By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
Florida’s boys and girls high school soccer state championship matches are returning to Tampa.
Last played in Tampa in 2002, the Florida High School Athletic Association has voted to return the soccer finals to Tampa.
The boys and girls title matches will be played at the University of Tampa’s Pepin-Rood Stadium for the next two seasons. This season’s final tournaments, spread out over five classifications, are scheduled for Feb. 11-14, 2009 for the girls and Feb. 18-21 for the boys.
Tampa was selected for the finals over Tallahassee and Fort Lauderdale, where the event has taken place the last five seasons. FHSAA officials said the switch was part of a continuing effort to move more championship events to a centralized location in the state.
Baseball: Tampa Plant Standout Honored
Tampa Plant baseball player Mychal Givens has been named the Jackie Robinson Award winner for 2008.
The award is given every year for the nation’s top rising senior high school player.
A right-handed pitcher and shortstop, Givens was presented with the award last week in Los Angeles by Sharon Robinson, daughter of Jackie Robinson, and Hall of Fame shortstop and former St. Louis Cardinal great Ozzie Smith.
Givens finished his junior year with an 8-1 record as a pitcher with a 1.79 ERA. He also batted .421 with 17 RBI and 34 runs scored. He earned first team Class 5A All-State honors.
He helped lead Plant to a 25-4 record, an appearance in the region semifinals and a top 40 national ranking. He is considered a top prospect for next summer’s 2009 Major League Baseball draft.
Givens participated in two national all-star games during the past week. After helping the East top the West team 4-2 at the Aflac All-American Classic in Los Angeles, Givens was named the most valuable player of the Under Armour All-America Game Aug. 17 at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Givens collected two hits, scored a run and had three RBI for Team Baseball Factory in its 5-4 win against Team One. Givens also pitched the seventh inning, striking out two and allowing no runs.
Baseball: Panteliodis Earns Boggs Award
Tampa Alonso Alex Panteliodis was honored with the Wade Boggs Award this summer, given by the Hillsborough County Commission to an area baseball player with outstanding performance on the field and in the classroom.
Panteliodis, a pitcher and first baseman, posted a 9-2 record last season for the Ravens with a 2.37 ERA. He also posted 20-straight wins during a span from his freshman to senior seasons.
A University of Florida signee, Panteliodis also finished high school with a 3.8 grade point average and helped coach area little league teams.
Boys Basketball: New Head Coach For Pasco
Dade City Pasco has filled its boys basketball head coaching vacancy.
The school has hired Derek Heard, a former player at Division II power Florida Southern in Lakeland. Heard, 27, replaces Poncho Broner, who had coached at the school since 1999.
Heard has been an assistant coach at North Lauderdale Academy and Miami Monsignor Pace in south Florida and at Orlando Oak Ridge. All three school routinely produce standout basketball squads.
The Pirates went 21-8 and advanced to the Class 4A region finals last season.