But the Bay area went 0 for 6 at Digital Domain Park in Port St. Lucie. However, three of the six did advance past the semifinals to play for titles – a real statement’s to the area’s strong baseball play. In the end, all six came home without championships.
The most narrow of margins sent Armwood (Seffner) home in the Class 5A championship game. The Hawks (20-10) lost 6-5 to Pace in eight innings. After falling behind 4-0 in the opening inning, Armwood rallied to take the lead in the third inning after scoring five runs. But a throwing error led to Pace scoring the winning run and claiming the title in extra innings.
Jackson Fameree collected three hits, scored a run and had an RBI in the loss.
In Class 4A, Jesuit (Tampa) fell 6-1 to Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale) in the championship final. Jesuit (29-4) gave up four runs in the sixth inning as the close contest slipped away. In the 4A semifinal, Jesuit exploded for 19 runs in a 19-0 shutout of Ponte Verde Beach.
In the Class 2A finals, Shorecrest Prep (St. Petersburg) (23-9) ran into the buzzsaw that is Westminster Christian (Miami). Westminster, which counts New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez among its baseball alumni, has won 10 state championships, collecting its second straight in 2A with its 6-0 win against Shorecrest.
In the Class 6A semifinals, defending state champion Alonso (Tampa) fell behind early (4-0 after three innings) and struggled to rally in a 10-5 loss to American (Hialeah). Alonso trailed 9-0 before scoring any runs and struggled with four errors on defense. Alonso ended its season at 25-6.
Meanwhile, Tampa Catholic and King (Tampa) also had their seasons end in the state semifinals.
Tampa Catholic saw its season end in the Class 3A semifinals after a 3-1 loss to Jacksonville Bolles. Tampa Catholic (20-11) missed a chance to play for the program’s 10th overall state title after Bolles pulled away from a 1-1 game. Tampa Catholic made three errors and had five baserunners thrown out as Bolles added runs in the fourth and sixth innings.
Advancing to its first state tournament in 46 years, King had a short stay while trying to earn coach Jim Macaluso a title in his 35th season at the school. King fell to Pace 11-1 in the semis.
Bay area recruiting heats up
With Plant (Tampa) running back-linebacker-defensive end James Wilder Jr. being named MaxPreps' top recruit in the nation, plenty of scouts – as well as fans – were on hand at Plant’s spring football game against rival Jefferson (Tampa), loaded with recruits in its own right.
Scouts from Florida State, South Florida, Auburn and Cincinnati were among those on hand to watch Wilder, who ran for 40 yards and two short touchdowns as Plant lost 26-21 to Jefferson.
Phillip Ely, Plant
File photo by Gray Quetti
Other college prospects at the contest included Plant quarterback Phillip Ely and Jefferson wide receiver Andre Davis, quarterback Quentin Williams and tight end Ramik Moore, among others.
Plenty of scouts also attended the Tampa Catholic-Brooksville Nature Coast spring game to watch hotly-recruited Nature Coast wide receiver/quarterback Ja'Juan Story. Although he had a relatively quiet game with only two catches, Story will be highly recruited this fall. Among the schools at the spring game: Auburn, Texas A&M, Connecticut, Ohio State, Miami, Western Kentucky and South Florida.
Countryside (Clearwater) basketball players Dino Tabakovic and Kyle Kinnear, both forwards, have signed with colleges. Tabakovic (who averaged 17 points a game as a high school senior) will play at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. Kinnear, who lead Countyside with six rebounds a game, will play at Millsaps College in Mississippi.
Meanwhile, Lakewood (St. Petersburg) linebacker Xavier Johnson will play for Division III Methodist and St. Petersburg defensive lineman Dominic James for Division II Tusculum.
Spring football roundup
The first two times he touched the football, Carey White scored touchdowns. By the time he was done in Tampa Sickles’ spring game, the senior-to-be tailback had amassed 230 yards and scored three touchdowns – all on long runs – to lead the Gryphons to a 28-14 win against Jesuit (Tampa). White ran 80 yards for a touchdown on the half’s first play and later added touchdown runs of 24 and 66 yards.
Meanwhile, Quentin Williams threw for 243 yards and three touchdowns to lead Jefferson (Tampa) past Plant (Tampa) in their much-anticipated spring game. Plant bumped Jefferson on their 2010 schedule to face Texas 5A champ Abilene on ESPN this fall.
Other standout performances included Newsome (Lithia) sophomore quarterback Will Worth running for three touchdowns in a 42-13 romp against Durant (Plant City). Brandon ran for 220 yards as a team in a 28-6 win against Bloomingdale (Valrico).
Armwood (Seffner) quarterback Josh Grady threw for 146 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-14 thumping of Plant City. And Tampa Catholic quarterback Conner Louis passed for 200 yards and a touchdown and ran for 89 yards and two scores as the Crusaders got past Nature Coast and Ja’Juan Story 20-13.
