FSN #32 6/23/16 - 7/6/16

FOLLOW US facebook.com\FloridaSportingNews - Twitter @FSNSportingNews FloridaSportingNews.com

Volume 2 • Issue 9

June 23 - July 6 2016

ks

an Th

Ou

EE

To

tis

!

er

dv

rA

s

er

Makes Final 4 In State Championship

FR

Boones Football

Photos by Bob Gall

Featuring... Boone, West Orange, Bishop Moore, West Orange, Apopka and much more!

Page 2 Florida Sporting News • 6/22/16 - 7/6/16

Boone Football Put Central Florida on the 7 on 7 Map

by Greyson Everidge

It was a tough way to lose as Orlando Boone watch Palmetto run out the clock in the semifinals of the Adidas Florida State 7on7 Championships on Saturday, June 11th. Nonetheless, the Braves still qualified for the southeast regional, which will be held July 17-18 in Valdosta, Ga. The Braves had the football with a two-point lead heading into the final minute of play, but an interception turned the tables, giving Pametto the ball and a onepoint lead with about 40 seconds remaining. Palmetto chose to run the ball, which is legal in this 7-on-7 format, and Boone had to watch the clock run out.

“It’s bittersweet,” Boone quarterback Tommy Verzi said.

“It shows ... we’ve gotten so much better. I can’t even explain how much better we’ve gotten, but in the end, we didn’t win.”

Verzi did a great job over the two-day event, making limited mistakes and finding the right targets that con-

matchup.

Boone took the lead in the final two minutes of the semifinal game after a Jacob Bruno interception in the end zone and a subsequent 40-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown by DeLoach. Riley Bell made a nice over-the-shoulder grab for the two-point conversion and Boone had its two-point lead.

Boone’s Jaxsen Anagnostis (8), QB Tommy Verizon and RB Brandon Bush (5) celebrate a touchdown by Tyree Jones (11) at the Adidas Florida State 7v7 Championships

helps keep the integrity of the game and focus on the players.

The team concept is aimed at helping keep players within the realm of participation with their own schools during the “offseason” and another attempt by adversaries of “all-star” 7-on-7 events to help circumvent the issues many see associated with that type of atmosphere.

The late interception, however, which bounced off DeLoach’s hands and into the hands of a diving Palmetto defender, was the difference maker.

Defensively for Boone, Malik Washington, Zach Sites, John Joanis made key plays, as did other contributors.

Boone did all of this without one of its top players Alex Bergan, who was unable to participate.

“It’s fun. The kids played with a lot of excitement and that’s really why we do 7-on-7. The result is secondary to that,” said Boone head coach Andy Johnson, whose team could see Palmetto again in Valdosta, where they will also be joined by tournament winner Jacksonville Ribault and the other semifinalist Clearwater High.

sisted mostly of speedy Nick DeLoach, Brandon Bush, Jean Bossous, Tyree Jones and Riley Bell. All of those players, and then some, made key catches that helped Boone roll to a 7-0 record before losing in the semifinal

Next month’s event will involve the top four teams from Florida, Georgia and Louisiana in the Southeast Regional. The Adidas-sponsored event is made up of strictly school-affiliated teams, a trend that co-organizers Rich McGuinness, formerly an organizer for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, and Dave Menard are hoping to see blossom in the future. This year those three states are the only ones involved, but the duo is hoping things launch from this 2015 start-up model.

It’s a concept that rivals the “all-star” based 7-on-7 events, and Menard, the owner of Airo Sports, which has sponsored 7-on-7 tournaments in both formats, says

“There is more bad than good,” Menard said of the allstar format. “For every good manager out there you have four or five bad ones.

“The bad [coaches] are selling these kids off to colleges, trying to influence players to go to a different high school and so on.”

6/22/16 - 7/6/16 • Florida Sporting News

Florida College in MLB

Page 3

358 = Alumni drafted or signed as a free agent with MLB clubs through the 2016 draft 16 = Florida League alumni have played in Major League Baseball

Page 4 Florida Sporting News • 6/22/16 - 7/6/16

Orlando Predators gives an emotional win for their City

by Greyson Everidge

JACKSONVILLE – June 18, 2016 – An emotional week ended in triumph for the Orlando Predators (10-2) as the team earned a 44-34 road win over the rival Jacksonville Sharks (5-6) on Saturday. On a night in which the team removed the individual names from their uniforms and sported #ORLANDOUNITED on the back of all jerseys as a tribute to the victims of the Pulse tragedy, it was Orlando native and Jones High

School graduate Bernard Morris who was called to action to lead the Predators to victory.

13-yard touchdown pass to WR Greg Carr to put Orlando up, 37-27.

Leading 30-27 late in the fourth quarter, Morris subbed into the game for starting QB Randy Hippeard, who went down with injury after being sacked the previous play. Facing 3rd-&Goal and needing a score to maintain a comfortable lead, Morris took his first snap and tossed a

The Sharks would regain possession and quickly made it a three-point game as QB Tommy Grady hit WR Joe Hills from nine yards out for a touchdown. With 47 seconds remaining on the clock, Morris returned to the field determined on putting the game away for good. Facing 3rd-&Goal once again, the veteran signal caller dropped back and fired a nine-yard strike to Carr in the end zone for the final touchdown.

The two touchdowns were Morris’ only pass attempts of the night. Prior to suffering the fourth quarter injury, Hippeard completed 18-of-30 attempts for 180 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. All four of Carr’s receptions went for scores while Brandon Thompkins paced the receiving corps with 11 receptions for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

On the defensive side of the ball, ends Darryl Cato-Bishop and Logan Harrell each forced fumbles that resulted in turnovers for the Predators.

LB Terence Moore posted a team-high 11 total tackles and DB Paul Stephens also notched an 11-yard interception.

Orlando now holds the top overall seed in the Arena Football League and is the first team in the AFL to reach 10 victories in 2016.

The Predators return to Amway Center to take on the Tampa Bay Storm next Friday, June 24 at 7:30 p.m.

ET. The game will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network and will feature many events in tribute to the victims of the Pulse tragedy, their families and the City of Orlando. For more information, visit OrlandoPredators. com or call 407-355-2200.

6/22/16 - 7/6/16 • Florida Sporting News

Page 5

West Orange Baseball’s Kole Enright Pens Deal With Texas Rangers

by Greyson Everidge WINTER GARDEN – This past week, West Orange baseball third basemen Kole Enright was selected by the Texas Rangers in the third round draft of Major League Baseball. Enright says that a disappointing event turned his game around completely, and in the end helped him gain attention which led to being picked in the draft.

Bishop Moore, he got some notice from scouts, who weren’t even there to watch him in the first place. Again, this time at a game at Lake Minneola, Enright went 3 for 3 with a homerun and gained the attention of even more scouts, who also were not present to scout Enright.

It all started a little more than a year ago, at a time when Enright wasn’t even a regular starter on the Warrior baseball team. From there, he worked hard, eventually earning him a scholarship offer from Coastal Carolina University.

After the coaching staff saw Enright play in Atlanta, they pulled his scholarship offer. The devastating turn of events was actually one of the best things that happened to Enright, who knew that he had to work both harder and smarter. He focused in on building muscle, and improving the mental side of his game, which he said could lack at times.

After the two games, scouts went to West Orange’s batting practice, this time to watch Enright in the batting cage. Fast forward a couple of months, and Enright was unveiled at a Rangers press conference, where he will

The hard work led to a new scholarship offer, this time from Stetson University in Florida.

During his senior year, with the help of his dad, Enright had a breakout season. During the fall, he hit five home runs, and bat higher than .600.

His coach, Jesse Marlo said that people were asking, “Is this the new Kole?” However for Marlo, Kole never changed at all. In his mind, he only continued to get better.

From there, he decided to use some draft buzz to his advantage. At a preseason game against

sign a deal worth $675,000. His next move takes him to Arizona, where he will play in the minor league for the Arizona Rangers.

Page 6 Florida Sporting News • 6/22/16 - 7/6/16

Florida Collegiate Summer League weekly recap Duffy's Sports Grill MVP of the Week Cody Burgess Florida Southern Winter Garden Squeeze

7-15 (.467 avg), 6 R, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 3 SB, .667 SLG, .556 OBP Burgess led the league in hits during Week 3, with the highlight coming Friday night against first-place Sanford. The junior outfielder went 4-4 at the plate, scoring three times, driving in four and swiping three bags. His two-run single in the 8th inning gave the Squeeze the lead, and he would then come around to score an important insurance run two batters later. Burgess leads Winter Garden in average, hits, and homeruns.

Duffy's Sports Grill MVPitcher of the Week Cody Beckman North Carolina State Sanford River Rats

1-0, 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K Beckman made an instant impact in his River Rats debut on Wednesday in Leesburg. He absolutely shut down the Lightning offense for five innings, allowing a single base hit in the fourth. Beckman struck out six during his performance. A junior lefty from ACC power NC State, Beckman was a 25th round draft pick of the New York Mets in last week’s MLB draft

Other Nominees:

Player

Jason Sierra, Florida Southern Altamonte Springs Boom Joe Dudek, Kentucky DeLand Suns Cornell Nixon, Eastern Kentucky Leesburg Lightning Carlos Cortes, South Carolina Sanford River Rats Brooks Morgan, UCF Winter Park Diamond Dawgs

Pitcher

Jose Peguero, Miami Dade Altamonte Springs Boom Matt Gulik, Webber International DeLand Suns Maclain Larson, Flagler Leesburg Lightning Jarred Neal, South Florida CC Winter Garden Squeeze Patrick Coffin, Alabama State Winter Park Diamond Dawgs

Upcoming Schedule

(All games start at 7 pm unless noted) Monday June 20 Winter Park at Sanford Altamonte at Winter Garden Leesburg at DeLand

Tuesday June 21 Sanford at Winter Park Winter Garden at Altamonte DeLand at Leesburg Wednesday June 22 Winter Park at Sanford Altamonte at Winter Garden Leesburg at DeLand Thursday June 23 Winter Park at Altamonte Winter Garden at DeLand (Thirsty Thursday ... $1 Yuengling Beers!) Leesburg at Sanford (Thirsty Thursday ... $1 Yuengling Beers!)

Friday June 24 U.S. Military All-Stars at Winter Garden (6:30 pm start) Altamonte at Winter Park Sanford at Leesburg Saturday June 25 U.S. Military All-Stars at Leesburg (6:30 pm start) DeLand at Winter Garden (SupraStrong Saturday) - Pregame Tailgate starts at 5 pm ... 50% online ticket sales go to Ian Supra Foundation Winter Park at Altamonte Sunday June 26 U.S. Military All-Stars at Sanford (5 pm start) DeLand at Winter Garden (5 pm start)

6/22/16 - 7/6/16 • Florida Sporting News

Page 7

The Florida Collegiate Summer League starts off strong

by Greyson Everidge

Duffy's Sports Grill MVP of the Week Jay Hayes Florida Gulf Coast DeLand Suns

11-20 (.550 avg), 9 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, 6 RBI, 5 BB, 1 SF, .630 OBP, .850 SLG Hayes is easily the hottest hitter in the Florida League, having reached base in seven straight games dating back to June 4. He had three multi-hit games this week, including a 3-4, 3 R effort at home against Leesburg, a 2-3, 3 R, 2 RBI game on the road against Leesburg and a 3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI performance on Saturday against Winter Park. Hayes leads the league in average, runs, and triples.

Duffy's Sports Grill MVPitcher of the Week Drew Peden Florida Atlantic Leesburg Lightning

1-0, 4.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K Peden appeared in two games for the Lightning this week. In his first outing on June 7 against DeLand, Peden fired two innings of perfect baseball, striking out one and earning the win in relief. In his second game, he went 2.2 innings and once again retired every batter he faced. That outing included five strikeouts. This is the second summer for Peden in Leesburg as a member of the Lightning.

Other Nominees:

Player

Chris Gonzalez, Mercyhurst Altamonte Springs Boom Harlan Harris, Valdosta State Leesburg Lightning Sergio Lopez, Hillsborough CC Sanford River Rats Kyle Corbin, Bethune Cookman Winter Garden Squeeze Tyler Homer, Mercer Winter Park Diamond Dawgs

Pitcher

Mark Moclair Altamonte Springs Boom Wade McNabb, Stetson DeLand Suns Tyeler Checkley, St. Thomas Sanford River Rats Chase Pilato, Florida Southern Winter Garden Squeeze Trevor Tinder, Georgia Winter Park Diamond Dawgs

Upcoming Schedule

Monday June 13 Winter Garden at Winter Park

Sanford at DeLand Leesburg at Altamonte Tuesday June 14 Winter Park at Winter Garden DeLand at Sanford Altamonte at Leesburg Wednesday June 15 Altamonte at Winter Park Winter Garden at DeLand Sanford at Leesburg Thursday June 16 Winter Park at Leesburg Winter Garden at Sanford Altamonte at DeLand Friday June 17 U.S. Military All-Stars Leesburg at Winter Park Winter Garden at Sanford Saturday June 18 U.S. Military All-Stars at Sanford Leesburg at Winter Park Altamonte at DeLand

Page 8 Florida Sporting News • 6/22/16 - 7/6/16

MLB Draft take 29 former Florida League Alumni

by Greyson Everidge

The 2016 MLB Draft took place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of last week, covering 40 rounds and more than 1200 selections, from high school standouts to graduated college seniors. Once again, the Florida League had a strong showing as 29 league alumni were chosen.

The first former player off the board was the 2014 Florida League MVP Austin Hays, an outfielder from Jacksonville University. Hays was selected in the third round, 91st overall, by the Baltimore Orioles. Hays led the Atlantic Sun conference in home runs this season with 16, and was named 1st team All-Conference.

David Martinelli of Dallas Baptist was the next to go in the sixth round to the Philadelphia Phillies. Martinelli played for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs in 2013 as a recently graduated high school senior.

He transformed himself into an offensive threat at DBU, hitting .301 with 6 HR and 37 RBI this year.

2014 River Rat Keith Skinner went to the Yankees in the 7th round. Skinner, a catcher at UNF, was a key component for the Rats, helping them to a 1st place regular season finish. This spring, he led the Atlantic Sun Conference in hitting, picking

up 81 hits in 212 at bats, good for a .383 average.

Tyler Neslony of Texas Tech was taken in the 9th round by the Atlanta Braves. Neslony was an All-Star for the Lightning in 2013, and hit 10 homeruns and drive in a team high 58 runs for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. TTU is headed to Omaha this week as one of the eight teams remaining in the College World Series.

28 more. Espinal was the league leader in multiple categories last summer, including average, hits and steals. Espinal was taken by the Boston Red Sox in the 10th round.

Day three of the draft saw 20 more Florida League players selected. Notable selections included: - Danny Woodrow (Creighton) from the 2015 Winter Park Diamond Dawgs (DET, 12th)

Matt McLean was an inaugural member of the 2014 Winter Garden Squeeze, where he earned an All-Star nomination. He was a beast at Texas-Arlington this spring, hitting .307 with 54 runs scored. He is headed to the Boston Red Sox farm system after being selecte din the ninth round.

- Hunter Melton (Texas A&M), a twotime All-Star for the Sanford River Rats (COL, 18th)

The Kansas City Royals used their 9th rounder on Walker Sheller of Stetson University. Sheller posted a miniscule 1.38 ERA with 12 saves for the Hatters and was an All-Conference selection. He spent the 2014 summer with the DeLand Suns, earning an All-Star nomination.

- Colby Lusignan (Lander), who spent three years in Leesburg (MIA, 28th)

The final pick of Day 2 was 2015 Florida League MVP Santiago Espinal of Miami Dade. Espinal hit a ridiculous .432 for the Sharks, scoring 38 times and driving in

- Colton Freeman (Alabama), who played for the ‘14 Diamond Dawgs and ‘16 Rats (CHC, 20th)

- Daniel Sweet (Dallas Baptist), who played three summers in the Florida League (CIN, 29th) The total number of Florida League players drafted now stands at 356 in 13 seasons.

6/22/16 - 7/6/16 • Florida Sporting News

Apopka Football Star Jeremy Gallon: Playing for the Predators

The Florida League is excited to be hosting the US Military All-Stars (USMA) as part of their Red, White & Blue Tour Similar to the Florida League, the USMA are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Central Florida. The USMA was founded in 1990 following President George H.W. Bush’s comments on baseball’s positive impact during WWII. As of today, the USMA are the only team to wear camouflage uniforms with historical references to represent all branches of the military and first responders. The USMA strives to spread awareness about supporting the brave men and women who have sacrificed to serve our country. The team consists of both active and veteran members of the military.

“We are excited to welcome the U.S. Military All-Stars for this exhibition series,” said Florida League President Rob Sitz. “It has been a few years since we have had the opportunity to challenge them on the diamond. These games are great for the community, and a unique way to honor the men and women of our military who do so much for us.”

ORLANDO – June 15, 2016 – The Orlando Predators have agreed to terms with former NFL wide receiver Jeremy Gallon, a Central Florida native and graduate of Apopka High School. Gallon was selected in the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots and has also played with the Oakland Raiders and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL. Gallon (5-9, 178, Michigan) played in 51 games at the University of Michigan and set a school record by posting a reception in 39 consecutive games. The two-time All-Big Ten selection still holds the conference’s all-time record for receiving yards in a single-game, racking up 369 yards with two touchdowns on 14 receptions in a win over Indiana in 2013.

He finished his college career with 2,704 yards and 17 touchdowns on 173 receptions.

Gallon was a two-time first-team Class 6A all-state selection at Apopka High School, where he played quarterback, running back and safety. He participated in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American game after collecting 5,905 total yards and 59 touchdowns and was ranked a four-star recruit by Rivals.com.

The Orlando Predators travel to play the Jacksonville Sharks this Saturday, June 18 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The matchup will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network.

Page 9

Four Florida League teams will square off against the USMA, first being the DeLand Suns on June 17th. Each game will have an extended pre game ceremony beginning at 6:30 pm, with first pitch coming at 7:00 pm each night.

The schedule for the next two weeks is below: Friday, June 17th: US Military All-Stars vs.

DeLand Suns, Melching Field at Conrad Park, 6:30pm Saturday, June 18th: US Military All-Stars vs. Sanford River Rats, Sanford Memorial Stadium, 6:30pm Friday, June 24th: US Military All-Stars vs.

Winter Garden Squeeze, Heller Bros. Ballpark, 6:30pm Saturday, June 25th: US Military All-Stars vs. Leesburg Lightning, Pat Thomas Stadium, 6:30pm

Page 10 Florida Sporting News • 6/22/16 - 7/6/16

VOLLEYBALL TAKES ORLANDO BY STORM

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 8, 2016) – More than 27,000 athletes from across the country, including thousands of Orlando-area athletes, are expected to bump, set and spike during the 43rd annual AAU Girls’ Junior National Volleyball Championships this week in Central Florida.

The eight-day event has held the title of largest volleyball event in the world since 2012 when the 16U Club division set the current Guinness Book of World Records mark. It attracts approximately 40,000 spectators, 9,000 coaches and 400 college coaches and takes place on 177 courts between

ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort and Orange County Convention Center.

The AAU Girls’ Junior National Volleyball Championships is the pinnacle event for AAU Volleyball athletes,” said Dr. Roger J. Goudy, President/ CEO of the AAU. “The relationships we have built throughout Central Florida help make this a oncein-a-lifetime experience for all our athletes and their families.”

The marquee annual event for the fastest-growing sport in the AAU, the AAU Girls’ Junior National Volleyball Championships features 31 divisions of competition, including an international division with teams from Brazil, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Slovenia.

The AAU Girls’ Junior National Volleyball Championship has more than doubled in the last five years, increasing from approximately 1,000 teams in 2011 to more than 2,300 teams in this year’s event. Still growing, the economic impact to Central Florida is expected to be over $52 million per year with participants and their families visiting local hotels, shops, restaurants and other Central Florida businesses.

“We are excited to welcome the AAU Girls’ Junior National Volleyball Championships to Orlando,” said Visit Orlando President and CEO George Aguel.

“More than 75,000 athletes, spectators and coaches will experience our wide variety of hotels, local attractions and award-winning dining that make us a top host city for sporting events.”

PREVIEW: 2016 AAU Gymnastics Age Group National Championship The 2016 AAU Gymnastics Age Group National Championship will be held from June 29th to July 2nd at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.

This year, the event is expecting to see more than 1,500 athletes from twenty-five (25) AAU Districts (states) compete for a chance at a gold medal.

OPENING CEREMONY: The opening ceremony will be held on Friday, July 1st at 7:00 PM in Jostens Center at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Kate Foster, a Level 7 Gymnast battling Acute Myeloid Leukemia will be speaking about her journey and love for the sport.

PHOTOS: Photos taken at the event will be available after the conclusion of competition on our Facebook page. We encourage you to follow our social media accounts for updates prior to, during, and after the event: Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Instagram. We look forward to seeing everyone soon!

RESULTS: Where to find results from this event will be released at a later date.

6/22/16 - 7/6/16 • Florida Sporting News

Audi South Orlando

Page 11

Page 12 Florida Sporting News • 6/22/16 - 7/6/16