Rousing sendoff for Jefferson girls

Posted Feb 26, 2010 by Joey Johnston

Updated Feb 26, 2010 at 11:47 AM

TAMPA – The Jefferson High School girls basketball team received a rousing sendoff from campus this morning, marching through the middle of school, exchanging high-fives with the entire student body, before boarding a bus and heading to the Lakeland Center for today’s Class 4A state semifinal game against Pensacola.

“Was that fun?’’ Jefferson coach Tom Mosca asked the players.

“Yeah!’’ they all answered in unison. “Let’s go play!’’

During a pregame breakfast at school, Jefferson athletic director Bob Morgan said he wanted the players to compete for someone special in their lives.
When Morgan was a soccer coach at Plant, his father died shortly before the team competed in a sectional game. Morgan wrote the word, “Dad,’’ on a piece of paper and placed it in his shoe. So did all his players.

Morgan passed around slips of paper for the Jefferson players to write the name of someone special. The Jefferson players will carry the name of someone special to them in their shoe.

The Dragons (28-3), shooting for the first team state title in the school’s history, were in a loose and joking mood as they prepared for the trip to Lakeland. Senior point guard Jade Givens, as is her custom, carried her Sponge Bob Square Pants doll for good luck.

“It’s always with me – always,’’ Givens said.

“Hey, whatever works,’’ Mosca said. “I think we’re ready to play and I think our players are going to enjoy competing on this stage.’’

The school arranged for six spirit buses—with approximately 250 students, who will arrive in Lakeland about 30 minutes before game time to cheer on the Dragons.

Stay tuned to TBO.com for updates from Jefferson-Pensacola, including a live blog that will being approximately one hour before tipoff.