Palmetto's Joe Hills man on fire for Tampa Storm

Joe Hills has big night for Tampa Storm

Joe Hills is quickly turning into a household name in the Arena Football League leading some to believe he might be able to use his time with the Tampa Bay Storm as a springboard into the NFL.

The Palmetto High product was a man on fire in the Storm’s recent 65-61 road victory over the Pittsburgh Power.

The wide receiver tore up the stat sheet for the Storm leading the team with 13 receptions for 160 yards and four touchdowns. The next busiest receiver for Tampa was Michael Lindsay who caught eight passes for 47 yards and two touchdowns.

Hills was all over the field. He recovered an onsides kick that the Storm later turned into the game winning touchdown. It was the first road victory of the year for Tampa and kept its playoff hopes alive with two regular season games remaining.

Inthe three games he has played in since joining the Storm, Hills has caught 25 passes for 294 yards and six touchdowns. With his height, athleticism and pass catching skills, he is now the most inviting target with former USF and Riverview High receiver Amarri Jackson out for the season with an injury.

Palmetto's Joe Hills has big night for Tampa Bay Storm

Joe Hills; photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie

Joe Hills fell seconds short of earning hero status, but still turned in a stellar performance for the Arena Football League Tampa Bay Storm.

The former Palmetto High standout caught his second touchdown pass with 37 seconds left in the game, which gave the Storm a 79-76 lead over the Philadelphia Soul Friday night at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

Tampa missed clinching the game when defensive back Riley Swanson dropped a sure interception that would have sealed things and on the next play Philadelphia scored the winning touchdown.

Hills caught seven passes for 84 yards that included touchdown receptions of six yards each. The 6-5, 215 pound rookie from Tennessee State joined the team June 13th and in two games has caught 12 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Hills played for the Spokane Shock earlier this season and caught 24 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown. He was signed by the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2011 before being released as he battled some injuries.

Cut by Titans, Joe Hills vows he will be back

Cut short by an injury, Joe Hills is looking for another chance to prove himself to the NFL.

The receiver out of Palmetto hurt the meniscus in his right knee on the fourth day of training camp with the Tennessee Titans and it basically ruined any chance he had of making the team.

Hills was waived last week, but was told by the Titans they might call him and invite him to spend the season on their practice squad. His agent said other teams might also issue a similar invitation.

“They told me that my injury hurt me the most in regards to making the team,” Hills said. “I was never able to play in any pre-season games because of the injury and none of our scrimmages involved contact. I hurt my knee on passing drill where I caught the ball and came down with a defender on me and we kind of collided.”

The 6-4, 210 Hills, who played at Tennessee State, said he was keeping all his options open, including the United Football League and the Arena Football League.

“It was good experience going to an NFL camp. I really got to see the business side of football,” Hills said. “I feel confident that I can play in the NFL for a long time. I just need to be healthy. If I get a chance to be on the Titans practice squad I am going to take it. I already know their system so that would be best for me.

“I didn’t tear anything in my knee and feel I am back to one-hundred percent now. I just need to get warmed up and am ready to go.”

Hills said he hopes to hear something today (Sunday) and things should be sorted out by the end of the week at the latest.

Manatee County football prospects visit Western Kentucky

Western Kentucky University continues to be a popular place for Manatee County football players.

Three players from the county recently visited the WKU summer weekend football camp.

The trio making its way out there was comprised of Manatee High’s 6-5, 215 pound receiver Robert Gordon , 6-2 receiver Tre’ Laws from Southeast and Palmetto High’s new quarterback Trenton Miller.

Laws and Gordon are two big receivers with athletic skills, who have the potential to be among the top pass catchers in the state this season. They are both transfers.

Miller is a transfer from Williamsville East High in New York State. The 6-0 190 pounder won the All-Madden Offensive Breakout Athlete Award at the IMG Football Academy last year and this year moved to Palmetto.

“Trenton is a developing pocket passer. He can move his feet well within in the pocket. He has the opportunity to develop into a big time prospect,” said IMG Maddon Football Academy director Chris Weinke.

UFL shutdown sends Chris Smith home, but could lead to NFL

Its’ been a whirlwind kind of week for Chris Smith.

The Palmetto High graduate arrived in Omaha, Nebraska, last Wednesday to begin training camp for the United Football League Nighthawks.

Today he is heading home. Oh no. He didn’t get cut. In fact the Nighthawks are counting heavily on the defensive back, who finished up his career at Northern Illinois last season earning first team Mid-American Conference honors.

All five of the league teams were ordered to shut down camps until August and delay the season opener until September.

“I got here a week ago and have basically been going to meetings and going over the playbook,” Smith said. “They told us yesterday (Tuesday) that they were closing down camp and now I am just waiting for a plane ticket home. We’ve heard the camp opening is going to be delayed about a month.”

Though he wants to play football, the delay could bring some good fortune to Smith. He is hoping it will open some doors to some NFL teams.

“My agent told me that some teams called about me, mainly the Rams and the 49ers. I don’t know if this will turn out to be a better opportunity. We will see,” Smith said.

The move to close camps was made for various reasons, UFL Commissioner Michael Huyghue said. The UFL wants to improve its financial situation and accommodate some UFL players who want to give the NFL a chance now that the lockout appears to be close to ending.

Former Southeast/Palmetto players join forces in UFL

When Chris Smith suits up for the Omaha Nighthawks this season he will be united with another Manatee County product, Julius Wilson from Southeast.

Smith, an under-heralded, under-sized cornerback when he finished his career at Palmetto in 2004, has turned himself into one of the best feel good stories of the year. Click here to read.

He recently signed a contract with Omaha and reports to the United Football League team for beginning of training camp on July 12^th. He was drafted in the fourth round and 17^th overall in the five team league.

However, Smith is keeping his options and is not opposed to getting into an NFL camp when the lockout ends. The Denver Broncos have showed the most interest in him, but others are keeping an eye on the first team 2010 Mid-American Conference selection.

Wilson, currently playing with the Orlando Predators of the Arena Football League, played with Omaha last season and plans to return. The offensive linemen, who played at Alabama-Birmingham, spent some time previously with the Miami Dolphins practice squad.

There are some big names (or should we say former big names) on the Nighthawks roster including running back Maurice Clarett, the leading rusher on Ohio State’s 2002 national championship team and quarterback Eric Crouch, who won the Heisman Trophy at Nebraska in 2001.

Minnesota nabs Palmetto's Raymond in NFL Draft

Mistral Raymond, the Palmetto High product who came out of nowhere to make himself a big time college player at USF, was selected in the sixth round (170th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings in Saturday's 2011 NFL Draft.

He becomes the Bulls 10th NFL Draft pick over the last three years and 18^th overall in the program’s 14-year history. Raymond is the first Bull to be selected by the Vikings.

“It has been a long journey and I’m so grateful to everyone that has helped me along the way,” said Raymond. “I’ve worked extremely hard with this goal in mind, and now that it is real, I’m just excited to represent my family and USF as I move on to the NFL. I had great visits with the Vikings and I knew there was a chance they’d take me. I’m glad they did and I’m going to work as hard as I can to help them win games in the future.”

With the selection, Raymond becomes the fifth Bulls’ defensive back to be selected in the last three NFL Drafts and the seventh defensive back overall.

Last season, Nate Allen was drafted in the second round by the Philadelphia Eagles and Jerome Murphy went in the third round to the St. Louis Rams. In 2008, Mike Jenkins was drafted with the 25^th overall pick by the Dallas Cowboys and Trae Williams went in the fifth round to the Eagles.

See full story at: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/05/01/3156752/raymond-goes-from-walk-on-to-draft.html

Kedric Johnson arrested, could face suspension from Gators

Former Palmetto High standout Kedric Johnson and his University of Florida teammate Chris Martin were arrested in January by Gainesville police for possession of marijuana, according to numerous media reports.

Johnson, a sophomore defensive end, and Martin, a linebacker/defensive end were cited for possessing less than 20 grams of marijuana in separate incidents. He did not participate in spring drills reportedly because of an injury.

Johnson was arrested on Jan. 9 after an officer pulled him over for speeding and smelled marijuana. He produced two grams of it from his glove compartment, a police report said.

Martin was arrested on Jan. 29 after officers detected the scent of the drug coming from a vehicle. Martin was in the car and revealed approximately two grams of cannabis when the police confronted him, the report said.

Both players agreed to deferred prosecution and the cases did not go to trial. However, they could face disciplinary action from Florida head coach Will Muschamp.

Their arrests follow the arrest of Gators cornerback Janoris Jenkins has been arrested twice this year for misdemeanor of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Palmetto's Chris Smith hopes to land with NFL team

Chris Smith has come a long way since his high school days at Palmetto, earning a scholarship to Northern Illinois after going the junior college route.

Now the 5-10, 186 pound defensive back hopes to take another leap and make to the NFL.
Smith is trying to become another Manatee County standout who made his way into the NFL as a cornerback joining Mike Jenkins (Southeast), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (Lakewood Ranch) and Fabian Washington (Bayshore).

NFL Draft Scout says if Smith makes it into an NFL camp he will likely go as a free agent. The organization rates him 51st out of more than 200 cornerbacks eligible for this year’s draft; if there is one pending the outcome of negotiations between the players association and owners.

Smith was selected to the 2010 All Mid-American Conference First Team Defense and was named NIU’s Defensive Back of the Year. He had a team high nine pass break-ups, which was third in the league and picked off three passes.

Smith played at Highland Community College where he was ranked the 49th best JUCO prospect in the country. One scouting report lists him as a strong tackler who has the talent to make an NFL team. NFL Draft Scout puts his 40-yard dash time around the 4.53 second mark.

Palmetto boys soccer team never stopped believing

LAKEWOOD RANCH- One good thing about being young is that you are often too naive to understand the magnitude of the goal you are trying to reach.

Throw in a coach such as Dustin Dahlquist, who is a master motivator and strategist and what you have is a third straight district title for a Palmetto High team that began the Class 4A-10 tournament as the sixth seed.

The Tigers were supposed to be long gone by the time last Friday night's championship game was played. But they were there and totally dominated top seed Lakewood Ranch, which had beaten Palmetto three times this season.

The loss was devastating to Ranch because now it has to go on the road for Thursday's region quarterfinal and play Tampa Jesuit.

click here to read full story

Update: Gordon leaves Palmetto, Mann remains

On the latest update on the Palmetto High boys basketball team!

School officials have confirmed that Austin Gordon has left and enrolled at Manatee High while Terrance Mann has decided to stay and is still with the Tigers basketball team as it heads into the last week of the regular season.

Mann and Gordon leave Palmetto basketball team

The Palmetto High boys basketball team has taken a big blow with starters Terrance Mann and Austin Gordon no longer on the squad.

Mann was the Tigers starting point guard and second leading scorer while Gordon was the Tigers main presence inside and led Palmetto in rebounding.

Palmetto is 8-10 and 3-3 overall in Class 4A-District 10.

Despite playing it first game short-handed Palmetto took host and district leader Braden River down to the wire before losing 51-49 to the Pirates on Tuesday night.

Manatee County teams fight it out in Martin Luther King Showcase

Southeast, Manatee, Palmetto and Braden River will participate in the two day Martin Luther King Showcase, which gets underway tonight at Booker High.

Festivities kickoff at 6 pm when Braden River takes on perennial power St. Petersburg Lakewood followed by Southeast meeting Orlando Agape Christian.

Manatee County schools will be part of a triple header on Saturday:

Palmetto vs Booker 4:30 pm

Southeast vs. St. Petersburg Lakewood 6 pm

Manatee vs Agape Christian 7:30 pm

St. Petersburg Lakewood is having what can only be considered an off year compiling an 8-6 record, but in the last six years the Spartans have been to three state championship games winning it all in 2005.

In 2004 Southeast recorded one of the biggest upsets in the history of its boys’ basketball program when it defeated Lakewood 66-54 to qualify for the Class 4A State Final Four.