By Rod Gipson
MaxPreps.com
Tampa Plant volleyball player Kellie Catanach has been named the 2007 Florida Dairy Farmers Miss Volleyball. A senior setter that helped the Panthers to their second straight Class 5A state championship last month, Catanach had already been named the Class 5A Player of the Year to qualify for the overall player award.
A Duke University signee, Catanach was the lone senior on the Panther roster this season. The 6-foot-2 Catanach posted 714 assists, 130 kills, 215 digs and 62 aces this season.
Plant went 29-1 en route to its second straight title. The Panthers finished the season as the state's top-ranked team and earned a Top 25 national ranking.
Eighth Grader Scored Big
The Plant City Durant Cougar Invitational is one of the first big wrestling tournaments of the season. And in a surprise, a standout Tampa Prep eighth-grader took center stage.
Tampa Prep's Tyler Liberatore pinned his Naples Riverdale opponent in 5:17 and became the lone Hillsborough County wrestler to win an individual title at the prestigious tournament.
The 112-pound Liberatore helped the Terrapins finish in 10th place as a team. Riverdale won the team title, while Miami South Dade, Manatee, Kissimmee Osceola and host-Duarnt followed.
All-Star Game Showcases Tampa Hillsborough Players
Running backs Chuck Grace and Marc Thomas combined for three touchdowns to lead the West squad to a 21-13 victory against the East team in the Hillsborough County Senior All-Star game last week.
Grace and Thomas, both of Tampa Hillsborough, had first-half scoring runs to help the West team. Grace ran for a 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 3-yard scoring run in the second quarter. Also, Thomas ran for a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
Grace, who tallied 29 yards on five carries, was named the game's West offensive MVP.
Other solid performances game from West quarterbacks Zack Grossi (Tampa Jefferson), who went 7-for-9 with 131 yards, and De'Andre Presley (Tampa Middleton), who was 5-for-6 for 109 yards and another 28 yards rushing.
On the East side, Brandon running back Marquel Gilmore claimed East offensive MVP honors after running for 61 yards on 12 carries.
Tampa Plant Baseball's College Haul
The Tampa Plant baseball team announced during the college signing period the plans of five of its players.
Outfielder/first baseman Preston Tucker has signed with the University of Florida. Pitcher Tyler Stinson will play for the Naval Academy, while pitcher David Bergin will attend Georgia Southern. Catcher Jared Womack has signed with High Point (N.C.) University and infielder Logan Welch will play at the University of Maryland.
Also, Plant softball player Hannah Ojeda will play college softball at North Carolina State.