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Mariah Melendez, a junior softball pitcher at Sunake High, fired her second complete game, no-hit shutout of the year, in a 10-0 win over Northeast High on March 28. Melendez (3.28 ERA in 47 innings) pitched five innings, striking out two batters, in what now marks her fifth career no-hitter at Sunlake.

Her last no-hitter came on Feb. 15, in a 10-0 win over Clearwater High.

Also a standout position player, Melendez is batting .447 with 12 RBIs and 20 runs scored.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, stand at 13-4, as of April 3.

On March 21, the Tampa Metropolitan Area YMCA won the Treadmill Tuesday Challenge, a second annual competition with the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast. About 1,630 Tampa Bay residents completed nearly 3,358 miles during the 12-hour event, surpassing the First Coast by about 21 miles.

For the First Coast, 1,580 residents logged 3,337 miles.
Together, the Tampa YMCA and First Coast YMCA leveraged a friendly competition to inspire community members to become more physically active and adopt healthier lifestyles.

Besides participating at their neighborhood YMCA, community members were able to join the competition from other locations via social media. Of the 3,210 total participants, 94 joined by uploading a post-workout photo.

Results of YMCA’s in our coverage area:
Bob Sierra North Tampa YMCA
226 Participants
556.11 Miles

Dade City Family YMCA
36 Participants
66.19 Miles

East Pasco Family YMCA
81 Participants
128.85 Miles

New Tampa Family YMCA
126 Participants
214.81 Miles

Justin Visconti, a senior defensive tackle at Wharton High, has committed to Southeastern University, a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) school in Lakeland. The 5-foot-11, 285-pound lineman tallied 39 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks in 2016. As a junior in 2015, Visconti racked up 22 tackles and five sacks. Visconti is also a member of the Wharton lacrosse team.

Land O’ Lakes residents Greg Victor, left, and Matthew Kyle teamed up to win the South Pasco Bassmasters (SPBM) March 18 tournament at the Harris Chain of Lakes, in Lake County. The duo caught five bass, with a total weight of 16.39 pounds; the largest bass weighed 4.95 pounds. The next SPBM tournament is April 15, at Lake Istokpoga, in Highlands County. For information on the club, visit SouthPascoBassmasters.com.

Following a stat-stuffing senior season, Saint Leo guard Marcus Dewberry has been named to the second-team Division II All-South District, selected by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

During the 2016-2017 season, the 6-foot, 180-pound standout led the Lions in scoring (20.7 points per game) and assists (4.8 per game), and was third in rebounding (5.1 per game). An elite shooter, Dewberry shot 48 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 92 percent from the free throw line.

Over his four-year career, Dewberry left his mark in the Saint Leo program record books, ranking in the top 10 in five major categories all-time: fourth in assists (406) and three-point field goals made (193); seventh in scoring (1,524); eighth in steals (133) and ninth in free throws made (277).

Mario Rincon, a longtime Division I assistant, has been named Saint Leo University’s new head women’s soccer.
Saint Leo athletic director Francis X. Reidy announced the hiring on March 15.
“We are excited to welcome Mario Rincon to our staff,” Reidy said, in a release. “His winning experience at various institutions around the country were a deciding factor as we look to continue our success in women’s soccer.”

Rincon spent the past five seasons at the University of Arkansas, working on the Razorbacks’ touchline with head coach Colby Hale. He was a part of three NCAA tournament teams at Arkansas, including this past season when the Razorbacks set a program record 18 wins and ranked as high as No. 11 in the nation. Rincon also had coaching stints at Army, Florida Gulf Coast University, Wright State University, Baylor University, Duke University and the University of Miami.
Former Saint Leo women’s soccer head coach Ged O’Connor resigned in February to accept a head coaching position at Troy University in Alabama.

O’ Conner posted a 123-66-12 overall record in his decade-plus of coaching, leading the Lions to seven NCAA tournament appearances during that period.

Callie Turner, a sophomore ace at Land O’ Lakes High School, tossed her fourth no-hitter this season, striking out 21 batters in a 1-0 win over River Ridge High on March 16.

The University of Tennessee commit has been on a tear this season, netting a 0.33 ERA and 140 strikeouts through 64 innings. She’s also thrown nine complete games and hasn’t surrendered an earned run in her last seven appearances, dating back to Feb. 28.

Last year, Turner won five games, compiling a 0.46 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 46 innings.

Shelby Lansing, a senior catcher/first baseman at Sunlake High, notched her 100th career hit in a 5-4 win over Mitchell High on March 14. The Southeastern University signee is batting .250 with a home run and three RBIs, through 10 games. A four-year varsity player, Lansing has a .372 career batting average, with 13 doubles, 51 runs and 44 RBIs.

Cypress Creek Middle High has organized a meet-and-greet for new football coach Mike Johnson, on March 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the Wesley Chapel High School cafeteria, 30651 Wells Road. The meeting is intended for future Cypress Creek Middle High School students and families to meet Johnson and his coaching staff. For information, call (813) 346-4400.

A pair of Zephyrhills Christian Academy senior football standouts will continue their playing careers together at the collegiate level.

Running back Mykh’ael Chavis and defensive back John Emmanuel have both signed letters of intent to play football at Minnesota State Community College.

Chavis, a 5-foot-11, 207-pound back, rushed for 671 yards (11 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns in 2016.

Emmanuel, a 6-foot, 185-pound rover, tallied 43 tackles and three interceptions last season.

The Warriors finished 7-2 in 2016.