Lakewood Ranch athletes announce intentions

Multiple Lakewood Ranch High football players announced their intentions to play college football at NCAA Division III schools next season: Chad Rex and Brendan Hadley (Adrian College, Mich), T.J. Davis (North Carolina Wesleyan) and Max Vonderhofen (Carroll University, Wisconsin. Also Jordan Bezet announced he would play for NAIA Southeastern University in Lakeland.
Others announcing their intentions were golfer Spencer Schulz (Jacksonville) soccer players Maria Miller (St. Leo), Schmid Payen (Kings College) and Jake Dube (Midland University, Ne).

 

District Softball Tournament schedule

District Softball Schedule:

All games at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

 8A-8

Tuesday

#3 Manatee at #2 Sarasota Riverview

#4 St. Petersburg at #1 Palm Harbor

Thursday

Final at higher seed

 

7A-10

Monday

#5 North Port at #4 Braden River

Tuesday

BRiver-NP winner at #1 Lakewood Ranch

#3 Sarasota at #2 Palmetto

Thursday

Final at higher seed

 

5A-10

Monday

#5 St. Petersburg Gibbs at #4 Southeast

Tuesday

SEast-Gibbs winner at #1 Boca Ciega, 4 pm

#3 Bayshore at #2 St. Petersburg Lakewood

Thursday

Final at higher seed; Game at 4 pm if at Boca Ciega

 

3A-11

Tuesday

#2 Saint Stephens at #1 1 Bradenton Christian, 4:30 p.m. (championship)

 

 

 

 

Palmetto's Jordan Smith earns All Tournament honors

Palmetto High product Jordan Smith earned All-Tournament honors in helping Benedict College win the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference post season basketball tournament last week.

The 6-4 guard was at his best in Benedict’s 60-58 semifinal round victory over Morehouse College when he scored a team high 20 points in draining six of 12 attempts from beyond the arc.

Smith scored 18 points in the Tigers quarterfinal victory when canned 4 of 9 three-point attempts in an 82-78 victory. He averaged 12.8 points in Benedict’s four SIAC tournament games.

Benedict College (19-11) will be in Lakeland Saturday to face Florida Southern (29-1) in an NCAA Division II South Region game.

The three day region tournament will be at Florida Southern, which is the top ranked team in NCAA Division II men’s basketball. The eight regional champions advance to the quarterfinals for the 2015 NCAA Division II Men's Elite Eight at the Ford Center in Evansville, Ind.

 

Manatee has five signees; Saint Stephens' Knopfke plans to sign with Boston College

Manatee High expects to have five players sign college football scholarships on Wednesday, the first day high school athletes are allowed to sign letters of intent for the 2015 collegiate season.
Manatee’s standout receiver Kelvin McKnight has committed to Samford, an FCS school in Alabama that recently hired Chris Hatcher to be its new head coach.

Hatcher, who was head coach at Murray State, replaces Pat Sullivan, former Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn.

Hatcher brings an up-tempo offense that ranked second in the nation last year (FCS) in passing averaging 327 yards per game. Murray State was 3-9 last season but averaged 36.6 points per game. Unfortunately its defense gave up 42 points per game.

Safety Antonio Henderson, who had 67 solo tackles last season, has committed to Carson-Newman, a Division II school in Tennessee. Other commitments are Zach Staton (Warner-Southern), Jamarion McDonald (Nebraska-Kearney) and Joe Robinson (New Mexico Military.

The signings will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the high school auditorium.

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Saint Stephens offensive lineman Wyatt Knopfke has verbally committed to Boston College and plans to sign with the Eagles. The 6-2, 265 pounder Rivals. Com three star recruit reportedly had offers from Miami and Kentucky. He has been recruited by Todd Fitch, former USF offensive coordinator.

 Braden River receiver Justin Ross plans to sign with Northeast Oklahoma Community College. Southeast and Lakewood Ranch do not have any signings planned for Wednesday though there might be some in the future.

 

 

 

Boys Basketball District Tournament Schedule

 

Boys District Basketball Schedule:

All games at 7 pm unless otherwise noted

 

Class 8A-8

Wed:

#3Manatee at #2 St. Petersburg

#4 Palm Harbor at #1 Riverview (Sarasota)

Friday

Final at home of higher seed

 

Class 7A-10

Mon:

#5 Sarasota at #4 Braden River

Wed:

BRiver-Sar

 winner at #1 Lakewood Ranch

#3 Palmetto at #2 North Port

Friday:

Final at home of higher seed

 

Class 5A-10

Tues:

#5 Bayshore at #4 Boca Ciega

Wed:

#3 Southeast at #2 St. Petersburg Lakewood

Bayshore-BC winner at #1 St. Pete Gibbs

Friday

Final at home of higher seed

 

Class 3A-10

All games at Out-Of-Door-Academy

Tues:

#2 Bradenton Christian vs #3 ODA 5 pm

#1 Cardinal Mooney vs #4 Saint Stephens

Friday:

Championship game

 

 

 

 

Southeast state tourney MVP Kewshana Robinson plans to sign with Eastern Florida State College

BRADENTON- Keshawna Robinson, who was named state tournament MVP in Southeast’s run to the 5A championship, plans to sign with Eastern Florida State College (formerly Brevard CC), on Tuesday.

The 5-11 Robinson turned in arguably the best back to back games of her career at the state tournament in helping the Seminoles defeat Land O’ Lakes and then Choctawatchee.

Against Land O’ Lakes she scored 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds while converting 10 of 13 from the free throw line.

In the state championship clinching 52-35 victory over Choctawhatchee, Robinson scored 12 points and had a game high 10 rebounds while going a perfect 4 for 4 from the charity stripe.

In her two state tournament games Robinson was 14 of 17 from the line and connected on 9 of 19 field goal attempts.

For the season, Robinson turned in eight double-double games averaged 14.4 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Her high game was 24 points, which she scored three times.

Her long range goal is to become a nurse.

 

 

Source: Masiello says improper paper work might have caused problems

Is Masiello a victim of paper work?
Steve Masiello believed he earned his degree from the University of Kentucky and may have completed the necessary course work, but it was submitted improperly, according to the New York Post.
Masiello accepted an offer to coach the USF basketball team earlier this week after three years as the head coach at Manhattan College.
USF rescinded the agreement after it said it learned he did not graduate from the University of Kentucky as it states on his resume.
The New York Post reported Thursday afternoon that according to an unnamed source connected with Manhattan College Masiello believed he graduated; that his predicament stemmed from paperwork involving two online classes and an independent study course, which he failed to properly submit as a senior.
Masiello never resigned from Manhattan and is now on administrative leave while he completes the process of reviewing his degree status. The school is expected to make a decision on his status soon.USF said Wednesday it was moving on in its search for another coach.  

 

Eric Dungy at USF should be a recruiting boost

USF head football coach Willie Taggart should get a nice boost to recruiting with Eric Dungy expected to enroll at the school.
The wide receiver from Oregon has one year of eligibility remaining. However he is scheduled to graduate in four years and would be eligible immediately.
The son of legendary coach Tony Dungy, Eric's presence is sure to create a lot of interest in the program if only because of his dad's well known connections to the NFL and what he did as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Bucs.
Eric and his dad visited the USF campus on Wednesday. Tony Dungy still lives in Tampa and has a good friendship with the Bucs new head coach Lovie Smith.

Palmetto's Rhodes; Southeast's Mays selected for FACA All-Star hoops game

Palmetto High’s Jarrid Rhodes and Bevin Mays from girls state champion Southeast have been selected to represent the area in the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star basketball game Saturday at Indian River College in Ft. Pierce.

They will represent FACA District 16, which is comprised of schools from Manatee and Sarasota County. Nick Havener from Riverview is also representing the district.

A four year starter, Mays was a vital cog in sparking Southeast to the Class 5A State title and a 31-1 record. Rhodes was the leading scorer on a Palmetto team that reached the 7A-Region 3 final.

Mays averaged 11.8 points, 3.2 steals, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. She topped the Seminoles from the free throw line shooting a team high 76 percent from the charity stripe while dropping in a team leading 116 foul shots.

Rhodes led the Tigers in scoring averaging 14.8 points per game. The 6-7 swingman displayed an uncanny range from beyond the arc for a big man converting 33 percent of his attempts from 3-point land.

DeAngela Mathis, another four year starter and top scorer for Southeast during her four year career, was named the MVP of her White team in last week’s Florida Association of Basketball Coaches Association FABC all star game. She scored 17 points, had four assists and six rebounds in her team’s 83-81 victory.

Mathis played against her Southeast teammate Kewshana Robinson, who had four points and six rebounds.

Southeast head coach John Harder said Mathis received inquiries from at least six college coaches after the game. She has not signed a scholarship yet and is looking to play at Division I school.

The girls game Saturday begins at 11 am and the boys follow.

USF football team looking bigger and tougher

USF spring football is underway and the first thing you notice about the 2014 Bulls is size.


The offensive line is bigger and stronger looking more suited to carry out Willie Taggart's style of
offense.


The average weight of he returning starters on the offensive line is 310 compared to 297 last season. Much of that is due to their hard work and a conditioning program set up by strength coach Hans Straub.


“We’re putting in a lot more time after our workouts.  I know me and about five guys are doing an hour after every workout every day,” said senior center Austin Reiter of Lakewood Ranch who gained 13 pounds in offseason conditioning to get up to 286.


The new size comes with a new attitude says USF head coach Willie Taggart, the former Manatee High quarterback great and All-American at Western Kentucky.


“It’s been a different attitude with our guys and watching them,” Taggart said. “Out of 79 guys we had go through workouts and our winter conditioning we had 66 make every last one of them. It’s huge, big-time, and it says a lot about our football team.”


“We need people movers out there, big strong guys to move people out of the way so we can run the football and we can protect."

Bucs Akeem Spence arrested after reportedly driving in exess of 100 mph

Looks as if new Tampa Bay Bucs head coach Lovie Smith has his first crisis, though this one does not qualify as major.
Bucs defensive tackle Akeem Spence was arrested for marijuana possession Tuesday afternoon after a traffic stop in Alabama.
The scary part if you are on the Bucs coaching staff is that Spence was stopped because he was speeding in excess of 100 miles per hour reports said.
Spence was a fourth round pick by the Bucs last year and signed a four year deal for a reported $2.6 million.

Lovie Smith will be Tampa Bay Bucs new head coach

The Tampa Bay Bucs have reached agreement to hire Lovie Smith in a move that will create excitement for a franchise that was plagued with the turmoil the past two years.
The Glazer family that owns the Bucs moved quickly to beat out multiple teams that were interested in hiring Smith.
There is a good chance the Bucs new GM will be Jerry Angelo, who was Lovie's GM at Chicago.
Reports say Lovie met with team on Monday and both sides worked to finalize a deal over the last two days. He is expected to earn in excess of $5 million per year. Fired coach Greg Schiano had a five year deal for $3 million per year.
The 55-year-old Smith was the Chicago Bears head coach from 2004 through 2012, leading the team to five winning seasons and three playoff appearances. Smith's Bears went 13-3 and reached the Super Bowl in 2006. He was 81-63 during the regular season.
Among the things Smith can bring to the Bucs is stability after going through two seasons of drama under the previous regime.

Palmetto High's Jordan Smith has career night against 7th ranked Michigan

Ever since he was a little kid, Palmetto High product Jordan Smith has always dreamed about playing basketball on the big stage.

The sophomore got his chance on Tuesday when South Carolina State traveled to take on Big 10 power and seventh ranked Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Smith made the most of the opportunity pouring in a team high 19 points. The sharp shooting guard drained five of nine from 3-point land. Overall he connected on six of 13 shots and did his damage in only 24 minutes on the floor.

Unfortunately, South Carolina State suffered a 93-59 drubbing from the Wolverines, but it is a night the 6-2 Smith will remember and hopes to add a lot more big games after transferring to SCS following a year at Brevard College.

"I opened a lot of eyes. I was feeling good," Smith said. "I just want to continue to play well and help get our team going. To play and to start at Michigan was very special to me. I want to build on this."

Despite being maligned and ridiculed Schiano says he is having fun

Has Greg Schiano really lost it?

Despite being maligned, criticized and ridiculed with signs going up all over the Tampa Bay Area calling for him to be fired, the Tampa Bay Bucs head coach says he is having fun.

"Everyday, everyday, I love what I do," Schiano said Wednesday at his daily presser.

"It isn’t always fun for what your family has to go through but as far as my job? It’s the best! What I do for a living, I wouldn’t trade it. I love it. I know I speak for our coaches and players, that’s what makes it exciting," Schiano said.

Okay, everybody has their own idea of what fun constitutes so give Schiano his do. It would be nice if he would win a game, which is probably the only thing Bucs' fans would consider fun.

Winless Tampa has lost seven straight and that number figures to grow to eight when the Bucs visit Seattle on Sunday.

Have fun Greg!

Bucs Carl Nicks has surgery to remove MRSA

Former All Pro guard Carl Nicks, one of the Tampa Bay Bucs prized acquisitions last year, has undergone surgery to remove MRSA from his toe.

Nicks was diagnosed with the deadly infection in training camp, but after treatment was ruled healthy enough to play in week three.

Unfortunately, he suffered a reoccurrence of the disease shortly afterwards and had to sit out last Sunday’s game against Philadelphia.

Nicks is the third Bucs player to contract MRSA, joining former kicker Lawrence Tynes and rookie cornerback Johnthan Banks. Banks was cleared to play last week after an independent doctor ruled he could not infect other players.

It’s uncertain how long Nicks will be out, but one report said he would be back next month.  The Bucs are shuffling their offensive line. Ted Larsen replaced him at left guard last game.

At practice on Wednesday, the Bucs had Jeremy Zuttah at left guard with Larsen at center and Gabe Carimi at the other guard. Two time Pro Bowl selection Davin Joseph, who missed all of last season, is listed day to day because of a sore knee.

 

 

 

 

 

Donald Penn defends Freeman and now blames media

Donald Penn, the Tampa Bay Bucs well respected offensive lineman, has accused people of trying to bring down quarterback Josh Freeman.

But Penn never said what everyone wanted to hear: Who is "they?"

That was in the morning. Later in the day Penn named the enemy and wouldn't you know it was the media.

“The media. The Media. The Media. The Media. Y’all,” Penn said. “Y’all are all trying to find any way to tarnish his character and make it sound like he is not a good guy, like he is not a good person, like this is all his fault," Penn said.

Its ironic because Freeman never blamed the media. He said the damaging information was coming from inside One Buc Place.

Donald Penn defends Freeman off the field

Since Freeman was benched last week numerous reports have come out painting him as an irresponsible malcontent. It was revealed that he was in stage 1 of the NFL's substance abuse program and has missed team meetings and functions.

"It’s like they’re really trying to bring him down and Josh is a great guy. Josh is a very humble spirit. He’s a very good guy. He’s a very good person and he really cares about him teammates and cares about his team.” Penn said.

Throughout this whole ordeal Penn said Freeman has never said anything bad about any of his teammates and even helped rookie Mike Glennon, his replacement at quarterback.

"Josh has not said one negative thing since all this happened and I talk to Josh all the time. It’s just a tough time right now. We’re getting through it. We’re sticking together," Penn said.

Bucs de-activate Freeman; he won't be on the field for game.

Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman has been de-activated for today's game against Arizona and ordered off the sidelines. He will watch the game from a suite if he decides to show up.

It was the decision of Bucs head coach Greg Schiano to bench Freeman and it seems he is behind the de-activation. The last thing he would want is for starting quarterback Mike Glennon to struggle badly or get hurt and then have to go back to Freeman.

The drama hasn't let for the Bucs since training camp.

Bucs Carimi will start for Carl Nicks

Gabe Carimi will start for Carl Nicks; also on inactive list for Bucs are: Orlovsky, Melvin, Lorig, Crabtree, Gholston and Jones 

Former Taggart players have good day

 Willie Taggart had a rough debut as new head football coach of USF, but his former team Western Kentucky and players he recruited there from Manatee County had a big day. 

Former Manatee High running back Leon Allen gained 92 yards on 10 carries in WKU's 35-27 victory over Kentucky Saturday.  

Willie McNeal from Braden River caught six passes for 57 yards and defensive back Jon Dowling from Southeast preserved the victory with a forced fumble late the game. 

Austin Reiter likes the job Willie Taggart is doing at USF

Bulls Austin Reiter praises coach Taggart

USF center and Lakewood Ranch product Austin Reiter says he likes the energy the new coaching staff under Willie Taggart brings to the program.
"They want to win games, that's the whole mantra they have and that's what we want to do," Reiter says. "The camaraderie on the team is a lot better. Every coach wants to win, but coach Taggart has fun with it. The music we have in practice that really helps."
Reiter started all 12 games for USF last season and is on the Rimington Trophy Watch List that goes to the top center in college football.