Special to The Laker/Lutz News

 

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

It didn’t end with a state title, but Wesley Chapel senior Courtney Prengaman snapped out of a major slump during the Class 2A state track and field meet at the University of North Florida April 27.

The defending 2A state champ cleared 5-feet, 6-inches to finish as the runner-up in the high jump. Prengaman had only posted 5-2 at districts and regionals, the two meets leading up to states.

“I’m really pleased actually,” Prengaman said. “Coming out of only jumping 5-2, it was a really good day. I jumped clean, and I didn’t give up on myself. Overall it was a really good meet to end on, and I’m not at all disappointed that I didn’t win.”

Prengaman broke her own program record this year by jumping 5-8 during a meet at Sunlake, but had trouble with her technique at districts and regionals, where she placed second and third, respectively.

“It was a lack of form and finishing off my jump, because I can get significantly over the bar,” Prengaman said.

The Samford University signee said she put in a lot of training the week of states to correct the problem, but was still nervous entering her last high school meet.

“I was actually really scared a couple days before,” Prengaman said. “I was really upset about the two meets before when I left crying, but I just kind of had to remember how to high jump and went back to the basics.

“The night before I called me coach at Samford, and he just said get back in my rhythm because at 6-foot-2 I should be clearing 5-6/5-8 no problem,” she added. “That put things into perspective to me and showed me I was thinking too much. I just had to go out and do it.”

Prengaman said she felt no pressure at states, where she was the 10th seed. Her 5-6 is the same height she won with last year and tied her with Suwannee’s Logan Boss, who won the state title because she had one less attempt during the event.

“I didn’t want it to end on a low point,” Prengaman said. “It’s my last meet of high school. I feel like there was a lot of pressure to defend my title, but once I calmed down and didn’t think about how high I wanted to jump or how much I wanted to win, I think that’s what let me perform well. I took the pressure off.”

The performance earned Prengaman her second state medal in her third trip to states.

She gave special thanks to Wesley Chapel coach Brad Allen, who took the time to learn the high jump to give her the instruction needed to rise up the state rankings: “I know I wouldn’t be jumping in college without him.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Steinbrenner boys track and field captured its first regional championship in its four-year history April 24 during the Class 3A regional meet at Leto.

First-year Warriors coach Mike Bosco put the squad’s sentiments in simple terms: “You just can’t say enough about that Boss Cross.”

The Boss Cross, the nickname for Steinbrenner’s distance program, flexed its muscles to score 50 of the Warriors’ 59 points, besting Jefferson by four.

The Boss Cross was equally dominant the week before to help Steinbrenner win the program’s first district title, but the Warriors didn’t anticipate a regional crown.

“I thought district championship was the biggest upset that we were going to pull,” said senior Zach Lima. “When I heard we could win this, I actually thought it was a joke.”

Zach teamed with seniors Matt Magee, Tanner Biles and his twin Tyler to win the 4×800-meter relay by finishing in 8 minutes, 3.17 seconds.

The Warriors ran in the slower of two heats because Steinbrenner’s alternates ran the week before to qualify for regionals. Zach said they prepared mentally to run against the clock.

“Going in the slow heat makes it a little more difficult, but we pride ourselves on being disciplined,” Zach said. “The whole week coach would have his Safeco stopwatch and tell us that Safeco ran this. That made sure we knew we were running against time.”

The relay returns everyone from last year when they won regionals and took fourth at states.

Magee also won the 1,600 (4:23.61), besting Land O’ Lakes’ Tyler Stahl by 1.38 and Wiregrass Ranch’s Ermias Bireda, the defending regional champ, by 2.33.

“Those guys are great competitors,” Magee said. “It was a really tough race. We were all right there the entire way. That race was beyond competitive. It was just a pack moving together.”

Magee also earned a state berth in the 800 (1:57.52, third place) to score 16 in his individual events. Senior Derek Gebhard added four more points by finishing fifth (1:59.59).

The Warriors sat in fourth place with 43 points entering the 3,200, the meet’s second to last event. Hillsborough led with 49.5, Kissimmee Liberty and Jefferson were second (49) and third (47), respectively.

Steinbrenner needed 16 points to clinch the team title, and that’s what The Boss Cross delivered.

Tyler won the 3,200 (9:47.04) for 10, followed by teammate Chris Cerreta’s third place (9:53.72) for another six.

“The excitement of making it to states for the first time was so big that I didn’t even know we could still be region champs,” said Cerreta, a senior.

Tyler also didn’t know they could lock up the team title.

“Normally I do know where the team is, but I was more nervous about my own race today than normal, so I was kind of off my mental game,” Tyler said. “My coach didn’t tell us like he did last week at districts.”

Bosco, who spent two years as an assistant before becoming the coach, said he thought they had a chance after seeing senior thrower Logan McKnight score nine by placing fifth in the shot put (47- feet, 5-inches) and fourth in the discus (148-06) to earn a state berth.

“We knew it would be a long shot, but Boss Cross came through,” Bosco said.

The Gaither boys totaled 25 points to place ninth at the 38-team meet. Sophomore Samson Moore scored eight by finishing second in the 200 with a school record 21.75.

Moore was the 3A state runner-up last year in the 110 hurdles, but focused on sprints this year to build his speed for the future.

“I didn’t think this was going to happen when the season started,” Samson said. “I thought I could maybe get to states because my goal was to run in the low 22s, maybe get into the 21s, but 21.7 was lower than I thought.”

Junior Brad Smith earned a state berth in the discus (149-02.5, third), as did the 4×400 relay (3:23.17, fourth) team of Matt Williams, Malik Wright, Otis Wallace and Moore.

Williams was seeded eighth in the 110 hurdles and third in the 300 hurdles, but was unable to make the finals in either event. The junior said that was motivating.

“I didn’t make it in the events I wanted to, the hurdles, so I felt like I had something to prove,” Williams said. “I had one last chance to get to states this year, and this was my ticket.”

The 3A state meet is May 3 at the University of North Florida.

 

Gaither’s Cazares returns to states

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Rachel Cazares doesn’t have good memories of last year’s track and field regional meet.

Cazares, who had made states the year before as a freshman, finished fifth in the 800, one spot from consecutive trips to the final meet.

“Fifth place last year was a mistake, an accident; it was bad luck,” Cazares said. “I remember I went to watch my friends at states, and my times were right there on the podium. That hurt a lot, and I wasn’t going to let it happen again.”

The Gaither junior didn’t let that mistake repeat itself by finishing in 2 minutes, 17.43 seconds to place second during the Class 3A regional meet April 24 at Leto.

“Last year I had a problem where if someone passed me I’d give up, but this year I’m just confident, and that makes a world of difference,” Cazares said.

Cazares added that she feels more ready for states than when she finished 13th two years ago. She will be joined by senior teammates Kiana Bryant and Jenifer Kingsley.

Bryant earned her third straight trip to states in the 100 (12.08, fourth place).

Kingsley captured her first state berth by placing fourth in the 100 hurdles (15.37).

“It really hasn’t sunk in,” Kingsley said. “It’s just such a blessing to think back that when I came out as a freshman I didn’t even know how to run, and now I’m a state qualifier.”

Kingsley was 0.01 seconds from earning a berth in the 300 hurdles, but Steinbrenner freshman Taylor Hotchkiss took fourth, the last qualifying spot, by posting 47.39.

“I never thought I’d be able to do this,” Hotchkiss said. “I didn’t even think I’d get out of districts.”

Fellow Warrior Loren Scherschel, a junior, advanced in the pole vault (8-feet, 6-inches, fourth), as did the 4×800 relay (9:57.33, fourth) that was seeded seventh.

“I was so nervous all day,” said freshman Alex Sikoryak, the relay’s leadoff runner. “I could only eat an apple today. I was shaking, but once I started running I was OK, like it was any other race. … We beat our time from last week by about 20 seconds, so I’m really excited.”

The relay advanced to states last year, but only anchor runner Lauren Garris returned.

“I have never been so nervous about anything,” said Garris, a senior. “I’ve been to states for multiple sports, and I was so scared. I couldn’t really feel my body expect I was tingling the whole time.”

Adding to the nerves was the fact that she got the baton in fourth place with top seed Wiregrass Ranch two spots behind. Garris had to stay in front of Bulls senior Nikita Shah, a four-time state qualifier for cross country and track

“I saw Nikita when we checked in, and I knew she’d run anchor too,” Garris said. “I was just happy my teammates gave me a cushion to run with. … Alex actually apologized because she thought she was going to do badly, but she did really great and has done great all year. Lydia (Albert) and Caroline (Murray) all did great.”

The 3A state meet is May 3 at the University of North Florida.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

The Freedom girls track and field team has made program history multiple times this season, including capturing the first district title in its 11-year history.

The Patriots continued to add to their record books April 24 at Leto by finishing as a Class 4A regional runner-up, another program first. They finished with 80.5 points, 25.5 off Plant’s championship score at the 22-team meet.

Seniors Sandra Akachukwu and Faith Woodard paced Freedom by combining for 60 points in individual events, which would have been good enough for fifth place as a team.

“Those two are unbelievable,” said Patriots coach Dwight Smith. “They’ve led the way all year, and they led us to region runner-up today.”

Akachukwu was the only athlete at the meet to win three regional titles, capturing the long jump (19-feet, 3.5-inches), 100 meters (11.9 seconds) and 200 (24.57).

“It was a perfect day,” Akachukwu said. “I couldn’t be happier.”

Akachukwu repeated as champion in those three events, but said she didn’t feel any more pressure during the meet than she did last season.

“I always feel pressure,” Akachukwu said. “You can never doubt your opponent. I was confident though. … It is kind of scary because I know anything can happen on any day, but at the same time I just try to compete, have fun and do my best.”

Akachukwu’s first title of the day was her most dominating, when she won the long jump by two feet.

“Getting that win to start the day gives me a lot of confidence,” Akachukwu said. “I felt really good about my speed, and that kind of boosted me in the 100 and 200.”

Akachukwu said she feels the same momentum as last year when she captured four state medals.

“I want to medal in all four again this year,” Akachukwu said.

The only competitor to defeat Akachukwu was her teammate.

The Freedom duo both cleared 5-08 in the high jump, but Woodard was crowned regional champion for the third straight year because of a tiebreaker on attempts.

Woodard and Akachukwu have been the last two in the high jump at every meet they’ve done this season, and that pattern held true at regionals where the duo was the only ones to clear 5-02. Woodard said that’s exactly how they wanted it.

“We talk about it almost every day,” said Woodard, the defending 4A high jump state champion. “We say that if we do our thing in the high jump that’s 18 points for the team, then if we take care of our other events that should be at least 60.”

Woodard was also runner-up in the 400 (58.14), scored in the 200 (25.43, fifth place) and helped the 4×400 relay take second (4:05.60). She was joined on the relay by Anel Smith, Sasha Cruz and Alex Mitchell.

Mitchell, a senior, also advanced with the 4×800 relay (10:03.13, fourth), along with Lauren Arfaras, Magdalena Ford and Tamara Veal.

The Patriots boys scored 31.5 points to place 11th. Their only regional title was claimed by the 4×400 relay (3:26.48) run by Tytis Glover, Anthony Hendry, CJ Smith and Elga Davis.

“We’re state-bound, and we’re going to do better than we did last year,” said Davis, a junior who ran the anchor leg. “We’ve got three guys back from last year when we were 14th (at states). We added Tytis Glover, and we’re looking to get a medal this year. … We’ve been in the weight room a lot more and have put in a lot harder training.”

Freedom’s 4×800 relay team of Klaus Vollmer, Rashod Monts, Derik Harvey and Glover also advanced (8:17.89, fourth).

The 4A state meet is May 4 at the University of North Florida.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

Baumrucker claims state medal

Bishop McLaughlin’s Camille Baumrucker earned her first state medal April 26 during the Class 1A final at the University of North Florida. The senior took eighth place in the triple jump by posting 33-feet, 11-inches. She also earned a state berth in the long jump, where she finished 10th (15-08.50).

Carrollwood Day School seventh-grader Kailiece Harris finished ninth in the 400 at the meet, one spot away from a state medal, by finishing in 59.82 seconds.

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Wharton seniors Mikayla Barber and Tyler Watson continued their dominance of the hurdle events during the Class 4A regional track and field meet at Leto April 24.

The Wildcats duo split the regional titles, with Barber taking the 100 in 14.98 seconds, while Watson captured the 300 in 44.44. Watson finished second in the 100 (15.13), and Barber was runner-up in the 300 (44.49).

“We never know which is going to win, but we know it’s going to be one of them, and the other is going to be second,” said Wharton coach Wes Newton. “They’re really competitive, and they’re really great kids. Those kinds of kids don’t come around that often.”

The regional title is Barber’s first. She said it is tough competing against her teammate, but added she and Watson don’t let that drive a wedge between them.

“We don’t look at it as competition,” Barber said. “We just look at it as pushing each other to be better.”

Watson added, “We tell each other we’re not racing each other; we’re racing the clock. It’s not one of us losing to each other. We just don’t want someone else to come up and lose to them.”

Watson repeated as regional champion in the 300. She said she felt like she had to make up for not capturing the 100 after having a lead with only three hurdles remaining.

“I was a little upset in my 100 hurdles,” Watson said. “I had a good race going, and then I knocked over my eighth hurdle and stumbled, but I could have fallen. I could have fallen and not gotten second and not finished, so I’m thankful to make it.”

The duo met while running with the same AAU team in fifth grade, but Watson didn’t start hurdling until high school.

“We converted her to a hurdler her junior year, and that really helped Mikayla to have someone pushing her to get better where before it was just her against the clock in practice,” Newton said. “It’s been a really good combination, and I hope we can get them to compete in college at the same place.”

Barber said she feels stronger than last year when she medaled in both hurdle events at states, placing fourth in the 300.

Watson, who took eighth in the 300 at states last year, also advanced in the triple jump (35-feet, 1.5-inches).

Barber and Watson also competed with the winning 4×400 relay that finished in 4:00.37. Anchoring that relay is junior Kiana Outen.

Outen, who joined the Wildcats track squad this season, started running the final leg about a month ago

“I like running the anchor, but it is scary,” Outen said. “It’s a fun kind of scary.”

The relay runners entered the meet as the No. 1 seed and bettered their time put up at districts by nearly two seconds.

Senior pole vaulter Britainy Smith (10-06, second place), senior 400-runner Stevondria Hardy (58.96, third) and junior 1,600-runner Mariah Henderson (5:19.75, fourth) also earned state berths.

Wharton scored 72 points to place third at the 22-team meet. Plant took first (106) and Freedom was second (80.5).

The Wildcats boys mustered 18 points to place 15th, led by junior Aerion Caldwell scoring 10 by winning the discus throw (143-08.50).

The 4A state meet is May 4 at the University of North Florida.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Hallie Grimes was in seventh place midway through the 400 meters final April 24 during the Class 3A regional track and field meet at Leto.

The Land O’ Lakes junior had to finish in the top four to earn her third straight state berth.

“When I saw where I was I was like, shoot, I got to go,” Grimes said.

And she did just that on the third turn with 200 meters remaining.

Grimes, who had captured her third district title the week before, ran like no other in program history to place third in 55.91 seconds, breaking her own program record by 0.96.

“I knew this was going to be a tough race,” Grimes said. “The competition is so good, especially even compared to last year and the year before that. I was ranked fifth, so I was really worried and knew I had to run the race of my life. … I felt some pressure and expectations, and I knew that anything could happen. I’m so happy I get to run next week.”

Grimes said she was surprised to see she had broken 56.

“My goal was to run 56 here at regionals and then 55 at states, so I’m more than happy with that,” Grimes said.

Grimes scored six of the Gators’ 10 points to place 21st at the 38-team meet. Junior Kassidy Wallace added the other four points by taking fifth in the triple jump (35-feet, 5-inches).

The Land O’ Lakes boys totaled 33 to tie for sixth and sent three athletes to states.

Senior high jumper Kyle Forchion finished as regional runner-up by clearing 6-06, four inches better than his previous personal record (PR).

“I honestly didn’t think I’d be going anywhere,” Forchion said. “I thought this was going to be my last meet. I thought I’d be fifth place at best. Some people had bad days, and I had my best day. … I didn’t even scratch once until 6-08. After I cleared 6-04 they said I was going through, so I was jumping just to jump and had no pressure.”

The 6-foot-4 Forchion joined the team as a sophomore and will be competing in his first state meet.

“It’s everybody’s dream to go to states and compete their senior year,” Forchion said. “Not everyone gets to do it. I get to do it, and I’m very happy.”

Junior Tyler Stahl earned state berths in the 1,600 (4:24.99, second place) and 3,200 (10:01.73, fourth).

“Getting there in both is really special because all these runners are great,” Stahl said. “I didn’t think I could keep up with everyone, but then I just stopped thinking about it and just thought about the next step.

“I’m the only one from Land O’ Lakes to qualify in two events, so that’s really special, and then I get to go with two of my teammates, so that’s going to make going to states better too,” he added.

Senior pole vaulter Colin Defant took fourth and the last state qualifying spot by clearing 12-06 and winning a jump-off with Sebring’s Byron Cobb.

The 3A state meet is May 3 at the University of North Florida.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Four girls and two boys from Wiregrass Ranch track and field programs earned state berths at the Class 3A regional meet April 24 at Leto.

Hannah Eder was the only Bull to qualify for two events.

The senior took fourth in the long jump (17-feet, 1.5-inches) to earn her first state berth.

“I was having dreams that I made it to states,” Eder said. “I was really excited, but I actually thought I got fifth place just like last year. When I heard I got fourth, I was elated.”

Eder broke her own program record in the triple jump by 11.5 inches by posting 36-04.5 to take third. She said she had no expectation to make states in the event because she was seeded 11th.

“I wasn’t too stressed out in the triple because I didn’t expect to do that much, so I figured just give it my all,” Eder said. “When I saw that number, whew, unbelievable. … What these other kids have done is pretty intimidating, and that’s the reason I thought I wasn’t going to make it.”

Sophomore pole vaulter Casey Chitty also advanced to her first state meet by clearing 9. She tied Belleview senior Natalia Piferrer for the best vault of the day, but lost a tiebreaker to finish as regional runner-up.

“I’m so excited to go to states,” Chitty said. “I was really nervous coming in. Didn’t know where I’d stack up; thought I could get 9-06, but I’m really happy.”

Chitty picked up the event during the summer before her freshman year when she started working with Florida Pole Vault Academy. She said she wants to work on her runs to build more speed and improve her turn to get over the bar more easily.

“My turn stopped me from clearing 9-06 on my second attempt, so I think if I do that I can do a lot better,” Chitty said.

Freshman Maddie Conway rounded out the Bulls first-time state qualifiers by placing fourth in the 1,600 meters (5 minutes, 24.83 seconds).

“I was not expecting this at all because I knew I had six fast people seeded ahead of me,” Conway said. “I was like, you know what, if I want to make it to states I really need to push myself for this fourth spot. … Right now I don’t know how I just pulled that off.”

Wiregrass Ranch senior Nikita Shah earned her fourth state berth in the 3,200, where she finished as regional runner-up in 11:30.98. The Harvard University signee placed third in the event at states last season.

The Bulls scored 36 points to tie for fourth place at the 38-team meet, 18 off Orlando Evans’ championship pace. The Wiregrass Ranch boys scored 17 to take 14th.

Elijah Boston broke the school record in the discus throw with his 154-05.5, beating the previous mark by more than five feet. The senior placed second to earn his first trip to states.

“I feel accomplished,” Boston said. “My first season goal was to make it to states. My next goal was school record. You can ask anyone on the team I was saying I’m breaking it at this meet.”

The program record-setting throw came on Boston’s first attempt of the prelims.

“If I’m really warmed up then usually my first throw is my best throw,” Boston said. “I saw it go, and honestly I didn’t see it hit because I left straight out circle. I didn’t hear the distance, just heard something four, and then my coach yelled 154. I was so happy.”

Senior Ermias Bireda also advanced by taking third in the 1,600 (4:28.98).

The 3A state meet is May 3 at the University of North Florida.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

By Don Trello

The Laker/Lutz News Correspondent

 

Sisters Maddy and Katlin Hall were a powerful combination as Freedom knocked off host Countryside in Class 7A regional softball quarterfinals April 24 with a 2-0 win.

The Patriots (19-3) earned the first playoff win in the program’s 11-year history in their first postseason contest.

“This is the farthest we’ve been in school history,” said Freedom coach Autum Hernandez. “It was a team effort.”

Maddy, a freshman catcher, delivered a two-out, bases-loaded single on a 3-2 pitch from Countryside (24-4) pitcher Alyssa Queen that scored Kayla Maczuga in the seventh inning. Queen (13-3) allowed seven hits, including five in the seventh.

“I wasn’t hitting at all the entire game, so I just wanted to make solid contact,” Maddy said. “I didn’t want to let anything that was a strike go by. I just had to make something big happen.”

The game-winning rally was set up with base hits from Freedom’s seventh, eighth and ninth hitters.

“Maddy is batting at the top of the order for a reason; she makes good contact,” Hernandez said. “That was a huge clutch hit.”

Maczuga started the seventh-inning rally with a two-out, pinch-hit single. Outfielders Ashley Wilson and Rachel Carlson followed with singles to load the bases and set the stage for Maddy.

“Kayla was fresh; she hadn’t been up yet,” Hernandez said about her decision to pinch-hit Maczuga. “I hoped she wasn’t psyched out. She made contact and did a great job.”

Senior second baseman Caroline Whiteside singled after Maddy to score Wilson and give the Patriots a 2-0 lead.

“The bottom of our lineup scores most of our runs,” Hernandez said. “We have that 1-2 punch down there with Maddy coming up. It worked out perfectly.”

Senior Katlin Hall picked up the win after relieving starting pitcher Grace Street at the beginning of the sixth inning.

Street allowed five hits, struck out six and hit one batter. She retired the side after back-to-back singles at the start of the fifth inning, which included getting Hailee Keisling out who entered the contest hitting a team-high .500.

“I was trying to change it up on (Keisling) because the two hits she got (in earlier at-bats) were in the same area,” Street said. “I moved the ball around.”

Kelsie Sanchez singled off Katlin to start the sixth and advanced to second base after Brittany Creamer struck out and Alyssa Householder laid down a sacrifice bunt.

Erin Jankiewicz grounded out to end the sixth, and Katlin retired the side in order to end the game.

“I was nervous, but I was the closer, and I knew it was my job to get them out,” Katlin said. “I have some movement on my ball. I throw curves and changeups. I trusted my pitches to get them out.”

Katlin, a Wharton transfer, was also playing in her first playoff game.

“This was huge,” Katlin said. “This is my first time in regionals, and it feels great to win.”

Katlin improved her record to 7-3 and Street, a sophomore, remained undefeated at 9-0.

“Grace threw a great game,” Hernandez said. “We talked to the pitchers about splitting them. The initial plan was for Grace to pitch five innings. … Katlin closes for us, but we’ve flipped-flopped them a couple of times. Both of their balls have a little different movement. I wanted to bring someone in for a change of pace.”

The Hall sisters were the winning battery with Katlin in the pitcher’s circle and Maddy behind the plate.

“I taught her everything she knows,” Katlin joked when asked about her younger sister’s game-winning hit. “I was so proud of her. I’m glad I can call her my sister.”

Maddy, who threw out Keisling attempting to steal second in the third inning, expressed equally heartfelt feelings about catching her sister.

“I have so much confidence in my sister,” Maddy said. “I have telepathy with her. Catching her is fun.”

The Patriots travel to Class 7A-District 9 rival Chamberlain April 30 for the regional semifinals. The squads split the regular season series with each winning one-run contests. The Chiefs claimed the district title 4-2 at Freedom.

 

 

 

By Jeff Odom

 

The Carrollwood Day School (CDS) softball team’s best season in program history came to an end April 24 at home against Lakeland Christian in the Class 3A regional quarterfinals.

The host Patriots (10-6) staged a late comeback, but couldn’t hold off the Vikings (19-5) hot hitting, falling 7-4 in nine innings.

It was the first time CDS had reached the playoffs in the program’s three-year history after winning a district championship the week before.

“I’ve coached baseball for I don’t know how many years, but I’ve got a lot of kids in the pros, and I can honestly say coaching these girls, from all those years of championship baseball programs that I ran, this is the most pleasurable,” said Patriots first-year coach Chuck Fest. “More than anything, it’s gratifying to see these kids come out and do things you never expected them to do. I love every one of these girls.”

The Patriots wasted no time getting to Lakeland Christian pitcher Helen Long in the first inning.

A lead-off triple by Emma Frost and an RBI single to left field two batters later from Savannah Bennett gave CDS a 1-0 lead.

The Vikings, who stranded runners on first and second in the first two innings, broke through against CDS starting pitcher Amanda Rose in the third.

Rose walked Brooke Wilsman with one out before giving up five straight base hits. When the dust finally settled, Lakeland Christian led 4-1.

“That’s kind of been our season all year,” Chuck said. “We’ve had one bad inning a lot of times and too many times. That’s the quicksand effect. It’s tough to coach it; you’re trying to calm things down, but all of a sudden one thing bad happens and then another bad thing and they hit the ball … It could have been a lot worse. We’ve had a lot worse.”

The Patriots got a run back in the bottom of the frame when Frost scored from third on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to two.

Rose tied the contest in the fifth off Kristen Beacham. The Vikings reliever opened the inning by retiring the first two batters she faced, but Frost doubled to the left field fence and Samantha Fest was hit by a pitch to give the Patriots two on with Rose coming to the plate.

She didn’t miss.

Rose smacked a two-RBI triple over the center fielder’s head.

“I was actually standing there thinking to myself she’s gonna go yard, but I think we’ve got the biggest porch of anyone around,” Chuck said.

Both teams traded hits in the sixth and seventh, but neither could break the stalemate before extra innings.

In the eighth, the Patriots got runners to first and second with two outs, but Beacham settled down and retire the side to set up a big ninth for Lakeland Christian.

Wilsman opened with an infield hit and advanced to second on an error. She came around to score when Emily Murphy reached third on a fielder’s choice and another CDS error.

The Vikings crossed the plate two more times via a sacrifice fly and base hit to extend the lead to three and secure the win.

“I told the girls that they have nothing to hang their heads on,” Chuck said. “I’ve had more fun coaching these girls than all the years I coached boys.”

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Britainy Smith has accomplished much during her four years pole vaulting at Wharton.

The senior has captured three district championships, two Hillsborough County titles and earned her second state appearance in three years April 24 during the Class 4A regional meet at Leto.

Wildcats coach Wes Newton said Smith ranks with the best that have vaulted at Wharton, including 2003 Class 4A state champion Natalie Moser and two-time state title winner London Enos (2009 and 2010).

“She’s right there with what anyone has done here,” Newton said.

Smith, whose personal record (PR) is 11-feet, was invited to join the team by Enos. She said she was intimidated by the event at first.

“I didn’t know how this sport was going to go,” Smith said. “Then when I was clearing like 8-feet in the first couple meets it started giving me confidence.”

She quickly found the sport to be both thrilling and maddening.

“It’s very frustrating because a runner can just say, ‘Oh, I need to run a little faster than this person,’” Smith said. “It’s a lot simpler. With vaulting I have to run faster, be stronger and have the technique. Then you get better and have to use a new pole, and that changes the game again. … It’s definitely been a love-hate relationship, but it’s something I want to keep doing for a long, long time.”

She keeps a positive mindset during meets.

“I don’t want to think about what I’m doing wrong; I try to think about how to make it better,” Smith said. “Coach Newton always tells me to think about what I need to do, envision it in your head and go do it. … I try to look above the bar in the sky and tell myself I’m going to go that high.”

Smith won her first district title as a sophomore and finished as regional runner-up before placing 10th at states. Then some of pole vaulting’s famous frustrations kicked in.

She repeated as district champion as a junior, but placed seventh at regionals to miss a state berth.

“That meet I wasn’t able to use the pole that I usually use because the number that’s on the end had come off which tells you what kind of pole it was,” Smith said. “They said I couldn’t use it, so I had to jump on a pole I wasn’t comfortable with yet. It just came down to attempts, and I just wasn’t there.”

She returned to the same venue her senior year with the goal of making it back to states, and faced major pressure during her final attempt at 10-06. Smith had to clear the height or she would place fifth, one spot from a state berth.

“I was trying not to think about how this could be my last vault in high school,” Smith said. “I was trying to just focus on what I have to do in any meet. Just need to do my run, need to plant, I need to take off, I need to swing, I need to penetrate. Just step by step.”

She cleared the height and finished as regional runner-up.

“She’s great at rising to challenges and dealing with pressure like that,” Newton said. “She doesn’t fold under pressure, and she’s a real tough competitor.”

Smith said she had no expectations during her first state berth two years ago but now wants to come away with a medal by placing in the top eight. She thanked two people in particular for helping her reach the level she is at.

“Natalie has coached me in pole vault since I was a freshman, and coach Newton has always helped,” Smith said. “Newton has definitely helped me become the athlete I am today, and I couldn’t thank anybody more than him for that.”

The 4A state meet is May 4 at the University of North Florida.

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Jesse Haney has been a part of the Steinbrenner baseball team since the first practice four years ago.

The senior catcher, a four-year varsity player, has been a part of the frustrating near miss to make the playoffs when the Warriors (22-2) lost to Jesuit in the district semifinals two years ago, thanks to a late error.

The disappointment was even greater last season when Steinbrenner entered the Class 7A-District 9 tournament as the No. 1 seed and took a 5-0 lead on Gaither in the semifinals before losing 10-9 in extra innings.

Aggravation finally gave way to jubilation April 25 as the top-seeded Warriors hoisted the fourth-year program’s first district title by knocking off Wiregrass Ranch (17-7) 4-0.

“We’ve come together as a team,” Haney said. “We pick each other up, and that happened multiple times tonight when one of us made a mistake. It’s really just a great group of guys.”

The Warriors had clinched their first playoff berth two nights before by defeating Freedom in the district semifinals, but four-year Steinbrenner coach John Crumbley said they wanted more.

“We have been blessed to get great kids all four years, and we were really hoping it was going to be this year,” Crumbley said. “We weren’t satisfied with 20 (wins) and with just making the playoffs.

“We tried every year to do it,” he continued. “We’ve been close, so credit to this group. Four-year guys like Chase Turner, Jesse Haney and Mikey McGuire have been on varsity since we started. Then we’ve got guys like Kevin (Merrell) and Cole (Gordon) who have done a lot in their three years.”

The Warriors picked up two runs in the first inning when Merrell and Gordon were driven in by Mijon Cummings and Turner, respectively. They added two more in the fifth when Brennan Garcia smacked a double off Wiregrass Ranch starting pitcher Ryan Girard.

“I noticed he’d thrown two curveballs when he was in the stretch last inning,” Garcia said. “I thought he might come back with it again, and he did. I just had to make contact with it.”

Senior pitcher Logan LaPace struck out three in the complete game victory.

Steinbrenner exploded offensively in defeating Freedom (4-21) 21-4 in five innings April 23 in the semifinals.

Junior left fielder Alex Hanson led off the contest with a single, which was the first of 14 hits for the Warriors. He finished 3-of-4 with five RBI and a double.

“When everyone’s hitting like that it’s hard not to have fun,” Hanson said. “I was just excited to help put us in the right direction.”

Steinbrenner plated two in the bottom of the first inning, but the Patriots responded with four in the top of the second. Haney said there was no panic in their dugout while trailing 4-2.

“Our whole focus was on that we weren’t going to lose to these guys,” said Haney, who scored three runs and had an RBI double against the Patriots. “We’ve lost this game three years running, and it’s not happening now.”

The Warriors answered by sending 14 batters to the plate and scoring 10 runs on seven hits in their half of the second. They added another eight to the scoreboard in the third.

Tournament host and defending 7A-9 champs Gaither (11-12) was defeated by Wiregrass Ranch 3-0 in the other semifinals. It is the first time the Cowboys have finished with a losing record since its inaugural season in 1985 and marks the first time they have failed to make the playoffs since 2004.

Gaither senior pitcher Hunter Henderson (4-4) tossed his eighth complete game of the season in as many starts, giving up five hits and one earned run in the losing effort.

The Cowboys managed three hits, but stranded 10 base runners and had two picked off first base in the contest.

Steinbrenner hosts Seminole May 2 at 7 p.m. in the regional quarterfinals.

—Correspondent Andy Warrener contributed to this story