MaxWire National Blog

Covering High School Sports in America

Tag: Tampa Catholic High School

  • For Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.), family definitely is at the forefront of the school's basketball programs.

    A quick glance at the scoring record book would show a pattern among two families in particular. In fact, the feat is a first in Hillsborough County, according to The Tampa Tribune.

    When girls basketball players Kai Jones and Micah Kroll scored their 1,000th career points for the Crusaders, they were the second in their families to do so.

    A generation earlier, their fathers Tommy Jones and Mike Kroll accomplished the same feat for Tampa Catholic's boys team. In total, the families have accounted for 5,734 points, according to the Tribune.

    "Who would have ever imagined that?" Mike Kroll told the newspaper. "Not me. Not in a million years."

    Heading into action this week, Micah had scored 1,499 points, while Kai has totaled 1,137. Both are seniors. The elder Jones amassed the most points with 1,163 from 1979-82, while Mike Kroll finished his career with 1,485 (1968-72).

    Further adding to the familial flair, Tampa Catholic is coached Nancy Kroll, Mike's wife and Micah's stepmother.
  • The college choices for some of the Tampa Bay area's top prep football players have been known for months.

    But there were still plenty of storylines Tuesday as commits firmed choices while some swapped schools.

    There was plenty of signing at Jefferson (Tampa) as eight players signed letters of intent. Quantity also was the order of the day at Robinson (Tampa) as six players signed. Also, five Jesuit (Tampa) players signed college football scholarships while four players each at Countryside (Clearwater) and Armwood (Seffner) inked deals.

    The top schools in the state got their well-known players in Plant RB James Wilder, Plant City OL Jordan Prestwood (both signed with FSU) and Florida (ATH Ja'juan Story) and Miami (DE Anthony Chickillo).

    And Class 3A state champion Jefferson's eight college-bound players included record-setting quarterback Quentin Williams. He signed with I-AA Bethune-Cookman. Other Jefferson players to sign include WR Andre Davis (South Florida), WR Chris Moore (Cincinnati), LB Ramik Wilson (Georgia), OL Delryn Wilson (Western Kentucky), OL Manny Cromuel (South Dakota) and DB Rodney Mills (Charleston Southern).

    Among the top signings at Robinson was KR Frankie Williams (Purdue) and Ruben Gonzalez (South Florida). Meanwhile, top players inking deals at the schools with multiple signees included Jesuit LB Anthony Harrell (opting out from Wake Forest to sign with Georgia Tech), Countryside OT Tyler Moore (Nebraska) and Armwood QB Josh Grady signing with Vanderbilt.

    Surprise moves included Pasco (Dade City) safety Jamie Byrd spurning Boise State for TCU and Largo DL Adarious Raynor switching from Colorado State to Indiana.

    All total, more than 20 Bay area players signed Division I scholarships.

    Among the other more prominent ones were Armwood LB Harvellio Buie (New Mexico), Countryside DB Alex Dixon (North Carolina), Freedom (Tampa) LB Keith Lewis (Ole Miss), Gaither (Tampa) DL Chadd Hannah (Cincinnati), Plant OL Tony Posada (Michigan), Plant QB Phillip Ely (Alabama), Sickles RB Carey White (Florida Atlantic), Tampa Catholic FB Hunter Joyer (Florida) and Tarpon Springs OL Zach Debell (Georgia).

    All the Tampa area signees:

    Florida - FB Hunter Joyer, 6-0/240, Tampa Catholic
    Florida - ATH Ja'Juan Story, 6-4/190, Brooksville Nature Coast
    FSU - OL Jordan Prestwood, 6-6/280, Plant City
    FSU - RB James Wilder, Jr., 6-2/223, Tampa Plant
    Fla. Atlantic - ATH Hakeeme Ishmar, 6-3/200, Dade City Pasco
    Fla. Atlantic – RB Cary White, 5-9/205, Tampa Sickles
    Florida Intl. - OL Richie Reay, 6-4/243, Tampa Robinson
    Miami - DE Anthony Chickillo, 6-3/230, Tampa Alonso
    South Florida - WR Andre Davis, 6-3/200, Tampa Jefferson
    South Florida - WR Ruben Gonzalez, 6-3/195, Tampa Robinson
    Alabama - QB Phillip Ely, 6-1/190, Tampa Plant
    Arkansas St. - DB Addison Holstein, 6-1/175, Lecanto
    TCU - DB Jamie Byrd, 5-10/180, Dade City Pasco
    Cincinnati - WR Chris Moore, 6-0/170, Tampa Jefferson
    Cincinnati – QB Stephen Weatherford, 6-0/190, Land O' Lakes
    Cincinnati – DE Chad Hannah, 6-4/220, Seffner Armwood
    Colorado St - WR Charles Lovett, 5-8/170, Tampa Hillsborough
    Indiana - DL Adarius Rayner, 6-2/255, Largo
    Indiana – DT Bobby Richardson, 6-3/245, Tampa Plant
    Buffalo – DB Marqus Baker, 5-11/185, Tampa Robinson
    Connecticut - DB Tyree Clark, 5-10/172, Tampa Alonso
    Delaware – DE David Tinsley, 6-2/250, Delaware
    Georgia - OL Zach DeBell, 6-7/285, Tarpon Springs
    Georgia - LB Ramik Wilson, 6-3/225, Tampa Jefferson
    Iowa State – LB Donald Smith, 6-3/212, Riverview Spoto
    Navy – QB John Hendrick, 6-0/190, Tampa Sickles
    Michigan - OL Tony Posada, 6-6/315, Tampa Plant
    Mississippi - LB Keith Lewis, 6-2/216, Tampa Freedom
    Nebraska - OL Tyler Moore, 6-6/275, Clearwater Countryside
    New Mexico - LB Tevin Newman, 6-2/195, Tampa Robinson
    North Carolina - DB Alex Dixon, 5-11/175, Clearwater Countryside
    Purdue - KR/RB Frankie Williams, 5-10/160, Tampa Robinson
    Tulane - OL Arturo Uzdavinis, 6-7/270, Tampa Jesuit
    Georgia Tech - LB Anthony Harrell, 6-1/220, Tampa Jesuit
    New Mexico – LB Harvellio Buie, 6-3/195, Seffner Armwood
    Western Kentucky - TE Tyler Higbee, 6-5/205, Tarpon Springs East Lake
    Western Kentucky - OL Delwyn Wilson, 6-2/300, Tampa Jefferson
    Vanderbilt – QB Josh Grady, 6-1/190, Seffner Armwood
    Bethune Cookman - ATH Nick Addison, 6-2/170, Riverview Spoto
    Bethune Cookman - WR Tyree Green, 6-2/180, Gulfport Boca Ciega
    Bethune Cookman - QB Quentin Williams, 6-3/170, Tampa Jefferson
    Bethune Cookman – OL Kevin Williams, 6-2/295, Seffner Armwood
    Appalachian State - DE Thomas Bronson, 6-2/235, Brooksville Hernando
    Charleston Southern - KS Cameron Mitchell, 6-0/175, Tarpon Springs East Lake
    Colgate - DB Derrick Friga, 5-11/175, Tampa Jesuit
    Dartmouth - DB Bennie Niles, 6-0/190, Clearwater
    Eastern Illinois - DE Demetree Taylor, 6-3/220, Tampa Middleton
    Elon - QB Blake Rice, 5-10/180, Tampa Robinson
    Marist - OL Corey VanArnum, 6-4/240, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut Academy
    Penn - QB Patton Chillura 6-1/180, Tampa Jesuit
    Presbyterian - WR Toby Antigha, 6-0/175, Tampa Steinbrenner
    Presbyterian - ATH Nick Newton, 6-0/180, Clearwater Central Catholic
    South Dakota - OL/DL Manny Cromuel, 6-2/298, Tampa Jefferson
    South Dakota - LB Reggie Johnson, 6-1/220, Tampa Hillsborough
    Wofford - DL T.J. Chamberlain, 6-1/230, Land O Lakes
    Wofford - WR Will Irwin, 6-2/185, Land O Lakes
    Henderson State - DE John Kelly, 6-4/240, Tampa King
    Lincoln (Pa.) University - LB Darryl Baker, 6-0/225, Tampa King
    Nebraska Kearney - RB Ricky Trinidad, 5-10/185, New Port Richey Mitchell
    Tuscaloosa (Al.) Stillman College - DL Michael Moore, 6-2/255, Tampa King
    Valparaiso - ATH Kevin Smarwt, 5-11/170, Gulfport Boca Ciega;
    Valparaiso - WR Reese Sturgis, 5-10/175, Tampa King
    Morehead State – OL Jon Moore, 5-11/265, Gulfport Boca Ciega
    Youngstown State – LB Terry Johnson, 6-0/215, Clearwater Countryside
    SE Louisiana – CB Denzel Thompson, 6-3/175, Clearwater Countryside
    Charleston – DB Chris Leppinen, 5-11/175, Tarpon Springs East Lake
    Jacksonville – OL Billy Nenos, 6-3/210, Tampa Gaither
    Valdosta State – DE Gary Myrick, 6-0/210, Hudson
    Charleston Southern – DB Rodney Mills, 5-11/185, Tampa Jefferson
    Army – RB Miles Bennett, 5-11/185, Tampa Jesuit
    Eastern Illinois – Demetree Taylor, 6-0/210, Tampa Middleton
  • 11:40 a.m. EST All signs point to Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) offensive lineman Chaz Green picking Florida over USC.

    Green should announce for the Gators later today. He was very close to landing at Tennessee under Lane Kiffin, and considered the Trojans once Kiffin went there.

    Teammate Christian Green appears to be a lock for Florida State.
  • 9:15 a.m. EST New Jersey offensive lineman Dan Foose committed to Florida State, despite reports that he intended to sign with Illinois.

    The Seminoles are also expected to land in-state recruits Christian Green and Christian Jones.

    They also have a shot to land Demar Dorsey, though the latest word is that he could end up in Ann Arbor, Mich.