SPECIAL EDITION BY:
Steve Knapp Sports Writer & Photographer • sbigdaddyknapp@aol.com Jackie Bierman Graphic Designer • jbierman16@gmail.com
2 | 2017-18 Fall Sports Boys Golf........................................................ page 3-5
Football......................................................page 12-17
Girls Golf......................................................... page 6-7
Cheerleading.............................................page 18-20
Cross Country............................................. pages 8-11
Volleyball................................................. pages 21-24
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMUNITY SUPPORT! Adrian Cline, Superintendent of DeSoto Schools........................................... 8 Arcadia Printing / DeSoto Shirt & Hat................................................................. 7 Beef ‘O Bradys............................................................................................................10 Buddy Mansfield, County Commissioner........................................................11 DeSoto Automall......................................................................................................24 DeSoto Memorial Hospital....................................................................................23 Dominoes....................................................................................................................16 Downtown Athletic Club......................................................................................... 4 El Dorado Maya Mexican Restaurant................................................................17 First State Bank of Arcadia....................................................................................... 6
Fussell’s Meats...........................................................................................................18 Jim Potter, Sheriff.....................................................................................................15 K&J Homegrown Produce.....................................................................................20 Persnickety..................................................................................................................21 Sevigney Eye Care...................................................................................................... 9 State Farm Insurance................................................................................................. 5 Terra Fried Chicken..................................................................................................19 Total Pest Control.....................................................................................................22 WFLN.............................................................................................................................15
For advertising opportunities contact Steve Knapp: sbigdaddyknapp@aol.com
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boys golf provide the fourth score in each match. With all but Herbert returning next season, Coach Klossner has high expectations of the boys golf team improving on their season from The DeSoto High School boys golf team this year and earning a spot to advance to the enjoyed the most successful season under state regional tournament, which they missed Coach Mike Klossner this year. The team went by only 6 strokes this year. 7-8 on the year and were led by junior Braden Steele, and newcomers sophomore Kyle Tanner Overall I was very proud of the guys because they competed at a high level every and freshman Mason Jeter. match and put themselves in a position to Often playing two or three other teams in advance to regionals but we came up just a little their matches the Bulldogs average finish was 2nd place, while Steele was overall medalist in short. I am hoping that this year will motivate them for next season to continue one match. This year’s team benefitted from working on their game in the off-season and be consistent play from their top three golfers, hungry to compete for a chance at regionals, while senior David Herbert and junior Austin because they saw they were very close this season. Neads traded places throughout the year to By Mike Klossner Boys Golf Coach
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Don Knoche
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girls golf
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cross country By Julie Chidlsey Cross Country Coach The 2017 Cross Country season was a season of change. We lost our three Varsity seniors that would have run their 4th year on varsity to injury. While this was a huge disappointment for what we thought we would accomplish this year, Lupita Manriquez, 10th grade and Micaela Ruiz 11th grade had an amazing season as the number 1 and 2 runners while as positions 3-7 shifted throughout the season between several girls. Just as the season was coming to an end and thoughts of making it out of the district post season as a team were fading, three freshman, Jas’Juana Rosario, Amelia Orozoko and Lizette Lugo, kicked it into high gear
grabbing spots 3, 4 & 5 helping us secure a 4th trip to Regionals in 4 years along with Senior Sirianeli Benitez and Junior Tessa Paredes. Lupita finished regionals in 33rd place and Micaela 59th.
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Eye Exams • Medical Eye Care • Surgery • Full Optical Boutique • Contact Lenses
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bulldogs ’ season, against North Port. As the Bulldogs tried to reschedule the missing games, it turned out The 2017 DeSoto County football season that they had to play 3 was one that will probably not be duplicated in games in an 8 day span! a long time. They finished with a 4-4 record but The Bulldogs had a how they got there was a different way than young team this you’d expect. season with After the kickoff classic game on August many freshmen 18th, the team went over a month without forced to have playing another game! The Bulldogs had a bye “on the job training”. in their first week of the season and the game Normally those at Avon Park was canceled due to bad weather. freshmen would be Then hurricane Irma wreaked havoc on the playing on the JV schedule. team, but a low The Mulberry and Lemon Bay games were number of both canceled and it wasn’t until September 22 upperclassmen forced that the Bulldogs finally got back onto the field By Steve “Big Daddy” Knapp Sports Writer
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, one to remember them to play on the varsity. The freshman class has a lot of good athletes so their learning process went quickly. The Bulldogs jelled at the end of the season winning two of their final three games. This is a good sign for the 2018 season. The team had six seniors who went out on a winning note. Elijah Arthur, Tyreke Evans, Semaj “El Boogie” Elrod, Malcom Smith, Kendhal Stewart and Anthony Gaitan will be
missed not only for their excellent play on the field but for their leadership also. At the end of the season Bulldogs’ Head Coach Matt Egloff resigned from his position. With a daughter entering high school next fall and a son entering middle school and both active in sports, it was time for him to dedicate more time to his own kids and step away from the program. Egloff had given 8 years of coaching to the school and was extremely instrumental in using his college connections to help many football players receive a scholarship and move on to the next level. He was an excellent coach with the players’ interest foremost in his mind and will be missed.
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seniors
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EL DORADO MAYA Mexican Restaurant
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Including 78 different delicious dishes! Open 7 days a week! 5:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
2233 SE Hwy 70 Arcadia, Fl 34266
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cheerleading
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K&J Homegrown Produce and Farmer’s Market Your local source for the best Produce • Meat • Seafood • And More! Open 7 days a week! 9:00am-9:00pm
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2228 NE Highway 70 • Arcadia, FL 34266
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volleyball
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Proudly Supporting
DeSoto County High School Athletics 863.494.4848