By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
Tampa Bay area football squads wrapped up their spring practice sessions last week with scrimmages that unveiled potential new standouts, cemented some team's status as powerhouses and gave plenty of players chances to impress as the squads head to summer break.
Defending state champion Tampa Plant seems to have found a fine replacement for University of Miami-bound quarterback Robert Marve. Junior quarterback Aaron Murray threw for 239 yards and four touchdowns as Plant defeated Tampa Blake 26-0.
Tampa Berkeley Prep's new coach Dominick Ciao, the longtime former coach at Tampa Jesuit, got a 27-21 victory in the Buccaneers' spring game at Orlando First Academy, while Tampa Sickles got scores on two of its drives, led by quarterback Cullen O'Brien in a 10-0 win against Alonso.
Tampa Gaither's Jarvis Giles led the Cowboys' running attack in a 10-0 win against Tampa Hillsborough, and Tampa Catholic rotated quarterbacks Christian Green, C.J. Bennett, and Billy Lyons in separate two-quarter victories against Ruskin Lennard (30-0) and Riverview Spoto (14-0).
In other action, Seffner Armwood looked as strong as ever as Sherman Jessie scored three touchdowns and Eric Smith ran for 120 yards in a 26-0 drubbing of Lithia Newsome.
In Pinellas County, Clearwater Central Catholic running back Micah Poole looked to be in mid-season form, running for two touchdowns, including a 38-yearder in the Marauder's win against Clearwater.
In other action, St. Petersburg Lakewood quarterback Jacquez Jenkins threw two touchdowns in a 27-21 win against Sarasota Barron Collier. Lakewood also used the game to unveil its new 3-4 defensive set.
And St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins used the running tandem of James Worthen and Jermeil Douse to top Sarasota 21-14.
All-Star Baseball
In a matchup of county all-star squads made up entirely of seniors, Hillsborough County topped Pinellas County 5-4. The game was played at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg after the Tampa Bay Devil Rays-Florida Marlins game May 20.
Tampa Freedom's Sharrard Evans and Clearwater Countryside's Travis Stortz earned game MVP honors. Evans went 2-for-2 and had a double and totaled three RBI. Stortz, a pitcher, struck out seven batters in three innings of work.
Playing for the Pinellas team, Dunedin's Kevin Maloney and Tarpon Springs' George Van Riper each had RBI singles. But it wasn't enough as the Hillsborough all-stars put together a three-run eighth inning to win the game.
Coaches Honored
Two Tampa Bay area coaches are among the finalists for the Florida Dairy Farmers Baseball Coach of the Year.
Tampa Alonso coach Landy Faedo was named Class 6A coach of the year after leading the Ravens to a 26-4 record and an appearance in the region finals. Faedo's Ravens also won a district championship this year and captured the prestigious Saladino Tournament championship.
Clearwater Central Catholic coach Todd Vaughn was honored with the Class 3A coach of the year award after guiding the Marauders to the 3A state title. CCC finished the season 26-4.
Signings
A trio of Tampa Berkeley Prep baseball players have announced their college plans. Pitchers Matt Ryckman and J.B. Meyer have signed with Emory University, a Division III school in Atlanta. Infielder Taylor Babich will play at Division III Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn.
Babich led the Buccaneers with four home runs and 24 RBIs this season while batting .270. Ryckman, a left-hander, was the staff ace, going 6-0 with a 0.63 ERA and Meyer posted 1-2 record and a 1.93 ERA as a reliever.
Also, Chamberlain baseball player Jared Bladen has signed with Stetson University, a Division I program located in DeLand, Fla. Bladen hit .283 with four homers and 15 RBI this season.