Riverview’s Woodard is state leader in high jump

Posted Feb 22, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 22, 2012 at 12:27 PM

Riverview junior Faith Woodard has gone from the hardwoods to the track with apparent ease.

Just days after completing her basketball season for the Sharks, Woodard has shot to the top of the state leaderboard in the girls high jump by clearing 5 feet, 6 inches in Tuesday’s four-way meet with Newsome, Tampa Bay Tech and host Spoto.

The 6-2 Woodard also won the 100-meter dash in a hand time of 12.9 seconds and the 400 in 1:01.3 to lead the Sharks to a first-place score of 117 points in the meet.

Last track season, Woodard was the state-runner in the high jump at the Class 4A state finals with a mark of 5-4, two inches off the winning height. She also made state in the 400 and 4x400 relay but did not advance to the finals of the individual race and her foursome was disqualified in the 4x400 when the second leg of the relay broke into the first lane too soon.

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Tampa Prep’s Hayes, Berkeley’s Harvey earn Mr. Soccer awards

Posted Feb 21, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 21, 2012 at 04:28 PM

Tampa Prep forward Jordan Hayes (Class 1A) and Berkeley Prep midfielder Kevin Harvey (2A) have each earned the Florida Dairy Farmers’ Mr. Soccer honor as player of the year for their respective classes in the 2011-12 season.

The Mr. Soccer title was given to the top player in each classification, as voted on by a statewide panel of boys soccer and prep media representatives. A final round of voting will determine the state’s overall player and coach of the year.

Hayes earned the title for leading the Terrapins to the Class 1A state crown with a team-leading 30 goals, including two in the state title game against Fort Myers Evangelical Christian. He took the honor in something of a landslide by receiving 111 points, 50 ahead of Evangelical’s Andrew Albright.

Harvey received 71 points in the voting, 17 better than Nico Hurtado of Ransom Everglades. He led the Buccaneers’ to the 2A runners-up title, scored 27 goals and added 15 assists.

Land O’ Lakes’ Josh Davis nearly took the 3A Mr. Soccer award, finishing just seven points behind winner Luis Bentanour of Plantation American Heritage.

In the voting for Coach of the Year for each classification, Tampa Prep’s Doug Smith finished second in 1A, 12 behind Evangelical’s Richard Wood. Berkeley’s Tim Cooper was third in the voting for the 2A Coach of the Year.

Jesuit’s Bob Bauman was second in the voting for 3A Coach of the Year and Mark Pearson of Land O’Lakes was third.

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Boys and girls rosters for Hillsborough-Pinellas Senior Soccer All-Star Match

Posted Feb 21, 2012 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated Feb 21, 2012 at 02:51 PM

The rosters for the Hillsborough-Pinellas Senior Soccer All-Star match have been announced. Here is a list of the Hillsborough County representatives. The match will be held at Countryside High School on Friday, March 9. The girls match will be held at 6 p.m. and the boys match will kickoff at 8 p.m.

Girls Hillsborough County roster
Coaches: Denis Vukorep ( Wharton ), Kate Tancrell ( Alonso )
Emily Ball, GK, Freedom
Emily Belanger, D, Wharton
Sienna Brooks, F, Sickles
Alyssa Bryant, MF, Tampa Prep
Lexy Bubley, D, Gaither
Shayla Corgan, D, Durant
Alisha Espinosa, D, Hillsborough
Caroline Evers, MF, Newsome
Cici Gonzalez, F, Steinbrenner
Liz Haumschild, F, Newsome
Erin Kocher, D, Wharton
Kaytie Layton, MF, Alonso
Vitoria Leser, D, Alonso
Colby Maffei, F, Tampa Prep
Kaycee McGuire, MF, Gaither
Brittany McKickle, D, Wharton
Abby Meckley, F, Plant
Heather Montgomery, GK, Wharton
Rebecca Oser, D, Bloomingdale
Charlotte Rothschild, M, Robinson
Sophie Sanchez, D, Plant
Jackie Simpson, D, Newsome
Taylor Valley, MF, Steinbrenner
 

Boys Hillsborough County roster
Coaches: Eric Sims ( Gaither ), Scott Ware ( Wharton )
Astou Ayah, D/MF, Blake
Mark Biddinger, D, Berkeley Prep
Jonas Bukh, F, Gaither
Isnardin Cadet, MF, Wharton
Michael Ciluffo, D, Alonso
Chris Conlon, MF, Jesuit
Felipe DeSousa, MF/F, Wharton
Rodgrigo Diaz, MF, Tampa Prep
Brett Durrance, F, Jesuit
Matt Firestine, F, Bloomingdale
Kevin Harvey, MF/F, Berkeley Prep
Jordan Hayes, MF/F, Tampa Prep
Evan Kruk, F, Freedom
Winston Lightbody, D, Blake
Lee Newhaller, GK, Berkeley Prep
Ben Plante, D, Jesuit
Austin Renz, D, Steinbrenner
Cameron Roberts, F, Plant City
Carlos Rodriguez, MF, Sickles
Jacob Snidle, D, Gaither
Austin Spagnola, GK, Bloomingdale
Lakota Thomas, MF, Robinson

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Jesuit’s Ruff picks up offer from FIU

Posted Feb 21, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 21, 2012 at 11:18 AM

Tampa Jesuit junior Cameron Ruff picked up his third scholarship offer this week when Florida International University made a pitch for the 6-foot-4, 277 offensive guard, Tigers coach James Harrel said Tuesday.

Ruff, who recorded 14 pancake blocks last season as a starter, also has offers from Iowa State and Purdue. He was part of a Tigers line that averaged more than 338 yards of offense and 33 points a game in 2011, including 153 yards rushing per contest.

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Donohoe returns to football coaching ranks at Freedom

Posted Feb 20, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 20, 2012 at 05:53 PM

After resigning as Strawberry Crest’s head football coach against his will last spring, Todd Donohoe was certain of two things: he didn’t want to leave the Chargers’ program and would one day coach again somewhere else.

That day came Monday, when Donohoe was named the new head coach at Freedom High, where the 42-year-old Donohoe is teaching.

Donohoe says he enjoyed the nine months away from coaching because it gave him a chance to spend more time with his daughter, 8-year-old Alexa, and his wife, Kendal. But a passion for coaching drove him to apply for several of the football positions that came open in Hillsborough County since late November, including his former job at The Crest.

“Coaching is in my blood,” said Donohoe, who spent four seasons at Armwood as an assistant under Sean Callahan. “I wanted to get back, some how, some way. I applied at Strawberry Crest because so many folks wanted me to and since I still live in Plant City and I still go to the grocery store there and see people, I felt like I owed it to them to try.

“But honestly, I really wanted to be here at Freedom. This is where I teach now and this is where I’ve gotten to know so many of the kids. We’ve got a lot of good things going on at Freedom and I’m excited and honored to be the guy they chose to lead the football program.”

Freedom athletic director Eli Thomas said he received more than 20 applications for the job, including for from out of state and three from outside the county. After an eight-member panel conducted several rounds of interviews, Thomas said Donohoe won out not just because he was already on staff at the school, but for other important factors.

‘‘Our top candidates were very close. We just thought Todd brought more to the program,’’ Thomas said. ‘‘He has a lot of organizational skills and has a passion for what he’s doing.’‘

Donohoe says he will continue to be the Patriots’ boys coach for at least this season and maybe longer. He said the track team has allowed many of his top returning athletes to maintain conditioning.

Donohoe replaces former Patriots coach Tchecoy Blount, who was not re-hired following two seasons and a combined 6-14 record. Donohoe was Strawberry Crest’s head coach for the school’s first two seasons of football. The Chargers played a full varsity schedule in his second year and posted a 5-5 mark, with one win coming by forfeit.

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Former TC star Schmidt impressive at Dayton

Posted Feb 20, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 20, 2012 at 03:37 PM

Former Tampa Catholic High track and field star Maddi Schmidt is enjoying an impressive sophomore season at the University of Dayton.

At last weekend’s Atlantic 10 Championships in Rhode Island, Schmidt placed fourth in the 60 meters hurdles and 7th in the triple jump. Tying a personal best, she ran an 8.93 seconds in the hurdles and her triple jumped mark of 37 feet, 11.5 inches established a new lifetime best.

Schmidt is already in the all-time top five of six events at UD, with both her triple jump and hurdles marks putting her in the No. 2 position all-time for the program.

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Updated: Donohoe named football coach at Freedom

Posted Feb 20, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 20, 2012 at 02:34 PM

Former Strawberry Crest head football coach and Armwood assistant Todd Donohoe has been named the new head coach at Freedom High, athletic director Eli Thomas told the Tampa Tribune on Monday afternoon.

“Our top candidates were very close. We just thought Todd brought more to the program,” Thomas said. “He has a lot of organizational skills and has a passion for what he’s doing.”

Donohoe replaces Tchecoy Blount, who was not re-hired following two seasons and a combined 5-15 record.

Donohoe was Strawberry Crest’s head coach for the school’s first two seasons of football. The Chargers played a full varsity schedule in Donohoe’s second year and posted a 5-5 mark, with one win coming by forfeit.

Stay tuned to TBO.com for more details on the county’s newest coach.

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Hillsborough product Lamar wins Big East crown for USF, Lovely third for St. John’s

Posted Feb 19, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 19, 2012 at 08:59 PM

After suffering through a hamstring strain that plagued him during his freshman season and a shoulder injury that halted his sophomore campaign, former Hillsborough High standout and current University of South Florida junior Lindsey Lamar finally claimed what he hopes will be the first of many Big East crowns when he won the 60-meter dash finals of Sunday’s indoor conference championships in New York City.

“It feels great,” Lamar said of his victory at the New Balance Track and Field Center. “This year, I’m finally healthy and running the way I should.”

Saturday, Lamar turned in the meet’s fastest qualifying time in the 60, running 6.74 seconds. That’s the Big East’s fastest time of the indoor season. He didn’t get out of the blocks as well Sunday, but his 6.78 was still good enough to beat teammate Kayvon Webster by .05.

“My reaction time wasn’t as good in the finals as it was in the prelims,” said Lamar, who also plays football for the Bulls at running back. “I had to run some people down but at the end, I knew I had won.”

Lamar said his focus is still on Bulls football. But he said he is looking forward to his outdoor track season and the possibility of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic track trials in the 100. The trials’ “A” standard in the men’s 100 is 10.18 and the “B” standard is 10.28.  In high school, Lamar ran a wind-aided 100 time of 10.35.

“I’m not sure about trying to get to the trials,” Lamar said. “I’ll take it as it comes but I’m still concentrating on my football right now.”

Also scoring for the Bulls in this meet was former Alonso star Franklin Mosely, who finished eighth in the 400-meter finals in 48.94.

In the women’s competition, former All-Hillsborough County athlete Rikka Lovely, now competing as a junior for St. John’s, finished a career-best third in the 200 (24.06) and fifth in the 60 (7.58).

Lovely’s third-place effort was the best showing for her squad in the meet. She is majoring in mass communications at St. John’s.

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Freedom’s Wilson commits to Elon as a sophomore

Posted Feb 18, 2012 by Bill Ward

Updated Feb 18, 2012 at 05:46 PM

Still only a sophomore, Freedom outfielder Ashley Wilson has made a verbal commitment to Elon University in North Carolina, her coach, Autum Hernandez, announced this week.

After thee games this season, Wilson is batting .700, has six RBI and has scored eight runs for the Patriots. Last year, she batted .596, knocked in 25 runs, hit four homers and eight doubles and scored 24 runs.

Wilson made the commitment to Elon following a visit to the school. Elon was recently ranked by the U.S. News & World Report as the second best Regional University in the South.

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Tampa Prep wins 1A state soccer title

Posted Feb 17, 2012 by Tribune staff

Updated Feb 17, 2012 at 06:54 PM

Jordan Hayes scored a pair of goals on Michael Spezza corner kicks Friday afternoon as the Tampa Prep boys soccer team won the Class 1A state championship with a 3-0 victory against Fort Myers Evangelical Christian.

It was the Terrapins’ fifth boys state soccer title in the last eight years.

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