HomeTeam Hot Shots
Each week, our HomeTeam staffers will nominate male and female Hot Shot athletes from each of the counties we cover. These nominations span Saturday, March 16 through Friday, March 22. Winners get a free T-shirt and bragging rights over every other school in the area. Read up on what made our nominees stand out then look for our writers’ picks for overall winners in Tuesday’s Tampa Bay Times.
Female nominees
Jess Adams, Palm Harbor University softball: Adams hit a two-run homer and followed that with a solo home run in a 10-4 win over neighborhood rival East Lake. It was the first two-homer game for Adams. She is hitting .509 this season as the Hurricanes’ clean-up hitter.
Katlin Hall, Freedom softball: A .528 hitter this season, the senior continued her offensive tear (3-for-4, three doubles, two RBIs) and tossed a complete-game four-hitter in Tuesday's 8-0 romp against Class 7A, District 9 foe Steinbrenner.
Kaeleen Koehler, Central softball: The freshman pitcher threw an eight-strikeout complete game to end rival Springstead’s long unbeaten streak in the district with a 4-3 victory. The victory put the Bears in first place in Class 6A, District 6.
Jorian Ordway, Hillsborough track and field: A two-time state medalist in the 400 meters, the senior won her specialty event, placed third in the 200 and ran a leg on the winning 4x400 relay team at the USF/Steinbrenner Invitational.
Deterrica Simpkins, Pinellas Park track and field: The junior was the girls MVP of the Ed Wells Kiwanis Invitational after a dominant performance in the sprints with first-place finishes in the 100 (12.64), 400 (57.92) and 200 (25.97).
Alfreda Steele, Pasco track and field: The freshman placed fourth in the 100 and long jump at the loaded USF/Steinbrenner Invitational and did even better in the Sunshine Athletic Conference meet. She won the 100, 200 and long jump.
Male nominees
Jeremiah Green, Hillsborough track and field: The senior, who has signed with Alabama, notched a national-best mark in the triple jump (52 feet, 1 inch) at the USF/Steinbrenner Invitational. He also won the long jump, placed fourth in the 200 and ran the anchor leg of the sixth-place 4x100 relay team.
Bobby Harris, Springstead track and field: The standout high jumper set a USF meet record at 6 feet, 7 inches. Then he cleared 6-9 at Tuesday’s Central Invite, a school and personal record.
Tim Holmes, Lakewood track and field: The senior won the 110 hurdles (14.38) and 300 hurdles (37.75) at the Ed Wells Kiwanis Invitational. But his best performance came in the 4x800 relay where he ran anchor leg to beat previously undefeated Countryside in the event in 8:16.15.
Logan Lapace, Steinbrenner baseball: Lapace threw his second complete game of the season, his second against Wiregrass Ranch, in a 4-1 victory on Friday. He allowed three hits, struck out seven and walked none in his third start of the season.
Paul McKenna, Countryside track and field: The senior, a distance specialist, dominated his two events at the Ed Wells Kiwanis Invitational, winning the 1,600 (4:32.55) and 3,200 (9:53.24). He was named the boys MVP of the meet.
Tyler Stahl, Land O’Lakes track and field: The strong distance runner set a personal record with a third-place finish in the 1,600 at USF (4:27.03) and won a conference title in the 3,200.