Springstead foe gets new look under new coach
The last time Springstead advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, Gainesville awaited. While each team has three players remaining on its roster that played in that 2010 game, the programs...
View ArticleQB Brown happy to be at helm for Panthers
TAMPA — With a 24-7 loss to Orlando Dr. Phillips, Plant was eliminated from the playoffs on Nov. 23, 2012, its earliest exit in seven years. But the sun still rose the next day, and so did quarterback...
View ArticleDE Cowart growing into role at Armwood
TAMPA — Byron Cowart’s future in football can be determined by one glance at him. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound defensive end looks as if he could play Division I football tomorrow. With 51 tackles this...
View ArticleTarpon, Lakewood have no trouble finding the end zone
Tonight’s Class 5A region semifinal between Tarpon Springs and Lakewood can be thought of more as a basketball game than a postseason football contest. The Spongers (7-4) are going to score often. The...
View ArticleIsolation suits Pinellas Park DB Watson
PINELLAS PARK — Rashaan Watson likes life on the island. That’s where the Pinellas Park junior defensive back spends most of his time during games. Every week, Watson has the assignment of covering an...
View ArticleGirls basketball: Hernando holds off Springstead down stretch
SPRING HILL — A cluster of students broke into song each time Hernando scored. In the first quarter Thursday, they sang only a couple of times. That changed when the Leopards surged back in the second...
View ArticleGirls basketball: Blue Jackets find their rhythm in 3A-9
INDIAN ROCKS — After spending last season as an independent, Admiral Farragut proved Thursday afternoon that it will be a factor in Class 3A, District 9 this season. Led by 17 points from center...
View ArticleMitchell coach Schmitz says 'it's just time' to retire
Scott Schmitz is retiring as Mitchell’s football coach, the high school announced via Twitter on Friday morning. Schmitz, who started the football program in 2000, said he’s given everything he could...
View ArticleBaseball: Mitchell's Cobi Johnson signs with Florida State
Cobi Johnson signed his letter of intent to play baseball at Florida State on Friday in Mitchell’s cafeteria.“I just love the atmosphere,” Johnson said of FSU. “The coaches, the facilities — all of...
View ArticleBoys basketball: Jefferson thwarts Chamberlain on Aplin's big night
TAMPA — Once the pomp and circumstance subsided on a night when Chamberlain named its gym in honor of former longtime basketball coach Doug Aplin, there was a game to play. And up until the final...
View ArticleGirls basketball: Briere lifts Steinbrenner over Wiregrass Ranch
LUTZ — Before the start of the season, Steinbrenner coach JR Allen preached to his team about the importance of finding a leader when adversity struck. The Warriors (6-0, 1-0 7A-8) were coming off a...
View ArticleBoys soccer: Springstead brushes off Fivay threat
HUDSON — Fivay came in undefeated Friday but couldn’t get much of anything going against Springstead, which won 2-0 to take over first in District 3A-7.“They’re the guys to hunt down, no doubt about...
View ArticleFootball: Springstead 27, Gainesville 7
SPRING HILL — The game still had a minute left, but on the sidelines Springstead players already dumped buckets of ice on the trampled grass. They knew they would have reason to celebrate. The Eagles...
View ArticleFootball: No keeping Springstead’s Wright down in game-breaking performance
SPRING HILL — As the game got underway Friday night at Booster Stadium between Springstead and Gainesville, the thoughts of what happened exactly one week prior plagued Daniel Wright. The Eagles...
View ArticleFootball: Indian Rocks Christian 28, Naples First Baptist 14
LARGO — Indian Rocks Christian advanced to its first state semifinal with a 28-14 win over Naples First Baptist . The Golden Eagles blanked the Lions in the second half and held them to 10...
View ArticleFootball: Clearwater Central Catholic 49, St. Petersburg Catholic 16
CLEARWATER — As Clearwater Central Catholic exited the field at halftime of Friday’s Class 3A region final against St. Petersburg Catholic, an uncomfortable familiarity undoubtedly crept into the...
View ArticleFootball: Tampa Catholic 45, Melbourne Central Catholic 10
MELBOURNE — Tampa Catholic may have been knocked off as the No. 1 team in Class 3A late in the season, but the Crusaders went about restaking their claim to the top spot Friday night. T.J. Harrell...
View ArticleFootball: Lake Wales 20, Jesuit 9
TAMPA — Lake Wales tight end Davion Riley ended Jesuit’s season on his only two catches of the game. Riley caught touchdowns of 64 and 86 yards as Lake Wales stopped Jesuit 20-9 in Friday’s Class 5A...
View ArticleFootball: Lakewood 30, Tarpon Springs 9
ST. PETERSBURG — Things were not going as planned for Lakewood as it jogged to the locker room at halftime of Friday’s Class 5A region semifinal against Tarpon Springs. The Spartans were supposed to...
View ArticleFootball: Armwood 52, Jefferson 48
SEFFNER — It was a game of mutual admiration between Armwood defensive end Byron Cowart and Jefferson quarterback Deiondre Porter Friday night. Cowart would knock Porter down, and the Dragon would say...
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