Zephyrhills Christian Academy graduate Evan Miller medaled and placed fifth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 21.66 seconds at the recent AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa. Miller recently accepted a track scholarship with Division I University of South Carolina. He previously signed with NAIA Warner University (Lake Wales) on a football/track scholarship. In May, he won the Class 1A boys 100-meter dash (10.75 seconds) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships.
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Twisted Sisters are top-notch
The U-10 Twisted Sisters softball team, part of the North Tampa Athletic Association (NTAA), battled over 200 teams in local, district and state tournaments to finish undefeated in the Babe Ruth Softball State Tournament. The achievement allowed the team to represent the state of Florida and the NTAA in the Babe Ruth World Series, which wrapped up on Aug. 4. Coaches, back row, from left: Otis Bass, Jamie Ankers, Michael Connell, Justin Horne and Devon Connell. Players, middle row, from left: Chelsea Andersen, Jordan Ankers, Isabellarose Bass, Eliza Connell, Lola Coole and Hailey Horne. Players, front row, from left: Allison McDuffie, Grace Mercado, Eliana Rivera, Willa Soorus and Skylah Stephens.
Regional Champs
Jason Nicolette, left and Dominick Coniglio, of the FC Tampa Lutz Rangers, were members of the Olympic Development Program (ODP) Florida U-17 team that recently won the ODP Southern Regionals. The 18-member select squad had three wins and a draw against teams from Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Nicolette is a rising senior at Pasco High School; Coniglio, a rising senior at Tampa Catholic High School.
Sectional Champs
The Land O’ Lakes Little League Senior Baseball All-Stars recently were crowned Senior League Florida Section 4 Champions, defeating a group of Little League teams from Belmont Heights, Pinecrest and Lake Wales. They also participated in the State Little League Tournament in Viera. Back row, from left: Coach Devin Canter, Nicholas Ketterer, Jake Muscianese, Manager Dean Cacio, Cody Longyear, Wyatt Ketterer, Devin Smith and Coach Patrick Cummings. Front row, from left: Garrett Gosman, Frankie Cacio, Damien Lampe, Alex LaVare, Logan Larscheid, Devin Canter and Luis Nunez. Not pictured: Nathaniel Miller and Robert Kranendonk.
Coaching changes to PHSC baseball program
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has announced that longtime head baseball coach Steve Winterling will step down, but will remain in his role as the college’s athletic director.
He will be replaced by Lyndon Coleman, who has served as PHSC assistant baseball coach and recruiting coordinator for the past three years. Coleman played baseball at PHSC and Barry University before beginning his coaching career in 2013.
Winterling, meanwhile, started the PHSC baseball program in 1991 and has been the program’s only coach in its 27-year history, finishing with a record of 688-581-4.
He came to PHSC from Florida State University after serving six years under Mike Martin, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA baseball.
The PHSC Bobcats finished 36-18 this past season, the 11th consecutive winning season for the program. The 36 wins were second most in school history, one behind the record of 37 set in 2009.
Saint Leo athletics adds Acrobatics & Tumbling
The Saint Leo University athletics department has announced the addition of another intercollegiate sport to its roster — Acrobatics & Tumbling.
The new program will begin competition in 2020, as a nationwide search for its inaugural head coach is underway.
Acrobatics & Tumbling, a discipline of USA Gymnastics, is the evolution of different forms of gymnastics, and involves tumbling, tosses, and acrobatic lifts and pyramids. Teams participate in head-to-head competition and are scored in six events, including Compulsory, Acro, Pyramid, Toss, Tumbling and Team.
One of the fastest growing sports among NCAA institutions, Acrobatics & Tumbling will be the 21st intercollegiate sport offered at Saint Leo and is the 12th offering in women’s program.
Saint Leo becomes the 16th Division II school — and 25th nationally — to sponsor the sport.
The competition season takes place between February and April with each team allowed to compete in a minimum of six contests and a maximum of 14.
Local signings
Land O’ Lakes High softball product Shannon Saile has transferred to the University of Oklahoma, after wrapping up her sophomore season at Florida International University (FIU). The right-handed pitcher will have two years of eligibility remaining when she joins the Sooners this fall. At FIU, Saile earned All-Conference USA First Team accolades in both 2017 and 2018 and was named C-USA Freshman of the Year in 2017. While at Land O’ Lakes, Saile earned NFCA High School All-America Honors as a senior, while garnering All-Region, All-State and All-Conference. Saile also received All-State recognition as a junior and All-Conference nods three total times.
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) basketball product Gabriel Steele has signed as a walk-on with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), a Division I program in Tallahassee. The guard played for PHSC from 2015 to 2017, where he posted a combined 13.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.
Big Bass!
Scott May, left, and Tom Moore teamed up to win first place at the South Pasco Bassmasters’ July 21 tournament, hauling in five bass for a total weight of 24.64 pounds at Lake Parker, in Lakeland. The haul also included the biggest bass of the tournament, weighing 8.83 pounds. The team caught the bass on plastic worms fishing gator grass. The next tournament is Aug. 18 at Lake Harris Chain, in Lakeland. For information, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.
Speedy showing
Zephyrhills Christian Academy graduate Evan Miller medaled and placed fourth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.72 seconds at the recent AAU Club Track and Field National Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports at Disney.
Miller, who was among 120 sprinters in his age group, has now been invited to run at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Des Moines, Iowa.
Miller will be attending Warner University in Lake Wales on a football/track scholarship.
In May, he won the Class 1A boys 100-meter dash (10.75 seconds) at the Florida High School Athletic Association Track & Field 2018 Championships.
Flag Football Champs
The Land O’ Lakes-based Georgia Bulldogs captured the Under Armor Under the Lights Flag Football League National Championship tournament earlier this month at the University of South Florida. They won the 5th/6th grade division, besting a group of 20 teams from 10 states. Back row, from left: Coach Morris, Donovon Morris, Jack Bender, Jack Niemann, Drew Woodaz and Coach Niemann. Front row, from left: Ian McLargin, Ethan Keys and Mason Spearin. Not pictured: Mikey Kazmorck.