Bad break denies Lakewood Ranch girls chance to make history at states

WINTER PARK- The Lakewood Ranch High girls 3200 meter relay team was on its way to pulling off what would've been one of the biggest shockers at the Class 3A State Track Meet today at Showalter Field.

The Mustangs led from the outset of the race over top seed and defending 3200 meter state champion Pensacola Pine Forest and were in front when Kristin Zarrella took the baton for the last leg.

The sophomore ran the first lap in a blazing sub 63 seconds and her father Bill Zarrella was worried that was too fast.

Dad's fears were unfortunately warranted when his daughter cramped up about 100 yards from the finish line. The Mustangs were far enough ahead that even with her limping and struggling they were still ahead.

Zarrella's heroics took her to within about five yards of the finish line when she collapsed and was passed by Darroneshia Lott.

Zarrella managed to get up and despite being in excruciating pain limped across the line to give Lakewood Ranch a second place finish.

Trainers diagnosed her problem as dehydration. Her father said she expects to come back tonight and compete in the 800 meter run where she is the top seed and favorite.

Pine Forest was clocked in at 9:13.97 and Lakewood Ranch finished with a time of 9:22.66. Third place Fort Myers came in at 9:30.81

Computer ranks Braden River 3d best softball team in nation

The Braden River softball team is on the way up; Make that way up!!!

The Pirates, who play in the Class 4A state tournament on Monday, are rated the number three team in the country in Max-Preps latest national computer rankings.

For some reason they don’t fare as well in the Max-Preps Xcellent 25 national rankings, which are calculated by humans.

The question is which ranking is more accurate; a subjective poll done by writers and all their biases or a computer poll that just calculates the facts.

We know the answer to that so let’s just say for now Braden River (25-3) is the third best team in the nation. And with a pitcher like Courtney Mirabella, who struck out 21 in the Pirates region championship game 1-0 win over Naples Barron Collier, who can argue.

The two teams ahead of Braden River in the computer rankings are number one Tarpon Springs East Lake, which is the Class 5A State Tournament and Plantation American Heritage, whose season ended in its region title game to Miami Gulliver Prep.

McElhiney brings impressive credentials to Braden River

New Braden River High volleyball coach Matt McElhiney,brings a lot of high quality impressive experience to the job.

The 28-year-old has played competitive beach and volleyball since he was eight years old. The Bayshore High graduate was once ranked 35th on the Racquetball Pro Tour. He also played racquetball at the Junior Olympic and professional level and has trained at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

McElhiney was an assistant volleyball coach at Bayshore for eight years with his father Ralph and has been a coach with the Manatee Area Volleyball Club since its started in 2002.

He replaces Steve Haugh, who left to take the head job at Sarasota Riverview. Amy Levy, former Palmetto High and State College of Florida, has been named as one of his assistants.

Desmond Blue signs, but has eyes set on bigger things

Desmond Blue, the area's most coveted player not to receive an offer from an FBS (I-A), has signed with Fort Scott Community College.

The linebacker has his eyes set on the future, perhaps Nebraska, and believes it is just a matter of getting his academics in order and showing teams he can be a solid safety in college football at its highest level.

Blue was envy of all the coaches in the area with his speed to cover all areas of the field and tackling ability. More importantly perhaps, he sacrificed his college chances by playing linebacker though he is projected to be a safety in college. The 5-10, 185 pounder says he has no regrets.

Blue even distinguished himself in the PAL All-Star game when he played safety and had four tackles, several pass deflections and blocked a field goal.

He caught the interest of new Temple head football coach Steve Adazzio and still might wind up there someday.

Adrian Shawn Littlejohn's memory will be cherished

Dick Vitale and his Jimmy V Foundation will make sure the life of Adrian Shawn Littlejohn will not be forgotten.

The 14 month old son of Lakewood Ranch assistant football coach Anthony Littlejohn and his wife Ivette lost his life to cancer last weekend after waging a ferocious battle.

Vitale said his foundation is going to give a grant in excess of $250,000 in Adrian’s name for a research grant for All Children’s Hospital where he was a patient. Click here to read full story.

Adrian’s memory will also be a focal point of the sixth annual Dick Vitale Gala on May 20^th, which will bring some of the biggest sports names to the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota for a night.

Braden River ready to handle pressure in region title game

Pressure, pressure, pressure. It seems to be affecting the softball playoffs more than anything and maybe it can help Braden River Tuesday night in the region championship game at Naples Barron Collier.

In their region semifinal win over Lakewood Ranch, the Pirates handled the pressure well while the Mustangs committed three costly errors that basically cost them the game.

But Naples High, the state power that figured to be making it sixth straight trip and 10^th in the last 11 years to the region championship game, might have succumbed to the pressure even more.

Naples (25-5) was leading 1-0 over arch rival Barron Collier heading into the final inning when the Cougars erupted for six runs to take a 6-1 victory.

It was reported that Barron Collier had not beaten Naples in more than six years. In the final inning there was one out when seven straight players reached base for the Cougars and six scored.

Braden River (24-3) will go with sophomore ace Courtney Mirabella on the mound. She is expected to face senior Corrine Schaus, the top pitcher for Barron Collier (22-9).

USF Sail Team Headed For Nationals

The University of South Florida sailing team will travel to Cascade Locks, Ore., for the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA)/Sperry Top-Sider Women's National Championship Semifinals held May 23-24.

With a top nine finish at the semifinals, the Bulls will compete for the Gerald C. Miller Trophy May 25-26 in the national championship, also held at the Marine Park/Port of Cascade Locks in Oregon.

At the semifinals, 18 teams will compete, with the top nine advancing to the championship finals.

Teams in the semifinal regatta include: Old Dominion, Georgetown, U.S. Naval Academy, University of Pennsylvania, University of Minnesota, University of Michigan, Northwestern, Brown University, Yale University, Harvard University, University of Rhode Island, U.S. Coast Guard, Portland State University, University of Hawaii, U.C. Santa Barbra, University of South Florida, Eckerd College and UC Irvine.

The finals will be comprised of 18 teams, the nine that pre-qualified by winning their conference regatta, along with the top nine teams from the semi-finals. The nine conference winners that have secured spots in the finals are: St. Mary’s, Hobart & William Smith, University of Wisconsin, Boston College, Connecticut College, Western Washington Univ., Stanford, College of Charleston and Tulane.