Tampa Bay softball players honored by FACA

Posted May 22, 2013 by Nick Williams

Updated May 22, 2013 at 11:08 AM

Here are the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Softball District Players of the Year for Hillsborough and Pasco County:. To be nominated for the award, the athlete’s coach is typically a member of FACA.

Hillsborough County

Class 2A: Alea White, Cambridge Christian
3A: Tiffani Linville, Seffner Christian
4A: Kristin Hoover, Berkeley Prep
5A: Alexis Jackson, Robinson
6A: Chelsea Armstrong, Sickles
7A: Lindsey Hagberg, Chamberlain,
8A: Paige Davis, Durant

Pasco
Class 2A: Lauren Evans, Academy at the Lakes

Western Conference Baseball Teams

Posted May 22, 2013 by Nick Williams

Updated May 22, 2013 at 04:44 PM

The following are the Western Conference (Hillsborough County Public Schools) Baseball Teams, as selected by the county coaches.

AMERICAN DIVISION

FIRST TEAM

CATCHER Jesse Haney Sr. Steinbrenner
PITCHER Jose Pupo Sr. Leto
PITCHER Alex Faedo Jr. Alonso
FIRST BASE Chase Turner Sr. Steinbrenner
INFIELDER Pete Alonso Sr. Plant
INFIELDER Kevin Merrell Jr. Steinbrenner
INFIELDER Troy Bacon So. Sickles
OUTFIELDER Kyle Tucker So. Plant
OUTFIELDER Nelson Maldonado So. Jefferson
OUTFIELDER Alex Hanson Jr. Steinbrenner
UTILITY/DH Cole Gordon Jr. Steinbrenner

COACH OF THE YEAR: John Crumbley, Steinbrenner

SECOND TEAM

CATCHER Napo Ballestero Sr. Alonso
PITCHER Logan LaPace Sr. Steinbrenner
PITCHER Gideon Dunn Jr. Steinbrenner
FIRST BASE Hunter Henderson Sr. Gaither
INFIELDER Danny Rodriguez Jr. Steinbrenner
INFIELDER Noah Dyals Jr. Blake
INFIELDER Mijon Cummings Jr. Steinbrenner
OUTFIELDER Jacquari Mattox Sr. Robinson
OUTFIELDER Dennis Morales Sr. Leto
OUTFIELDER Tyler Tyson Jr. Gaither
UTILITY/DH Randy Olivo Jr. Gaither

FEDERAL DIVISION

FIRST TEAM

CATCHER Jake Gagain Sr. Newsome
PITCHER Tyler Danish Sr. Durant
PITCHER Logan Crouse So. Bloomingdale
FIRST BASE Conner Slagill So. Plant City
INFIELDER Justin Ambrosino Sr. Bloomingdale
INFIELDER Luke Heyer Jr. Durant
INFIELDER Austin Sullivan Jr. Brandon
OUTFIELDER Jamal Wilson Sr. Bloomingdale
OUTFIELDER Eric Hinostroza Sr. Brandon
OUTFIELDER Erik Dowse Sr. Newsome
UTILITY/DH Tyler Danish Sr. Durant
COACH OF THE YEAR: Butch Valdes, Durant

SECOND TEAM

CATCHER Jake Sullivan Fr. Durant
PITCHER Eric Hinastroza Sr. Brandon
PITCHER Ryan Tauscher Sr. Newsome
FIRST BASE Charles Fowler Sr. Durant
INFIELDER Ryan Kelley Jr. Bloomingdale
INFIELDER Kevin Long Sr. Plant City
INFIELDER CJ Lowe Jr. Riverview
OUTFIELDER Garrett Wright Jr. Durant
OUTFIELDER Miguel Farjardo Sr. Brandon
OUTFIELDER Jeff Shapiro Jr. Riverview
UTILITY/DH Joe Mitchell Sr. Lennard

NATIONAL DIVISION

FIRST TEAM

CATCHER Jose Lopez Jr. King
PITCHER Brett Morales Sr. King
PITCHER Brandon Caples Sr. King
FIRST BASE Ryan Lawson Sr. Wharton
INFIELDER Tanner Williams Sr. King
INFIELDER Devon Pedro Sr. King
INFIELDER Chris Figueredo Jr. Hillsborough
OUTFIELDER Diamond Johnson Jr. Hillsborough
OUTFIELDER Sam Rowe Sr. King
OUTFIELDER Anthony Grampietro Jr. Freedom
UTILITY/DH Wilburt Malphus Sr. Hillsborough

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jim Macaluso, King

SECOND TEAM

CATCHER Dustin Lawson Sr. Strawberry Crest
PITCHER Austin Boatright Jr. Strawberry Crest
PITCHER Dylan Moore Sr. Hillsborough
FIRST BASE Tanner Thompson Sr. Strawberry Crest
INFIELDER Alex Kranick Sr. Wharton
INFIELDER Shawn Queen Sr. Armwood
INFIELDER Nick Brocado Sr. Strawberry Crest
OUTFIELDER Jeff Murray So. Strawberry Crest
OUTFIELDER Milton Figueredo So. Wharton
OUTFIELDER Eric Hernandez Sr. Armwood
UTILITY/DH Jake Ralyea So. Strawberry Crest

Wharton athletes sign NLI’s

Posted May 21, 2013 by Nick Williams

Updated May 21, 2013 at 04:26 PM

Inside the school’s conference room on Tuesday, eight student-athletes from Wharton High were recognized for signing national letters of intent to play sports in college.

The athletes were:

Tyler Watson, track and field, Jackson State
Britany Smith, track and field, Alabama
Areion Caldwell, fooball, Methodist College
Keith Hopkins, football, Wittenberg
Rocky Enos, football, Webber International
Fritznel Jean-Francois, football, Hutchison Community College
Shannon Clark, golf, Hartford
Alex Kranick, baseball, Pasco Hernando Community College

Touchdown Club of Atlanta names Hargreaves top defensive back in the country

Posted May 21, 2013 by Nick Williams

Updated May 21, 2013 at 04:21 PM

The awards keep rolling in for Wharton High defensive back Vernon Hargreaves III.

The Touchdown Club of Atlanta has selected the University of Florida signee as the top defensive back in the nation, according to Wharton coach David Mitchell, and will present Hargreaves with a special award during a ceremony at Wharton on May 28th at 1:30 p.m.

Each year, the club bestows upon two athletes the Bobby Dodd National High School Back and Lineman of the Year Awards, given to the players regarded as the top athletes moving on to the college ranks. The awards are named in honor of the late Bobby Dodd, the former Georgia Tech head football coach and athletic director.

Hargreaves accounted for 110 tackles and five interceptions during his senior year and received the Guy Toph Award, which goes to Hillsborough County’s top player. He was also named a Parade Magazine All-American and was named MVP of the Under Armour All-American game in January.

Hargreaves was ranked as one of the country’s top five prep players by many scouting services, including ESPN, which had him rated as the nation’s top cornerback and the No. 3 overall prospect.

FACA Baseball Classic Rosters announced

Posted May 21, 2013 by Jarrett Guthrie

Updated May 21, 2013 at 02:01 PM

The 35th Annual Florida Athletic Coaches Association Baseball Classic has announced its rosters for a four-game series held in Sebring May 24-26 as representatives from four sections of Florida will compete in the annual tournament.

The tournament hosted by FACA, the Sebring Firemen, Inc. and Diamond Sports will feature the games as well as a Pro/College Scout workout.

The West All-Stars roster features six Hillsborough County seniors: Plant’s Pete Alonso, Bloomingdale’s Cody Crouse, Durant’s Tyler Danish, Cambridge’s Nick Eicholtz, Gaither’s Oscar Mercado and King’s Brett Morales.

Bloomingdale coach Kris Wilken will serve as one of the team’s assistant coaches. 

WEST ALL STARS
NAME CITY-SCHOOL
Kellen Brown, Dunedin
Kameron Gellinger, Island Coast
Danny Lee, Jr., Manatee
Richie Lacell, Cypress Lake
Tyler Danish, Durant
Sean Brady , Ida Baker
Cooper Hammond, Venice
David Palenzuela, Monsignor Pace
Sean Labsan, Sarasota-Riverview
Christian Arroyo, Brooksville-Hernando
Oscar Mercado, Tampa-Gaither
Chris Okey, Eustis
Nick Longhi , Venice
Brett Morales, Tampa-King
Cord Sandberg, Manatee
Grant Hodges, East Lake
Cody Crouse, Bloomingdale
Pete Alonso, Tampa-Plant
Nick Eicholtz, Cambridge Christian
Brandon Brosher, Springstead
Michael Mann, Seminole
Nick Nolan, Seminole
Head Coach:  Bobby Pringle, Ft. Myers-Riverdale
Assistants:    Kris Wilken, Bloomingdale
                Frank Turco, Estero High
                Justin Budmayr, Ft. Myers-Riverdale