Special to The Laker/Lutz News

 

 

By Jeff Odom

 

Tommy Tonelli waited 14 seasons to take the Wharton boys basketball team to the final four.

It’s only fitting Tonelli had to hold his breath for an extra 30 seconds after the final buzzer Feb. 23 for his longtime dream to be realized — he and his squad were going to states.

The Wildcats (24-4) needed every second, no more or less, to win their first regional championship in the program’s 16-year history at home by defeating Orlando University 41-39.

Wharton clung to its two-point lead with 6.7 seconds left in the contest after senior point guard CJ McGill hit his second of two free throw attempts. The Cougars (17-12) raced down the court for one final attempt to steal the Wildcats’ regional crown.

Wharton’s defense shut down the inside lanes, forcing University’s Elijah Mays to dish it to the left wing to a wide open Miguel Rivera, who fired a 3-pointer as the clock hit zero.

The shot fell true, momentarily delaying the Wildcats’ celebration. The referees waved off the shot following a brief discussion because it was released after the final buzzer.

The party in New Tampa was on from there.

Tonelli could finally let out a sigh of relief and the tears started flowing.

“The only thing I felt good about and made me feel like it was going to go our way was the one referee was coming in and waving it off — no hesitation,” Tonelli said. “Thankfully, he was adamant in the huddle about his call. … Sometimes, you’re at the mercy of the refs. Honestly, I thought it could have gone either way.

“Somebody’s looking out for us tonight,” Tonelli continued, referring to his late father. “I think I know who it might have been.”

Tonelli, whose teams have won seven district titles in his tenure, was welcomed at the end of the game with what seemed like a never-ending line of family, friends and fans to hug the man that started the school’s basketball program in 1997.

After hugging his wife and younger children, he searched out one person in particular from the crowd celebrating on the court — McGill.

“We’ve been through so much together,” said McGill, who finished the night with 12 points. “From my eighth-grade year all the way up, and I just had to get this win for him.”

Tonelli praised McGill, whose fourth-quarter heroics included a 3-pointer and three clutch free throws to secure the victory.

“Sophomore year, (McGill) blew his ACL out in the fall, and we made a regional final that year without him, but who knows what could have happened if he was playing,” Tonelli said. “I love the kid. He’s like a son to me.”

It was a back-and-forth contest from the opening tipoff with neither team ever leading by more than six points.

Junior forward Chase Litton was dominant on both sides of the ball, dishing out seven assists, including one to Sir Patrick Reynolds who laid in his last of seven points with 53.1 seconds left in the game to take back the lead the Wildcats would not relinquish.

“We practice it every day, and we talk about plays like that in film,” Litton said. “They don’t realize those small plays mean a lot.”

Reynolds fouled out with 37 seconds left. He said watching from the bench was nerve-racking.

“My mind was like how could I foul him, and I put my team in a big deficit right then and there,” Reynolds said. “Luckily, I had my teammate CJ McGill come through, and he told me he was going to put it on. That’s what he did.”

Litton also had four points for Wharton, while senior guard Jaken Grier finished with 11 points.

McGill also surpassed 1,000 career points in Wharton’s 59-41 win at Sarasota Riverview in the regional semifinals Feb. 19.

Wharton will play in the Class 8A state semifinals against South Miami at the Lakeland Center, 701 W. Lime St., March 1 at 7 p.m.

A victory would match the Wildcats with the winner of the Deerfield Beach-Oviedo Hagerty contest for the state championship March 2 at 8:35 p.m.

 

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Freedom girls basketball’s deepest run in the playoffs was ended Feb. 22 by Gainesville Buchholz in the Class 7A state semifinals at the Lakeland Center.

The Patriots (25-4) mounted a furious second-half comeback that nearly erased a 19-point deficit, but the Bobcats (27-4) hit their free throws down the stretch to hang on for the victory. Buchholz defeated Davie Nova the following day to claim the state title.

“You know, you can’t come up here and get down and expect to be able to fight back,” said Freedom coach Laurie Pacholke. “We gave it a good effort, but again you can’t come up here and get yourself in a hole and be able to dig yourself out of it against teams like this. … I’m extremely proud of this team for getting here, making history.”

The Patriots cut the Bobcats’ lead to 65-60 with 3:54 left in the contest, but Buchholz hit 11 of its last 12 free throw attempts for the win.

“You get in a situation where you have to foul, and lord have mercy did they make their free throws,” Pacholke said. “If they missed a couple free throws that would have easily been our game.”

Freedom senior forward Faith Woodard, a Georgetown University signee, and sophomore guard Taylor Emery led the comeback by each scoring 13 in the second half. Woodard finished with a team-high 26 points, 15 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Emery totaled 21 points and eight rebounds.

“We just looked at the clock and we were like we’re down by 19,” Woodard said. “This is a 19-point deficit, and we didn’t give up. We’ve been down before, and we just tried to execute.”

Pacholke said the effort to climb back into the game shows the determination in her players.

“These kids have been fighters all year long,” Pacholke said. “Even on the track back in August when they wanted to quit during preseason conditioning, they didn’t. … A lot of teams down by 19 in the state semifinals, they would have quit. I knew they’d keep fighting.”

Freedom started with leads of 6-0 and 11-6, but the Bobcats’ full-court press defense forced long passes and rushed shots that limited the Patriots’ offense.

“It was like playing us,” Emery said. “They were so aggressive, and they knew how to work their press. All the other teams we faced, they have a press, but it definitely wasn’t as aggressive as that one. I think that one really caught us off guard.”

Buchholz also hit 52 percent of its shots in the first half to take a 41-31 halftime lead. University of Miami signee Jessica Thomas led the charge with 38 points.

“Honestly, a lot of their other kids were hitting that usually don’t hit,” Pacholke said. “At one point I looked over to one of my assistants, and he said, ‘Dang, they’re on fire.’”

Foul trouble added to Freedom’s woes. All of its starters ended with at least three personals, including senior guard Whitney Turntine-Ivy (nine points, five rebounds) picking up her fifth with 54.2 seconds left in the game.

The Bobcats took command when Emery went to the bench for most of the second quarter with two fouls.

Freshman guard Nari Garner was forced into action and responded with seven points.

“She’s going to be phenomenal for us,” Pacholke said of Garner. “She’s committed to the game. She’s going to come back, just like Taylor. Taylor was great as a freshman, and she came back better.”

The final four marks the last high school game for six Patriots seniors, including starters Neena Pacholke, Woodard and Turntine-Ivy.

“I never thought I would ever get here,” said Woodard fighting back tears. “As a freshman I thought maybe this will be the year I’d go to state, but as a junior there was a point where I sat back, and I was just like maybe I won’t ever get the chance to go to Lakeland. Coming to this school with this team and this amount of talent, it was definitely something that I’ll never forget. To just know that we got this far just means everything.”

Turntine-Ivy, overcome with emotion, added, “When we came in, we all looked at each other and said, ‘We’re really here.’ … Even though we didn’t come out with the win, I’m still happy to play with these girls, all 13 of these other girls. They make me proud to be a part of this team. The coach, all the coaches, and I’m just happy to have had the chance to even get here, to have had the chance to be a part of this program, because I don’t think there’s any other program I’d want to be a part of other than this one, because I don’t think anybody would have made me work as hard as they do.”

Pacholke pointed out that her squad was the only one in 7A making its first final four appearance.

“We’re not going to be a one-and-done team,” Pacholke said. “This is now an expectation. Taylor is coming back for two more years. She knows what it’s like now. I know she’s going to be able to carry us back here again. … We’ll be back.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

Laying the foundation

Freedom girls basketball was at one of its lowest points five years ago when it went 6-15, the fewest wins in the program’s 10-year history.

A trio of freshmen came to the program the following year and began turning the Patriots around. And now, forward Lauren Repp, forward/guard Ashle Thompson and guard Neena Pacholke are seniors on the first squad in program history to make the final four.

“I couldn’t tell you after my freshman year that we’d be going to the state tournament,” Neena said. “It’s weird because it doesn’t feel real. … Walking through the halls I feel like I can walk a little higher being a part of this team.”

Coach Laurie Pacholke, Neena’s mom, came in with those three after leading Land O’ Lakes for three seasons.

“I don’t even know that words can describe what those three mean being committed to what our goal was with the program,” Laurie said. “They’re three kids who come in here and set the tone because they know how we run practices, and they’re the key. They stuck with the culture and continued the culture.”

The trio’s role has changed as the program attracted talented players while others developed.

Neena (3.0 points, 2.0 assists) still started this year, but her points per contest dropped from 7.5 last season. She’s focused her attention on defense and passing.

“Teams still know she’s a shooter, and she stretches the defense out,” Laurie said. “She sees the floor well, and her defense is something she’s been committed to.”

Thompson (3.0 points, 2.4 rebounds) and Repp (3.5 points, 2.1 rebounds) came off the bench, and Laurie commends them for accepting that role.

“Lauren may see 30 minutes, she may see two minutes or she might not see the floor, but you’d never know by the look on her face,” Laurie said. “Those are the type of kids you need for us to be where we’re at today. … Ashle is very versatile. She can step out and guard guards and she can guard a post player. She’s just super, super athletic, and she knows when we put her in we need her to stop someone and get rebounds, and that’s what she does.”

Thompson said there’s a lot of pride being a part of the turnaround and leaving the program in good shape.

“I feel like we put Freedom on the map, and it’s a great foundation because more people are going to want to come here,” Thompson said. “The program can only go up.”

 

Changing the culture

Laurie remembers what Freedom basketball games used to be like.

“You could hear crickets chirp in this gym,” Laurie said. “They didn’t have great parental support, so to go from that to what these fans are like now, that’s probably the proudest thing is getting the student body involved and being proud of something.”

The first step was changing the culture.

“We needed them to commit to being a basketball player and not just a kid who plays basketball,” Laurie said.

Repp said the expectations became apparent from Day 1.

“The day I ended middle school I came here for practice,” Repp said. “Once we started conditioning I was a little scared because it was very intense. It was a lot harder than any practice I’d done. … Coach brought that intensity and discipline.”

Repp said the biggest change the last four years hasn’t been the work because “coach always makes us work this hard.” Now it’s about the number of people interested in Freedom basketball.

“It’s a good feeling, especially to have so many people talking about our team,” Repp said. “Our school didn’t have that much team spirit, so to have so much support at our games was really good. It’s something to be proud of.”

 

Coming together

Freedom got three big senior additions in the offseason when forward Faith Woodard and point guard Monet Williams used Hillsborough County’s School Choice program to transfer from Riverview and guard Whitney Turntine-Ivy’s family moved from Plant’s district.

The three not only gave Laurie three impact players, but also illustrated the growth of the program during the last four years.

“They could have chosen to go to any school in the county, but they wanted to come here,” Laurie said. “I told the girls they’re going to come in and take some starting spots, but because of the foundation they’ve laid the last three years is why they came here.”

Woodard (22.1 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 steals, 1.9 blocks) said the decision to transfer was an easy one.

“I knew a little about the school, but I really knew coach Pacholke and Neena,” Woodard said. “I knew their character and how Neena was raised, and I was really comfortable with that.”

Turntine-Ivy (6.3 points, 2.1 rebounds) said the squad was very welcoming, which helped them mesh quickly.

“The first five minutes of our first fall league game I remember making a pass, and ever since then we’ve been off and running,” Turntine-Ivy said. “We fit together like that.”

The three didn’t just bring talent and stats. They also brought high expectations.

“We had a bull’s-eye on our backs, and we knew a lot of people were watching to see what we could do,” Woodard said. “We wanted to show that we don’t just have some of the best players. We’re one of the best teams.”

Laurie said she’s heard all the questions about how the three came to play for the Patriots.

“People can say what they want to say about the kids coming in, but that happens when you do something that people want to be a part of,” Laurie said. “People want to be part of something special. They knew it was going to be tough coming here. … We just focus on each other and don’t worry about what other people are going to say.”

 

The versatile Ms. Emery

Taylor Emery exploded onto the area’s basketball scene last year as a freshman when she averaged 18.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.1 steals.

The sophomore guard wasn’t content, and dedicated her offseason to taking all parts of her game to the next level.

“This summer my dad (Emmett) took me out to the park to work on my ball handling, my shooting and trying to get me to be an all-around player,” Emery said. “Then coach has been on me about working on defense, so I got offense from my dad and the defense from coach.”

The results have been 20.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 steals and 3.0 assists this year.

One of the largest additions to her game has been turning defense into quick offense with her ability to get steals seemingly at will.

“I think I’ve always had that feeling when to go for a steal, but I haven’t been in top-notch shape to be able to jump out and grab it,” Emery said. “Since then coach has been working on my speed, and so has my dad. … Last year I was getting steals by hand checking, but now I don’t have to do that and don’t have to worry about getting called for those fouls.”

Laurie said she always saw Emery’s instincts.

“That’s what makes her so special,” Laurie said. “Last year defense wasn’t a top priority for her, but we talked with her about if you get it done on the defensive end it makes things easier offensively. That’s really showed this year with her bringing all her tools together.”

Emery also evolved offensively from a player who primarily scored by driving to the basket to one with a dangerous pull-up jumper.

“You don’t see that sweet of a touch at the collegiate level,” Laurie said. “That’s just hours and hours of work. She’s got such a quick first step and can take anyone on the dribble, and when she pulls up there’s not a lot you can do.”

Emery said hitting a jumper is now her favorite part of the game: “When you’re on a fast break and it’s you and a defender and they’re expecting you to drive to the basket, to stop and pop at the free throw line and, bam, hit that jumper, that’s the best feeling.”

 

Fighting through adversity

Williams didn’t know what she’d be able to do her senior year after tearing the ACL in her right knee twice in 2012.

She put in the work in rehab and returned to the court in a game for the first time Nov. 27, and since then she’s averaged 3.7 assists and 2.4 points.

“I didn’t think I’d be able to have this kind of season,” Williams said. “I’m not fully back yet, but I’m about 75 percent back. … The biggest thing is I’m still a little scared. I’m trying to get that confidence back.”

Williams also had the challenge of learning new teammates after transferring from Riverview.

“Point guards have to know their teammates to make those passes, so it was good for me to be able to sit out and see how my teammates played,” Williams said. “As I got in the games it got easier and easier.”

Woodard, who has played on the same team as Williams since eighth grade, said getting her back took the squad to another level.

“When we didn’t have her we were an above-average team,” Woodard said. “We were still good, but she sets us apart. She’s the point guard. Her basketball IQ and her passing are just unbelievable.”

Laurie used Williams off the bench because of the instant energy she infused.

“She is an absolute spark plug coming off the bench, and it gives us a different look,” Laurie said. “She’s one of the toughest kids you’ll ever meet, and she gets better as the game goes on.”

Williams had some of her most explosive performances of the year during the playoffs.

She scored a season-high 10 in the regional quarterfinals against Clearwater, and followed up with eight and six in the semifinals and finals versus Steinbrenner and Sebastian River, respectively.

All six of Williams’ points came in the fourth quarter of Freedom’s 74-73 win over Sebastian River. She said the close game reminded her of when her Riverview squad lost 45-43 to Winter Haven in the regional finals during her sophomore year.

“I just didn’t want the same thing to happen as my sophomore year. I felt like I had to step up whether the knee was good or not,” said Williams, who also had five assists and seven rebounds against Sebastian River.

“It’s been a long year,” Williams said. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet that we did what we did this year, and to have that after the knee, it’s really special.”

—Follow Kyle LoJacono on Twitter: @Kyle_Laker

 

 

By Jeff Odom

and Kyle LoJacono

 

The Academy at the Lakes girls basketball team knew it had to play a near-faultless game to get past Tallahassee FAMU in the Class 2A state final Feb. 20.

In the end, the Wildcats (25-3) had no answers for the Baby Rattlers’ (26-4) speed and relentless press defense, falling 57-34 at the Lakeland Center. It’s the second straight year the academy has had its season ended by FAMU, losing 67-46 in last year’s state semifinals.

“They out-boarded us; they kept us off the boards, and that’s where the game was won and lost right there,” said third-year Wildcats coach Karim Nohra. “Second-chance points killed us.”

The academy trailed by just two points after the first quarter but was unable to contain LaKaris Salter (18 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks).

The Baby Rattlers closed the first half on a 13-4 run while holding the Wildcats to 4-of-20 from the field. FAMU’s defense forced 14 turnovers and blocked eight shots before halftime.

The Baby Rattlers continued pouring it on with a 15-2 spurt to start the third.

Senior forward Andrea Mauger (seven points) said FAMU’s fast break caught them off guard.

“Most of the teams we’ve played all year are walk the ball up, set up a half court offense type teams, and we’ve always been the up and down team,” Mauger said. “Playing a team like FAMU, we were kind of going against our own game plan.”

Academy senior center Tatiana Manuel had a team-high 11 points and added five rebounds.

Wildcats senior point guard Timecia Cohen (10 points) said playing for a state championship was as sweet as it gets.

“I expected myself to be sad and crying, but I’m happy,” Cohen said. “I got to the end. I got to where teams wanted to be. I told my team that no one put their head down. We got the furthest we can come, and we played. It’s not like we gave up. We played.”

The academy advanced to the title game with a 65-24 dismantling of Hollywood Sheridan Hills Christian in the semifinals Feb. 19.

Mauger (20 points, six rebounds, five steals, five assists) said it was “unreal” winning the state semifinals after having their season end in the same round a year ago.

“Compared to last year we came in here crying,” Mauger said. “It’s such a blessing to be in here. … I’m so proud of my teammates and all that we’ve accomplished.”

Nohra said he and his squad came in with a different mentality this season.

“It was second nature now,” Nohra said. “Last year, I think my girls were going, ‘Wow, this is awesome,’ and forgot that we had to play a game. I was even a little giddy last year. I’ve been toiling to get to this point for 20 years, and all of a sudden I’m here, and it was kind of nice. So, I was kind of admiring the atmosphere too. I think this year for me it was all business.”

The academy led 33-7 after the first quarter and forced a running clock for the entire second half.

“I didn’t think we’d blow them out early,” Nohra said. “I thought as we kept running and pressing that we’d wear them down.”

Nohra said the goal was to tire Catlin McCluskey (14 points) by having senior forward Alex Gittens (six rebounds) “chase her all over” the arena.

“She’ll run forever,” Nohra said of Gittens, who also runs cross country. “Her motor doesn’t stop.”

Nohra said their press defense and running offense matched up well with the Sharks, who shot 17 percent from the floor.

The academy shot 59 percent in the opening quarter after going 1-of-10 in the opening period of the semifinals last year. Nohra had his squad practice at the USF Sun Dome to get used to the difference in depth perception of a larger arena.

“In most standard high school gyms there’s the backboard and then the wall right behind you,” Nohra said. “The depth perception in an arena like this would be tough for any good shooter. Going to the Sun Dome was a wise move on our part to get in and get some shots in a vast arena.”

Mauger opened the contest by hitting a 3-pointer to get the Wildcats rolling. Manuel (four blocks) dominated the paint to post 17 of her team-high 27 in the first quarter. Cohen added eight points, seven assists and six rebounds.

The academy’s run to the state finals comes four seasons removed from a 0-15 campaign. Nohra, who took over the program the following year, used that context to sum up the program’s first state finals appearance.

“To me, it’s more important to take a team that was a doormat, to take a team that everyone stepped on and was senior nights for every team, and take them, and they become the team that whips people’s butts,” Nohra said. He added, “I did it at (Tampa Catholic), I did it at Cambridge and I did it here. That to me is more precious than this medal will ever be.”

 

 

By Jeff Odom

 

Manuel provides offensive spark

Academy at the Lakes girls basketball coach Karim Nohra gave center Tatiana Manuel a challenge when she arrived from Brooks-DeBartolo this season — become a scorer.

The 6-foot-2 senior did just that in leading the Wildcats to their first trip to the state finals.

“I demanded it, and I said, ‘You’re big enough; you score,’” Nohra said. “I think before (while at Brooks-DeBartolo) it was rebound, blocks and give to the guard. Now, we throw it up to her on the break, she has to dribble more and shoot more.”

Manuel, who averaged 22 points in her last four games, including a team-high 27 in the state semifinals, said she liked her new role.

“I wasn’t used to it when I first came here,” Manuel said. “I was used to just standing under the net blocking shots and getting rebounds. This year, he’s asked me to do a lot more, and I’m comfortable with it.”

Nohra said he was pleased with Manuel’s performance in the postseason and added that things may have gone very differently without her.

“Would we have gotten this far without her?” Nohra said. “Probably not.”

 

Cohen enjoys the ride

Senior Timecia Cohen watched from the bench last season as the Wildcats won district and regional titles and made the state semifinals.

A torn ACL in her right knee ended her junior season before it began, and she vowed to return to the court and help lead her team back the final four.

“I didn’t know what it was going to take to get here again, but I knew that I really wanted to get here, and I was willing to do whatever,” said Cohen. “Honestly, it feels good to be in the same position we were in, and to go to the championship game was even better.”

Nohra commended Cohen’s ability to become a point guard this season after only playing forward previously.

“She came from Tampa Bay Tech, and played sparingly,” Nohra said. “Last year, she tore an ACL and didn’t play at all for us. To see her dribbling, passing, handling ability, defensive ability — she’s by far exceeded my expectations.”

Though the academy was unable to put a final stamp on their season with a state title, Cohen said she will always cherish what the team was able to do.

“I’m so happy, honestly,” Cohen said. “It was my first time coming here, and we made it as a team, and I feel good. It feels really good. I’m runner-up to the best team in the state, and it’s not bad having a silver medal around your neck.”

 

Mauger forever a program staple

When senior Andrea Mauger transferred to the academy as a sophomore, she brought with her something the program hadn’t experienced before — a winning attitude.

The forward picked up where she left off when she arrived from Wesley Chapel and helped turn around the Wildcats from a 0-15 doormat to a three-time district champion and state finalist this season.

“I think as a sports program as a whole, we’ve definitely made a huge statement from where we were,” said Mauger, who finished her high school career with four regional finals appearances. “Everything turned around when our (athletic director) Tom Haslam came in, and just the support and the attitude has completely changed from the beginning, and people know our name now. We’re not just that school on the schedule.”

Nohra, who came from Wesley Chapel the same year as Mauger, said right away he knew he could rely on her to help lead the team no matter what the task at hand was.

“In practice, I don’t necessarily have to be there because Mauger runs the drills and she knows exactly what I want,” Nohra said. “She’s been a thrill to coach the whole time, and she’s a tremendous leader on the floor.”

Mauger doesn’t take the credit for turning around the program. She gives it all to her coach who she was “honored to play for.”

“I feel like coach Nohra really changed the attitude of the girls basketball program,” Mauger said. “Honestly, I’m so proud and just so blessed to do this with the help of my teammates. I couldn’t have done any of this without them or coach Nohra, and it’s just been amazing. Most people don’t get out of districts, let alone go to two back-to-back states.”

 

Tale of two freshmen

Freshmen gaurds Janice Cassanello and LuLu Santiago felt pressure from Day 1.

From Nohra’s intense practices to the expectations of being a state championship contender, the duo thought they had experienced it all.

Then, they became starters.

“At first it was nerve-racking (playing for Nohra), because you have to get used to all of the yelling and screaming, but he really knows what he’s talking about, and he’s taught us a lot,” Cassanello said. “It was different for me, and the pressure was definitely there a little bit, but we got used to it after playing for so long.”

Santiago, who missed part of the season after breaking her wrist in December, could feel the weight bearing down on her early in the season.

“At first, it was overwhelming,” Santiago said. “It was a lot of pressure and a little stressful, but we overcame it and got better, and it’s been really exciting, and we have an amazing coach who has really helped us out and definitely set us straight.”

Nohra said it will be up to Cassanello and Santiago to help pitch in and fill the void left behind by his five graduating seniors.

—Sports Editor Kyle LoJacono contributed to this report

 

 

 

By Kyle LoJacono

 

One of the most prolific boy soccer players in Pasco County history is trading in the pitch for the football gridiron.

Sunlake senior Connor Gilboy said he accepted a spot as a preferred walk-on at the University of Florida, where he said he will compete to be the placekicker.

Gilboy scored a Pasco-record 60 goals as a senior, which was also the most in the nation this season, and added 27 assists to lead the Seahawks to a 30-1 record and the first final four berth in the program history.

He said Wake Forest and Stanford universities were among the colleges interested in his soccer talents.

Gilboy was on Sunlake’s football team as a sophomore, but left the program for his junior season to focus on soccer. He returned to the sport as a senior to kick and punt.

Gilboy made 29 extra points and seven field goals as a senior while turning 26 of his 53 kickoffs into touchbacks. As a punter, he averaged 33 yards per attempt.

 

//Campoamor picks Furman

Wiregrass Ranch junior baseball player Michael Campoamor has committed to Furman University, according to Bulls coach Jeff Swymer.

The 6-foot, 165-pound shortstop hit .315 with 17 RBI and nine doubles last year.

Campoamor has started his junior season 7-of-10 at the plate with six RBI and three doubles. He has appeared once as a pitcher, allowing one earned run during two innings of work with two strikeouts to pick up a win.