this month, they’ve been noticeably absent from the football field during spring workouts.

They’re too busy putting in time at the next field over.

Crouse, a Florida State baseball commit, and Sandberg are also key starters for the Bloomingdale baseball team that has made an unexpected run to the 8A state semifinal, its first final four appearance in a decade. Backup quarterback Tommy McLaughlin, who started a few games in place of starter Isaiah McIntyre last season, is also on the baseball squad.

Football coach John Booth knows his standouts are working hard elsewhere, but he admits he’s missed their presence on the gridiron the past few weeks. 

“We don’t have that leadership from them at that position group,” Booth said. “But hopefully after they come back and win a state championship, we’ll have that.”

In the meantime, Booth said his new players have had a chance to show what they can do, as McIntyre and a pair of offensive linemen are the only returning offensive players he’s had during practices. Booth said the Bulls will feature two new running backs this season and several new lineman. 

“You leave practicing thinking, ‘We’re not where we should be.’ But then you have to remind yourself, ‘Well, Logan will be back. Doug will be back.’ So that kind of opens up our pass game a little bit more,” he said. “The nice thing is it gives the younger guys a little bit of a chance to get some reps.”

Audibles

“We’re fast, and we play faster.” — Chamberlain coach Cam Jones. His Chiefs are expected to spread the offense with a faster tempo instead of focusing on the single wing. WR/S DJ Daniel will be a key component after totaling only 55 receiving yards as a sophomore last fall.

“He’s bigger, he’s stronger, he’s faster, all those things that you hope for in the offseason. But the maturity of how he carries himself in school and then his poise in offense (has improved).” — Bloomingdale coach John Booth on quarterback Isaiah McIntyre, who missed games last season after receiving an in-school suspension. 

“It’s a whole new atmosphere with Coach Thomas taking over. There’s a lot more hard work, a lot more discipline. There’s a lot more energy here now.” — King starting quarterback Paul Arfaras on new head coach Trey Thomas. Thomas was promoted from offensive coordinator in the offseason after former King coach Alvin Davis retired. 

“The culture has absolutely changed around here. Being in it, you don’t see it quite as much, but when older players come back...man, the progress you guys have made in a few years is tremendous. It definitely is very nice for me to hear.” — East Bay coach Frank LaRosa, who guided the Indians to their first district title in 40 years last fall

By the numbers: Berkeley Prep
13.7 Yards per completion last season by QB Brad Mayes as a junior
11.9 Percent of rushing yards lost due to graduation. Berkeley could return its top four rushers, led by Gordon Stetson
265 Receiving yards by then-freshman Cade Weldon (son of former FSU and Bucs quarterback Casey Weldon), who also saw time as a backup quarterback
3 Bucs with major college offers (DT Bo Peek, WR Jacob Mathis and Mayes). Peek and Mathis both claimed UCF offers Wednesday.
7 Consecutive years Berkeley has finished at .500 or better after a five-win 2013 season

Recruiting updates
• USF offered a pair of Tampa prospects: Hillsborough 2016 linebacker recruit Azeez Al-Shaair and Robinson receiver/defensive back Jahrvis Davenport.

• Tampa Catholic receiver Nate Craig has claimed recent offers from Texas A&M and Notre Dame.

• Miami gave the first scholarship offer for Jefferson 2017 recruit Jean Marcellus, a 6-foot-4, 284-pound offensive lineman. 

• Tampa Catholic lineman Mailk Barrow picked up and Ohio State offer, giving him 10 since the start of spring.

Photo: Berkeley Prep QB Brad Mayes

INDIAN ROCKS — The biggest question Indian Rocks Christian had at the start of spring practice was who would start at quarterback.

The answer was supposed to be Garrett Ross-Johnson, last year’s starter who threw for 1,378 yards and 13 touchdowns in leading the Golden Eagles to the Class 2A state semifinals. Ross-Johnson, though, decided to concentrate on baseball full time, leaving a major void.

Then the rising junior had a change of heart. After Ross-Johnson’s reverse course on playing, IRC welcomed him to practice last week and immediately reinstated him as the starter for Thursday's game against Berkeley Prep.

“The athletic director (Phil Farver) and some coaches were talking to me about coming back,” Ross-Johnson said. “But that wasn’t what really persuaded me to come back. After I decided not to play, practice started, and I kind of missed being out there and had the itch to get back on the field.”

It didn’t hurt that Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Ben Zobrist spoke at the school’s chapel two weeks ago about the value of playing multiple sports in high school.

“That was perfect timing, and put another voice in Garrett’s ear about coming back,” coach Mark Buchanan said, jokingly.

The return of Garrett-Johnson gives IRC’s offense the balance it needs to offset a strong ground game that returns three players — Theo Anderson, Damian King and Zeke McGaughy — who each rushed for more than 900 yards last season.

“After starting a full season, I’m a lot more comfortable with the offense,” Ross-Johnson said. “Our goal is to put up even bigger numbers this season.”

Admiral Farragut readies for Friday’s game

Because of an early end to its school year, Admiral Farragut has only 14 days of spring practice. So a heavy downpour  Wednesday afternoon didn’t stop the Blue Jackets from squeezing in a full practice. They moved inside to the school’s wrestling room before finally moving outside for the second half of practice. 

AFA plays at Hawthorne on Friday night, and coach Ryan Hearn, who is going through his first spring at the school, is still getting used to things at Admiral Farragut.

“I’m used to playing in late May and having more practices and seeing 80 kids out there,’’ Hearn said. “But it’s a little different here. We have about 34, but some are out for various reasons and some are eighth graders. The guys who are here are going all out and I have no complaints. But it is different.’’

Hearn said there are players who are getting some interest this spring. Rising senior defensive back Jestin Green has been offered by Florida International ,and Hearn said Rutgers was going to stop by Wednesday. Quarterback Dalton Collins has interest from Columbia, Air Force, Yale, Davidson and Mercer. And defesnive back/running back  Isadore Wood has interest from Army, Colgate and Davidson. 

Hearn said his offensive line averages 6 feet 3, 260 pounds.

“It’s the biggest offensive line I’ve had as a high school coach,’’ he said. “They haven’t had many practices to gel together. That’s going to take some time.’’

The Blue Jackets even have some star power on their team. George Hamilton, Jr., son of the actor by the same name, is a rising sophomore receiver.

Recruiting updates
• Clearwater Central Catholic running back CJ Cotman is becoming one of the most sought after recruits in the 2017 class. He already has an offer from UCF and received another from Kentucky this week, Marauders coach John Davis said. 

• East Lake offensive lineman Julian Santos, who is taking Mason Cole’s spot at left tackle, picked up his first offers from Kentucky and Massachusetts this week, Eagles coach Bob Hudson said. 

• Boca Ciega defensive back/receiver Kenyatta Anderson picked up an offer from Marshall on Wednesday.

•  Lakewoood quarterback Ryan Davis and cornerback Saivion Smith, as well as Gibbs defensive back Craig Watts,  all received offers from Ohio State this week. Speaking of Lakewood, coach Cory Moore said by his count, 52 college recruiters have come by this spring to look at or talk to various players. 

TAMPA — Tied with Plant — a team Bloomingdale just couldn't seem to top the three times they met during the regular season — after seven innings of a Class 8A region semifinal, Bulls coach Kris Wilken gave his team one order before heading into the eighth inning.

Riding the talents of junior right-hander and Florida State commit Logan Crouse, Bloomingdale had leaned on strong pitching all season. But now, the Bulls had to score at least one more run to advance.

"First thing Wilken said was, "We need a leadoff guy on base,' " Conrado Skepple said.

Thankfully for Wilken, the right guy was due up.

All year, the Bulls had struggled to swing the bats at the right time. But Skepple, one of just two starters with an average above .300, has held his own. And against the Panthers, that's exactly what the junior did.

Skepple came through with a leadoff single, and he was immediately bunted to second. Before Wilken knew it, Skepple had stolen third and Crouse singled him home before going back on the mound to seal the 5-3 win.

• • •

From the start of the season, Wilken knew pitching and defense would be the Bulls' main weapon. So the seven-year coach toyed around with Skepple's place in the lineup, initially putting him where he could knock in the few runs his Bulls could muster.

Wilken soon discovered that wouldn't work so well.

"It was a situation where not enough guys were getting on base for him to knock in," Wilken said. "So we had to take our chances with him being the guy that gets knocked in."

Now with a team-leading .471 on-base percentage, Skepple has made his home in the two-hole. A self-identified overweight freshman, Skepple s aid he lost 10 pounds in his first season with the Bulls and also added muscle, which has helped him steal his team-leading 19 bases this season.

Unfortunately for Bloomingdale (20-9), there aren't a whole lot of Bulls like Skepple. It has just a .252 team batting average and been outscored 58-16 in its nine losses.

Still, the Bulls have strung together a three-game win streak — securing go-ahead runs in the seventh, eighth and sixth innings — to advance to their first state semifinal in a decade.

And though the offense can be hit or miss, Crouse, who will start on the mound against Lake Worth Park Vista (27-3) on Friday, said he isn't worried.

"We play good defense. That's our game," said Crouse, who has a 0.69 ERA over 80 innings. "If we play our defense, play our game, all we need is one run."

• • •

Come Friday, all eyes could be on Skepple to again deliver that run. But the rightfielder says that doesn't change his demeanor at the plate.

"I just try to do the best I can; put the ball in play, reach first, hopefully steal a base," Skepple said. "Steal two, maybe."

Skepple was in first grade the last time the Bulls reached the state semifinals, and Bloomingdale has never won a state title. Some of his peers, Skepple said, don't believe that will change this year.

"We have a lot of doubters at our school," Skepple said. "A lot of people saying we aren't good enough. Everybody saying we lost too many seniors. But we just pulled through, and we proved all of them wrong."

Dominant offense or not, the Bulls are confident they've got what it takes to continue doing just that.

State semifinal
Class 8A: Bloomingdale vs. Park Vista Lake Worth
When/where: 1 p.m. Friday; JetBlue Park, Fort Myers
Admission: $9 per day; parking is $8.

Your one-stop recruiting spot for Thursday. We’ll update it as needed.

Pasco OT Jamal Mention picked up his first offer, from South Alabama, Pirates coach Tom McHugh announced. The 6-foot-6, 310-pound Mention is a 2016 prospect and has been a strong tackle at Pasco and Hernando.

Berkeley Prep DL Bo Peek added an offer from USF on Wednesday, the same day he got an offer from UCF.

Fivay LB Christian Breviario officially accepted his appointment to play football at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in a ceremony Thursday morning at his school. He had 98 tackles (13 for a loss) as a senior last fall.

Per Times correspondent Alejandro Tamayo, five River Ridge football players signed at a Thursday ceremony: RB/LB Darian Harrington (Adrian College), OL/DL Jordan Harris (Peru State), RB/DB Ben Perdomo (Ave Maria), WR Creg Bell (Maryville) and OL/DL Alex Rodriguez (Maryville).

Gulf ATH Travis Thomas recently signed with Allegheny College, an NCAA Division III program in Meadville, Pa. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound Thomas was a strong contributor for the Buccaneers throughout his career and spent time at running back and defensive back.

Carrollwood Day senior Dominic Cuono has accepted a preferred walk-on spot at Pitt. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound athlete earned second-team all-state honors in Class 2A last fall. He caught 19 balls for 344 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver and tight end. He also tallied 143 tackles (12 for a loss) and eight sacks at linebacker to help the Patriots reach the region quarterfinals.

Softball players from three area counties have been chosen to compete in this weekend’s Florida Athletic Coaches Association all-star games in Ocala.

Local representatives on the west team are:

OF Samantha Sharpe, Countryside: Led her team with 31 hits and had nine stolen bases

P/1B Courtney Riddle, Hernando: Batted .485 with 44 RBIs and starred as a pitcher (1.48 ERA, 179 strikeouts).

OF/3B Alayna Gallagher, PHU: Tied for the team lead with 12 steals, while batting .412

INF/P Rachel Taylor, PHU: Hit three homers and batted .494 for the 16-8 Hurricanes

OF Arielle Glass, Berkeley Prep: Key contributor with a  .421 batting average and 21 runs scored.

SS/C Kristin Hoover, Berkeley Prep: Cal signee ranked among the nation’s leaders with 16 homers and batted .612.

UTIL Tana McDaniel, Hernando: Had a .440 batting average and stole 17 bases.

Central’s Tyson Ellis will be the team’s head coach, and Hernando’s Kevin Bittinger will serve as an assistant.

Hillsborough quarterback Dwayne Lawson has orally committed to the University of Miami, Terrier offensive coordinator Max Warner confirmed.

Canesport.com says that Lawson picked Miami over the likes of Florida, Tennessee and UCF and that assistant coach James Coley had visited the rising senior three times this spring. The rest of article is for subscribers only, though the Miami Herald wrote that Lawson told Canesport.com he should be considered a "soft" oral commitment and would make a final decision in October. 

He plans on visiting Ohio State, Mississippi and Tennessee before then.

"I just think Miami is the place for me to be,'' Lawson told Canesport. "That's what made me commit."

Lawson also called it "a perfect situation." To read the Miami Herald report, click HERE.

The 6-foot-5, 212-pound Lawson was an all-county pick last year after throwing for 2,120 yards and 22 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,068 and nine touchdowns. He was one of Tampa Bay's top high jumpers and triple jumpers this past season, and arguably its most athletic quarterback.

Longtime North Suncoast baseball coach Ricky Giles has resigned at Zephyrhills, athletic director Bruce Cimorelli confirmed Thursday afternoon.

“It wasn’t a good fit for me,” Giles said.

The Bulldogs finished 5-20 in Giles’ only season as head coach.

Before taking over his alma mater last year, Giles coached rival Pasco. He took the Pirates to the playoffs 13 times in 17 seasons and led them to the Class 4A state title game in 1997. Giles made a controversial exit from Pasco after the 2012 season after a district investigation into his conduct.

Giles said he enjoyed his brief time at the Bulldogs but he never felt comfortable there.

“It was strange,” Giles said. “You’ve been in one spot for so long. All of a sudden, you go to something else. It’s a totally different situation. I just found that that wasn’t a place for me."

State semifinals
Where: JetBlue Park, Fort Myers
Admission: $9; parking is $8.

Class 7A: East Lake (21-8) vs. Kissimmee Osceola (24-6)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
About Osceola
Nickname: Kowboys
Coach: Scott Birchler (12th season, 193-168 overall).
Road to the state tournament: District tournament - d. Harmony 12-0 in semifinals; lost 4-0 to Lake Nona in final. Region tournament - d. Bartow 7-2, d. Haines City 5-4, d. Sickles 3-0.
State tournament appearances: 1928, 1929, 1953, 1991
State championships: None
Top pitchers: RHP Jake Grenus, Jr. (8-1, 1.00 ERA, 52 Ks, 56 IPs); RHP Justin Degrandis, Sr. (5-2, 2.58 ERA, 37 Ks, 43.1 IPs); RHP Pedro Rodriguez (5-0, 3.36 ERA, 19 Ks, 25 IPs)
Top hitters: OF Frank Toro, So. (.412, 19 RBIs, six doubles, four HRs); CF Gabriel Pedraza (.397), Sr.; 2B Chris Vasquez, Sr. (.387, 22 RBIs, six doubles, two HRs); Justin Degrandis, Sr. (.344, 22 RBIs, four HRs)
Common opponent: Orlando Olympia (Both teams lost 10-0).
Noteworthy: Osceola has 14 seniors, East Lake has eight. The Kowboys have hit 16 home runs this season, East Lake has hit five. Birchler is a 1989 Osceola graduate. He spent eight years at his alma mater before coaching at Liberty for four years. Since returning to Osceola in 2011, he is 84-26. 

Class 8A: Bloomingdale (20-9) vs. Lake Worth Park Vista (27-3)
When: 1 p.m. Friday
About Park Vista
Nickname: Cobras
Coach: Larry Greenstein (10th season, 219-65)
Road to the state tournament: District tournament - d. Spanish River  11-1 in the final. Region tournament - d. Jupiter 6-2, d. Palm Beach Gardens 12-8, d. Stoneman Douglas 4-3.
State tournament appearances: 2008, 2009, 2011
State championships: None
Top pitchers: RHP Austin Smith, Jr. (10-0, 0.30 ERA); RHP Bruce Bechtel, Sr. (5-1, 1.20 ERA)
Top hitters: 2B Dakota Julylia, Jr. (.490 average, 16 RBIs), SS Matthew Mika, Jr. (.420 average, 40 runs scored), 1B Joe Genord, Jr. (.400 average, team-leading 2 HRs, 22 RBIs)
Common opponent: None
Noteworthy: Park Vista was ranked 33rd in MaxPreps’ top 50 national baseball rankings on May 13. The Cobras have lost two of their three games by three runs, and they’ve outscored opponents 668-57. The Cobras gave up just 10 runs in 11 district matchups this season. Park Vista will be making its fourth trip to the final four, having lost to future 6A champion Alonso in the state semifinal in 2011.

LAND O' LAKES — There won't many quarterbacks taller than James Pensyl taking snaps for a Florida high school team. But Pensyl's growth to 6-foot-7 isn't the dimension that Land O'Lakes coach Brian Wachtel is most excited for.  

"He's finally filled out," Wachtel said. "There's no more room for him to grow up, up and up. He's put on some muscle."

Pensyl's numbers when it comes to the stat department are also impressive, as he threw for 234 yards per game, with 22 touchdowns to just three interceptions last season for the 8-2 Gators. Problem was their two losses were two district foes Springstead and Sunlake, preventing a playoff trip.

But plenty of key parts from that squad, like defensive standout Shaheed Salmon, leading receiver Liam Heaney, top deep threat Javin Tandy (32 pards per catch), middle linebacker Colin Irwin (116 tackles, 17 for loss) and Darius Wells (20 TFL), will graduate. Their absence has been felt this spring.

"We lost some big players and we need someone to step up," Pensyl said. "We've had some good days but we've had some bad days, and those are mostly due to mental errors."

Part of the result has been more pointed (and lengthy) post-practice speeches from Wachtel. Monday's was near the 15-minute mark, and while not quite Lombardi-esque was still pretty motivational.

"Just going over some of the finer points of football," he said.

A big reason for the upped focus? The spring game has closed in on the Gators. They will play at Pasco on Friday, a week before many schools because the Pirates' football field is used for graduation and the school needs more time in between the game and ceremonies.

Ben Moultrie won't need any special pumping up for the contest. He was a starter on the Gator baseball team, which recently won its district tournament but lost to Pasco in the playoff opener.

Wachtel said the week-early start to practice has been a mixed bag.

"We had guys do well in track and baseball, so they were late getting to us because of the early start," he said. "But the big plus is we'll be able to get into the weight room a week earlier."

Jesuit strong up front

The Tigers are tight-lipped on details, but expect some new offensive wrinkles at Jesuit under new coordinator Joe Gerena, a former Army quarterback who was an assistant at Armwood last fall.

Regardless of the system it shows in Monday’s spring game at Dixie Hollins, Jesuit’s strength figures to be up front. The Tigers return their entire offensive line: Clark Bulleit, Jackson Dennis, Nick Cox, Mike Bell and Guy Revelle. 

Those five will block for Kevin Newman, a senior-to-be who’s bulked up to 195 pounds and recently landed a Ball State offer. 

One key will be the development of quarterback Trent Wessel, a 6-foot-2 captain. He appeared at the end of last season when starter Vincent Testaverde became ill and, with little time to prepare, led Jesuit to a gritty 13-9 win over archrival Tampa Catholic.

“He’s a gamer,” second-year Jesuit coach Matt Thompson said. “You just throw him in there.”

Rebels prepare for Monday

Dixie Hollins had a dress rehearsal for the Jesuit game Wednesday. The Rebels played an afternoon scrimmage game, the last full practice before facing the Tigers. Coach Shannon Brooks said the goals were to get everyone playing time, keep everyone healthy and get the new players working with the starters.

“I think we accomplished that,’’ Brooks said. “Everyone got to play and we got them on tape. The only injuries may have been some bruised egos. And the players we expected to do well did do well.’’

That includes quarterback Tyrie Adams, whom Brooks said looked “silly good.’’ One giant hole to fill is receiver Jacquez Hill’s; he had 882 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns.

Friday's games
All at 7 p.m.
Land O’Lakes at Pasco
Crystal River at Hernando
Tavares at Central
Countryside at Citrus
Admiral Farragut at Hawthorne
Northside Christian at Out-of-Door

At Berkeley Prep

Berkeley Prep 28, Indian Rocks Christian 7

Spring game-breakers: After a slow start, 2-of-5 and a lost fumble, Berkeley Prep's Brad Mayes showed why he's considered one of the best in Tampa Bay. He went 16-of-27 for 238 yards and three touchdowns and threw some strong balls. In the second half, he was 6-of-6 for 109 yards and two touchdowns … Mayes' favorite target was his likely replacement next year, Cade Weldon. The son of former Tampa Bay Buc Casey Weldon, the 6-foot-2 sophomore caught five passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns, including a 51-yarder. … Speaking of former Bucs, former coach Greg Schiano was in the house, watching son Joe line up at defensive end after playing linebacker last year. He had a good game. … Leading IRC was running back Theo Anderson. With Zeke McGaughey out with a knee injury, Anderson had 14 carries for 131 yards, including runs of 38 and 23 yards. He carried seven times for 54 yards and caught a screen pass for 17 on IRC's only scoring drive, which was capped by Garrett Ross-Johnson's 5-yard pass to Sam Veltman.

Did you know? Inste ad of the No. 70 he wore last year, Berkeley Prep sophomore defensive end Jon Turkel, who had a nice night penetrating the line and chasing Ross-Johnson, wore No. 51. It's the same number brother David wore when he played for Berkeley. Turkel's father, Ken, and his brother, Brian, wore No. 52 when they played for Jesuit in the 1980s. The Turkels didn't wear the same number, but they played for the same coach: Dominick Ciao.

Audible 1:"I think the team takes on my personality a little, and I hate spring football. It's maybe not right, but it's just not worth all the hassle of the two weeks. It's just one game. It means nothing come the fall. But it is good to get some kids out in front of the scouts." — IRC coach Mark Buchanan

Audible 2:"I told them to feed it to me a little more since we were without our other back Zeke, and I tried to take it in my own hands." — Anderson

Two Hillsborough County basketball recruiting updates:

Steinbrenner G Keshawn Ingram has orally committed to Eckerd College, he announced Thursday evening.

The 6-foot-1 senior earned third-team all-state honors in Class 7A after averaging a county-best 29.3 points per game. He also averaged five assists and earned first-team all-county and second-team all-Suncoast honors from the Tampa Bay Times.

East Bay guard M.J. Williams orally committed to Wells College, Indians coach Billy Teeden announced.

Williams averaged 11.9 points, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals per game during his senior season to help East Bay finish 18-7.

Pasco girls basketball coach Troy Moore has resigned, Pirates athletic director Tom McHugh said Friday in a text message.

Moore spent five seasons as Pasco’s head coach and rebuilt the team into one of the North Suncoast’s best. The Pirates were 3-20 his first year but had back-to-back 20-win seasons in 2011-12 and 2012-13.

Pasco made the playoffs each of the last three years and advanced to the Class 5A region final in 2013. The Pirates won the district championship this winter before losing to state semifinalist Land O’Lakes in the first round of the playoffs. They finished 19-10.

The district has posted the position on its employment website. 

photo gallery

FORT MYERS — With the wind blowing, Bloomingdale coach Kris Wilken motioned for rightfielder Conrado Skepple to inch more toward centerfield. So when Lake Worth Park Vista’s Matthew Mika hit what should have been an easily caught flyball to rightfield in the eighth inning of Friday’s Class 8A state semifinal, the wind caused Skepple to track it wrong, and he slipped while running to make the out.

“I was just hoping they’d pick me up. I made a mistake,” Skepple said of the double he gave up. “I just trusted my teammates, and they pulled through for me.”

For the third time in the game, Mika made it to third base, but Bloomingdale’s defense got two quick outs to get out of the jam. 

Then Skepple returned the favor.

In the bottom of the frame, the junior rightfielder hit a walk-off single to leftfield to score the only run of the game and deliver the 1-0 win to Bloomingdale. The Bulls face Homestead South Dade (22-7) on Saturday at 4 p.m. for the state championship.

“That play right there is the epitome of what we are right now in the last five games,” Wilken said. “We make a mistake …but we find a way to make a big pitch, we find a way to make a big play and kind of control the damage.”

Both coaches knew runs would be hard to come by. Park Vista starting pitcher Austin Smith, a Florida Atlantic commit, came in with a 0.30 ERA and an unblemished 12-0 record. Logan Crouse, a Florida State commit and the Bulls’ saving grace all year, took the mound for Bloomingdale.

In contrast to the Bulls (21-9), Park Vista — which came in with three players hitting .400 or greater — wasn’t a team that had a lot of trouble making things happen at the plate. 

Mika, who went 3-for-4, began the game with a leadoff single. But despite having five runners in scoring position throughout the day, the Cobras (27-4) couldn’t manage to push any runs across.

The innings went by quickly, and Park Vista swung at first-pitch strikes all day long. 

“It definitely got my momentum going,” said Crouse, who gave up just five hits, walked one and struck out four. “I like working fast like that. You just stay in rhythm.”

Smith was efficient, too, giving up seven hits and striking out three through eight innings. The only base on balls he allowed, though, was costly.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, pinch hitter Daylon Owens drew a one-out walk. Moments later, it was Skepple’s turn at the plate. The frustrated rightfielder was 0-for-3 on the day.

But after driving home the winning run, those at-bats — or his accident in the outfield — didn’t matter a bit to a smiling Skepple.

The Bulls will be looking for their first state title Saturday, a surprising season finale for a team that was 8-7 less than two months ago.

“I would say it was crazy,” Skepple said of the postseason run, “but I didn’t think it was impossible to be here.”

At Brooksville

Crystal River 28, Hernando 3

Spring game-breakers: Bill Vonada’s coaching debut at Hernando started well with a stop on defense and a nice drive on offense. Then it turned sloppy. The Leopards committed three first-half turnovers, including a pair of fumbles that each led to touchdowns for Crystal River. Hernando’s best scoring opportunity in the first half came late in the second quarter when defensive lineman Larry O’Bonnon recovered a fumble at the 19-yard line. But the drive ended when Tyler Kline threw an interception on fourth an 1 from the 11. … Trailing 21-0 in the third quarter, the Leopards had their best drive, which ended on William Neithammer’s 30-yard field goal.  Crystal River answered with a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

Did you know? Hernando graduated 21 players from last season, including three of its top four rushers and its three leading tacklers. There also were four players who transferred to other schools. The inexperience, coupled with a new scheme on both sides of the ball, made the transition tough.

Audible:“It was a little odd being on a different sideline. The kids played with passion, but we’ve got so much to work on with execution and urgency. There’s a new system, a new scheme, but the mental mistakes are something I can’t live with. There was some lack of ball security. We just have to get back to work.” — Vonada, who coached at Springstead 15 years until last season

photo gallery

At Dade City

Pasco 17, Land O’Lakes 7

Spring game-breakers: Playing in his first football game since his freshman year, Pasco defensive end Sherwin Emmanuel was disruptive. The 6-foot-6 senior-to-be forced a fumble and tipped passes all night. …Pirates quarterback Grant Starling only played one week of spring football because of an extended baseball run. He finished 9-of-14 passing for 117 yards and two scores. …Pirate athlete Brandon Ray caught a 41-yard touchdown pass, diving over the pylon for the score. He also punted well, had an interception and kicked a 25-yard field goal. …Recruiters from Miami, USF and others were present and buzzing about Pasco lineman Jamal Mention, a 2016 recruit. …Miami commit Bowman Archibald spent time at tight end and linebacker and rushed for 50 yards. …Tyree Austin also caught a TD pass. …Land O’Lakes quarterback James Pensyl threw for the Gators’ only score — a pretty 7-yard pass to Ethan Weilant. Pensyl was 13-for-31 for 91 yards. …JoVon Parrish had an interception and a tackle for a loss for the Gators. …Darryus Lowe drew strong praise from Land O’Lakes coaches. …Alexander Ligocki had a fumble recovery for a Gators D that forced four turnovers through the first three quarters.

Audible 1: “We had to find out if he was a basketball player that’s going to play football or a football player that plays basketball. …If he gets into the weight room, the potential is enormous. Enormous.” — Pasco coach Tom McHugh on breakout defensive end Emmanuel, a converted basketball player

Audible 2: “They got after it tonight. They did a lot of nice things.” — Gators coach Brian Wachtel of a defense that held Pasco to only 17 points