Sollazzo Gets Pub In Tennessee Paper

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Nick Williams

Updated Aug 29, 2008 at 01:24 PM

Former Armwood standout Adam Sollazzo, the Tribune’s 2008 Boys Basketball Player of the Year, was recently featured in an article in the Johnson City Press in Tennessee.

Sollazzo, a 6-foot-5 point guard, signed with East Tennessee State.

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Johnson, Dorminy Set For 16U Trials

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 02:00 PM

Alonso High’s Brandon Johnson said he couldn’t stop smiling for about a week after he heard the news that he was selected for the U.S. 16-under national baseball team trials. Now that the time for the trials has come, Johnson is still having trouble keeping that smile under wraps.

“I’m real excited,” he said. “I’m so happy that they picked me out of all those thousands of players that went to the tournament.”

Johnson and Alonso High teammate Thomas Dorminy leave Saturday for Miami for the weeklong trials, where they will compete along with 34 other players from around the nation for a spot on the 16-under national team. They are the only high school teammates among the 36 players invited to the trials.

Both players were selected following their performances at the USA Baseball 16-under Championships – East in Palm Beach County in June. During the tournament, they competed for the Ravens Baseball club.

The trials, which begin Sunday and will be held at Florida International University, will consist of a series practices and intrasquad scrimmages. Both Johnson, an infielder, and Dorminy, a left-handed pitcher, will compete for the Red team.

The roster will be trimmed to 18 players on Sept. 5. Those selected will then compete at the COPABE ‘AA’ Pan Am Championships, which will be held the following week.

“I’m just going to try my best and hopefully I’ll make it,” Johnson said.

Both players said the possibility of playing international competition is among the most appealing factors associated with this opportunity.

“When I saw the video [of the U.S. Olympic baseball team at the 2000 Sydney Games], it made me realize how much I loved the game,” Dorminy said.

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My prediction for ‘08: Beatles have the answer

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 01:51 PM

I’ve stalled long enough. I can no longer play the “I correctly picked USF would go 9-3 and play Oregon in the Sun Bowl” card anymore (although it looks good on my resume).

Before last season, as I’ve reminded you 297 times (make that now 298), I picked USF to finish 9-3 and play Oregon in the Sun Bowl. And, miraculously, that’s what happened. So instead of quitting while I’m ahead, I’ll take another shot at embarrassing myself by predicting this year’s USF record and bowl opponent.

The number of regular season wins for USF in 2008?

Since I went with the Here Comes The Sun video last season, I again turned to another Beatles song for inspiration for USF’s number of regular season wins. Ironically, at the end of the video, you can hear chants of “hold that line” and “block that kick.” Doesn’t really mean much in the grand scheme of things, but I thought it was neat.

So 9 it is. Nine is a magical number. Just ask Eliot Spitzer, who was “Client No. 9.” And there’s a No. 9 Love Potion and the Beatles song “Revolution 9.” USF, of course, has finished the past two seasons with nine wins.

Breaking it down game-by-game, I think USF will lose at Cincinnati and West Virginia (don’t be alarmed USF fans, I’ve predicted USF would lose the last two years to WVU, so I’m not exactly on a hot streak). Plus I think there’s one other loss somewhere in there – either to Kansas or a head-scratching, how-did-USF-get-upset-by-(Fill in the blank team).

So with nine wins and at least two conference losses, I think the Bulls will be headed to the inaugural St. Petersburg Bowl to play East Carolina. That’s it: USF 9-3 vs. East Carolina in the St. Pete Bowl. You won’t hear another word about last year’s 9-3 vs. Oregon in the Sun Bowl prediction … well, maybe not.

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Tribune Preseason Top 10 Football Poll

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 12:20 PM

During the past 10 days in The Tampa Tribune, we have counted down, from No. 10 to No. 1, the teams in our Tribune Hillsborough County preseason Top 10 football poll.

Here is the complete poll - as voted on by Tribune prep sports reporters Adam Adkins, Nick Williams, Bill Ward and Katherine Smith and Dan Lucas of WFLA Ch.8 - as well as links to previews on each team in the Top 10. (First-place votes are in parentheses.)

1. Armwood (5) 50
2. Plant 45
3. Chamberlain 39
4. Hillsborough 36
5. Tampa Catholic 22
6. Gaither 19
7. Wharton 13
8. Middleton 12
9. Brandon 11
10. Tampa Bay Tech 9
Also receiving votes: Jefferson 7, East Bay 4, Sickles 4, Plant City 3, Alonso 1.

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Tribune’s Football Season Kicks Off With First Roundtable Video

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Katherine Smith

Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 11:54 AM

Check out the Tampa Tribune’s video preview of the upcoming football season.

We talk about some sleeper teams (who could be this year’s Sickles and Tampa Bay Tech), expected breakout players (plenty in the county to chooe from) and which teams stand the best chance of making it to a state championship game (Armwood and Plant aren’t the only teams mentioned).

A special thanks to Hillsborough High School and Coach Earl Garcia for allowing us to shoot the video at the football field. Also, a special thanks to the school bell that went off during the taping.

 

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What To Do At Receiver?

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Anwar S. Richardson

Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 11:40 AM

Tampa Bay will play its final preseason game tonight, and I don’t know about you guys, but I’m still curious about how the receiving crew is going to look this season.

We all know Tampa Bay needs playmakers, but I was thinking this morning and wondered “Does Tampa Bay have more playmakers than it did last year?”

As I see it, here are the players likely to make this year’s team:

1. Joey Galloway - We all know what he brings to the table when healthy.

2. Antonio Bryant - Could be a good compliment to Galloway.

3. Ike Hilliard - Not flashy, but reliable.

4. Dexter Jackson - Can’t cut a second round draft pick.

5. Maurice Stovall - Only one touchdown in two seasons, but still young.

6. Michael Clayton - Everyone knows his story.

That means the bubble guys are (assuming Tampa Bay does not carry seven receivers):

1. Micheal Spurlock - Still a great return option.

2. Brian Clark - Got to love what he has done this preseason.

3. Chad Lucas - Still has potential.

4. Cortez Hankton - Have not seen enough to really judge.

Who are the receivers you would keep from the current group and why? Are there any bubble guys you would like to keep?

And for those of you who keep asking, no, we’re not cutting Ira Kaufman and Martin Fennelly on Saturday.   

Here is a video you Bucs fans will love. Can any other Bucs receiver make this highlight reel in 2008 other than Galloway?

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Opportunities Intertwined For Cougars’ Rice, Gilliam

Posted Aug 28, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 28, 2008 at 12:29 PM

Durant seniors Ryan Rice and Cole Gilliam have some big opportunities this season, and considering they are a running back and offensive lineman, respectively, those opportunities will be a bit intertwined.

Rice has a chance to accomplish something no other Cougars player has one in school history. Rice, who rushed for 1,094 yards in 2007, can become the first player to post consecutive 1,000 yard rushing seasons.

It’s a feat the likes of former Durant standouts David Mahoney (the first player in school history with 1,000 yards in a season in 1997), Ean Randolph (who had 1,000 yards receiving in 2000 and 1,000 rushing in 2001), Matt Stwan (the school’s single-season record holder with 1,826 yards in 2004) and Trae Williams (a 1,000 yard rusher as a senior in 2002 who is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars) were unable to accomplish.

“I didn’t realize I had the chance to be the first guy,” Rice said. “I just play my hardest every play. My goal is to have 1,000 yards every year I get the ball. It starts with Cole and the hogs up front, so it’s mainly up to there success whether I get 1,000 yards or not.”

Rice (6-foot, 200 pounds) said he is fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered late in the 2007 season, which caused him to miss one game and parts of two others. He also says he, and his teammates, has put in the past the suspension he served in the spring for violating team rules.

“I’ve moved on,” he said. “Just some personal issues, not acting right, that’s the main thing. Everyone was fine with me coming back. They didn’t have any objection to it.”

As Rice said, Gilliam is likely to play a major role in him achieving the goal of reaching 1,000 yards again. And, if Rice reaches his goal, it could pay some dividends for the 6-foot-5, 315-pounder.

Gilliam currently holds scholarship offers from Elon and Florida International, but he has also received interest from major programs such as Florida State, Georgia, Florida and USF, school’s he attended camps at this summer.

“They all talked to me a lot,” Gilliam said. “They’re waiting on my film from this fall. They all want to see how I do this fall because they want to see how I progress. They say I’m not quite there yet, but they want to see how good I do this fall.”

Gilliam, in essence, considers this season somewhat as a tryout for the next level, and he’s hopeful that it will go well.

“There’s a lot of pressure,” he said. “I have to do good every game. If one game I don’t do good, there it goes. I have to do good every game or my shots are gone.”

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Steven Stamkos on Entertainment Tonight

Posted Aug 27, 2008 by Erik Erlendsson

Updated Aug 27, 2008 at 11:00 PM

When the Lightning drafted Steven Stamkos with the first pick in the draft two months ago, we talked an awful lot about him coming into an almost perfect situation having the opportunity to have 1998 overall No. 1 pick Vinny Lecavalier act as sort of a mentor. Lecavalier can show Stamkos the ropes on dealing with the pressures that come with being the top pick and the expectations that come with that honor.

Well, we can add mentoring Stamkos on how to handle extended professional photo shoots to that list as Stamkos is the subject of an ad campaign in Canada for watch maker Tissot, catching the attention of ET Canada: And a note to ET Canada, Stamkos is from Unionville, Ontario (or if you prefer, Markham!!!!)

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King’s Romeo Has Eagle Eye

Posted Aug 27, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 27, 2008 at 08:02 PM

King senior Steven Romeo might have recorded the shot of the day Tuesday. Even if there was one better, Romeo’s was impressive nonetheless.

According to Lions golf coach Barrett Zebos, Romeo notched an eagle on the par-4 16th at Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Tampa. Romeo “slam dunked” his approach from 150 yards, Zebos said via email.

The shot helped Romeo card a team-best 36, and the score helped the Lions win a tri-match against Chamberlain and Jesuit in King’s season opener.

Romeo is one of King’s top returning players this season. He shot an 84 to finish tied for 15th at last season’s Class 2A-District 10 tournament at Walden Lake in Plant City, helping the Lions advance to the region tournament.

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Lancers Excited About Phillips

Posted Aug 27, 2008 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 27, 2008 at 07:45 PM

First-year Cambridge Christian coach John Kelly expects Lancers quarterback Etienne Turner to air it out a bit more in 2008, and one reason Kelly is excited to see it happen is the because of the Lancers’ No. 1 receiving threat – junior Dixon Phillips.

Phillips, at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, is a player Kelly says “has been big for us the past couple of years. He has Division I potential because of his size, quickness and pass-catching abilities.”

Kelly said Phillips performed extremely well during a 7-on-7 drills this summer against competition from much larger programs. The coach noted a matchup with local power Chamberlain, in which Phillips “had two very nice touchdown grabs.”

However, the Lancers, who were one of the county’s top rushing teams last season, will continue to look to move the ball on the ground as well.

Even though Cambridge Christian lost Taylor Cabral, Hillsborough County’s rushing leader in 2007, to graduation, Kelly has confidence in a few players who will line up in the backfield this season.

One of them is senior Micah Lewis, who has returned after suffering a torn ACL midway through 2007.

Kelly said Lewis, who ran well last season before the injury, is full recovered and should see a lot of time in the backfield with junior Chris Brown.

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