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 30 through Friday, April 5. 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
Andrea Aaron, Chamberlain track and field: Two days after winning shot put and discus titles for the second season in a row at the Hillsborough County Championships, the Chiefs senior finished fourth Thursday in the discus with a personal-best effort (130 feet, 10 inches) at the Florida Relays in Gainesville. On Friday, she finished third in the shot (42-6).
Angel Deng, East Lake tennis: After taking her sophomore season off, Deng returned for her junior year and won the Class 4A-7 district championship, 6-3, 6-3 over Countryside's Alex Kitchen. Deng qualified for the state tournament, where she advanced to the semifinals as a freshman.
Jackie Fitz-Randolph, Carrollwood Day tennis: Down 5-4 in the third set and facing serve, the sophomore reeled off 12 straight points to defeat Paige Leavy 2-6, 6-2, 7-5 in No. 1 singles in the A-8 tourney. She also teamed with eighth-grade sister Lauren to win at No. 1 doubles.
Mady Johnson, Pasco tennis: Her victory in No. 1 singles at the Class 2A, District 6 tournament helped clinch the Pirates’ third consecutive trip to regionals.
Star Makarome, Wiregrass Ranch tennis: The standout sophomore didn’t drop a singles game to cruise to the Class 4A, District 5 tournament title. She and teammate Tiffany Garner also won the No. 1 doubles championship and clinched a trip to state.
Jade Smith, Osceola tennis: The junior was a runnerup at districts last year but won the No. 1 singles title this year. To make things even more special, she teamed with sister Jayla to win the No. 1 doubles title in Class 3A-11.
Male nominees
Eric Fitz-Randolph, Carrollwood Day tennis: The oldest of CDS’ talented trio of tennis siblings won his third straight individual district title Friday, a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Berkeley Prep’s Stephen Jordan. He earned his second straight trip to the state tournament.
Tim Holmes, Lakewood track and field: At the Florida Relays, the senior won the 110 hurdles in a personal-best 14.06 seconds, beating Class 2A defending state champion Walter Tucker of American Heritage. Tucker entered the meet with the nation's fastest time (13.83).
Austin Riddaugh, Pasco tennis: The senior dropped the first set but won the next two to claim the Class 2A, District 6 No. 1 singles title. He and Joshua Morris combined to win the top doubles championship, too, for the district champion Pirates.
Dan Stefan, Boca Ciega tennis: The freshman won the Class 3A-11 district championship with a convincing 6-1, 6-0 over last year's district winner, Michael Detsis of Osceola. Stefan then teamed with Dustin Green to win the No. 1 doubles championship over Largo, 6-1, 6-3.
Spencer Trayner, Jesuit baseball: The University of North Carolina signee went 3-for-4 with an RBI in a win over All Hallows (NY) on Thursday, and followed that up with a one-hitter in a 5-1 win victory over Regis Jesuit (Colo.) in the semifinals of the Jesuit Easter Tournament. He also had 11 strikeouts.
Carl Zee, Springstead tennis: He claimed two of Springstead’s four victories – the No. 2 singles title and, with Patrick Deslaurier, the top doubles title – in the Class 3A, District 6 tournament to help the Eagles win their first district crown in program history.