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Steinbrenner High school senior quarterback Haden Carlson and senior receiver Aidan Bitter have signed to play college football at Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) program Florida International University and Iowa State University, respectively. Both made their school choices official during the college football early signing period, on Dec. 18. Carlson and Bitter, both consensus three-star prospects, helped guide the Warriors to a 12-2 mark and the Class 8A state semifinals during the 2019 season.

Former Wiregrass Ranch football star Chris Faddoul, now a junior punter at Florida A&M University (FAMU), has been named third-team Associated Press FCS All-American.

The Wesley Chapel native’s average of 46 yards per punt this season ranked second in Division I FCS (Football Championship Series). He tallied 40 punts for 1,841 yards, with 19 punts placed inside the 20-yard line, with only five touchbacks. He also registered a season-long punt of 72 yards in an Oct. 20 overtime win over nationally-ranked North Carolina A&T State.

Faddoul previously earned first team All-MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic) Conference honors, for the 2019 campaign.

At Wiregrass Ranch, Faddoul was a multi-sport standout, playing football, soccer, tennis, and also competing in track & field. His senior year on the gridiron, Faddoul guided the Bulls to a state playoff appearance in 2016, as the team’s starting quarterback, kicker and punter.

Saint Leo University senior guard Kyran McClure joined the 1,000-point club in a 69-65 overtime home win over the University of Tampa, on Dec. 14. The North Carolina native is the 24th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-point plateau. McClure has played for the Lions for three seasons, transferring from Navy after his freshman year. He currently is the leading scorer for the Lions, averaging nearly 21 points per game. He also led the team in scoring last season, averaging 17.1 points.

The Land O’ Lakes-based South Pasco Predators cheerleading program had four of its teams compete in the Pop Warner Super Bowl and National Cheer & Dance Championships, earlier this month at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. The Predators teams that competed were its Mitey Mites (7 to 9 years old), Junior Pee Wee (8 to 10 years old), Pee Wee (10 to 13 years old) and Varsity (12 to 15 years old).

Six players from The Academy at the Lakes varsity football team were selected for the 2019 VICIS Eight-Man All-State team.

The Wildcats garnered three selections on offense (junior quarterback Jalen Brown, junior offensive lineman Dwiight Downing, senior offensive lineman Elijah Freedman) and three on defense/special teams (junior defensive end Tayshawn Pendleton, junior defensive back Adrian Leverette, junior punter Caleb Yann).

Other eight-man schools with all-state selections included Bell Creek Academy (Riverview), Canterbury (St. Petersburg), City of Life Christian (Kissimmee), Florida School for the Deaf and Blind (St. Augustine), Harvest Community School (Jacksonville) and Lakeside Christian (Clearwater).

The Wildcats finished the 2019 season with a 6-2 mark and qualified for the Sunshine State playoffs. The program won back-to-back eight-man state titles in 2017 and 2018.

Former Wiregrass Ranch football star Chris Faddoul, now a junior punter at Florida A&M University, has earned first team All-MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic) Conference honors. Faddoul finished second in all of Division I FCS (Football Championship Series) averaging 46 yards per punt. Also notable, he pinned 19 of his 40 punts inside the 20-yard line and booted a season-high 72-yard punt against North Carolina A&T on Oct. 20.

At Wiregrass Ranch, Faddoul was a multi-sport standout, playing football, soccer, tennis, and also competing in track & field. His senior year on the gridiron, Faddoul guided the Bulls to a state playoff appearance in 2016, as the team’s starting quarterback, kicker and punter.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s 2019 Swing for Charity golf tournament raised over $28,000 for the American Heart Association’s Tampa Bay Heat Walk. The Nov. 8 tournament was at Seven Springs Golf & Country Club. Shown here is the tournament’s first-place team winner — Team Carroll sponsored by Medline. From left: Marcus Smith, Swing for Charity tournament director; Phil Meyers; Billy Jackson; Bill Jackson; and, Michael Carroll.

Saint Leo University’s women’s volleyball senior middle blocker Anilise Fitzi was named a first-team All-Sunshine State Conference selection, the league office announced last month.

Fitzi, a native of Walton, New Zealand, is the program’s first first-team All-Conference selection since the 2016 season, when Hope Lemon and Jamie Townsend each picked up honors.

The 5-foot-11 Fitzi led the team in the 2019 regular season in blocks (129), block assists (111), solo blocks (18) and hitting percentage (.356) while ranking second in total kills (292) and third in service aces (37). She ranks fourth in the Sunshine State Conference in hitting percentage, fourth in blocks, 10th in service aces and 18th in kills. She also ranks 36th nationally in hitting percentage and 57th in blocks per set.

Last season, Fitzi was named to the conference’s All-Newcomer team. She spent her first two seasons at Polk State College, in Lakeland.