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Volume 2 • Issue 17
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Dr Phillips Football Playing for
Nov 11 - Dec 07 2016
State Championship Photos by Bob Gall
Featuring: NFL Players, Dr. Phillips, Foundation Academy, All-SSAC Football Picks, Timber Creek and MUCH MORE...
Page 2 Florida Sporting News • 11/11/16 - 12/07/16
Dr. Phillips Football Advance to 8A Semi-Finals With Win Over Vero By Greyson Everidge
DR. PHILLIPS – The Dr. Phillips Panthers, coached by Rodney Wells, are well into a very strong season which will see them play for appearance in the 8A State Finals as they take on Seminole on December 2nd. All eyes are on Panthers quarterback Marvin Washington to come up big against the Seminoles, who are so far undefeated at (12-0). Dr. Phillips sit (11-2) on the season, with their last loss coming against Mainland on September 23rd. The Panthers also ended (4-0) in their district, beating opponents like Apopka and West Orange. On the road to the State Semis, the Panthers first played Manatee High, where they won by a score of 39-7. Dr. Phillips looked comfortable and won with relatively no problems. They then went on to face Riverview in the next round of the playoffs, where they held Riverview scoreless with themselves putting up 21 to win 21-0. In the Quarterfinals, they played Vero Beach, who were expected to win the game. The Panthers were unranked going into the game, and Vero Beach were undefeated with an (11-0) record. However, in front of a home crowd the Panthers rallied to win against their opponents by a score of 34-24, giving Vero Beach their first loss of the season and an unexpected end to a good run of form. Panthers Quarterback Marvin Washington passed for 179 yards and one touchdown, while also running for 63 and two touchdowns. Kenny Palmer also had 79 yards and a touchdown. Among other plays they scored for a special team’s touchdown after a weak punt by Vero, and a touchdown off a forced turnover which was one of two on the night. Vero was ranked 3rd in the 8A Standings going into the game. Now all attention is focused on the next game, which will be the Panthers first 8A SemiFinal appearance since 2012. They are excited for the opportunity to showcase their talent against a strong Seminole team which should make for one great game of football.
11/11/16 - 12/07/16 • Florida Sporting News
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Dr Phillips Beat The Seminole’s to Face Miami Southridge The margin for error was as thin as a goal post Friday night in a euphoric Class 8A football state semifinal.
the middle by fullback Kenny Palmer, which put the Panthers up 13-7, by scoring twice in 12 seconds.
loss). Dylan Meeks was in on seven tackles and Brice Ingram finished with six tackles (2 for loss).
Host Seminole missed the potential game-tying field goal in double overtime when the ball clanked off the left post from 24 yards out, sending Dr. Phillips to its first state title game since 2010 with a 37-34 win.
Just one play after converting on third down by scrambling past defenders, Wiggins found Gabe Davis for a short pass over the middle. The UCF commit promptly turned up field to finish off a touchdown play of 39 yards to put the Seminoles in front 14-13 with under four minutes to go in the first half.
Ben Roth led Seminole with six tackles. D.J. Artis was in on five tackles (2 for loss) and Josh Fernema finished with 4.5 tackles.
Dr. Phillips (12-2) faces Miami Southridge (11-2) at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m.
Seminole then dialed up an onside kick, and it was Rivers who recovered to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
It was a game of emotional twists and turns played in front of a crowd estimated at 5,000.
Wiggins tossed a 32-yard strike to Davis in the end zone on the very next play for his third touchdown pass of the night.
“It’s been an emotional week,” Dr. Phillips coach Rodney Wells said. “[It’s great] just to see these seniors advance and win that close game, because they’ve been on the other end of one-point losses and two-point losses and three-point losses over the last three years.” Dr. Phillips, ranked No. 3 in the Sentinel Super 16, emerged from a 24-13 halftime deficit to score twice in the third for its first lead since midway through the second quarter. The Panthers returned their 11th defensive touchdown of the season when D.J. Charles intercepted Seminole quarterback Kaylan Wiggins and took it back 34 yards on the first series of the second half. Dr. Phillips then forced No. 1 Seminole (12-1) off the field after just three plays on its next possession, taking a 27-24 advantage when Marvin Washington hooked up with Emare Hogan for a 32-yard touchdown.
Rivers booted a field goal of 38 yards as time expired in the first half. But his final kick sent Dr. Phillips running onto the field in celebration. Davis caught 12 passes for 183 yards for Seminole. Wiggins finished 15 of 24 passing for 227 yards and had 66 yards rushing on 18 carries and four total touchdowns. Hogan led Dr. Phillips with eight catches for 85 yards. He added a 10-yard touchdown run in the first overtime period. Extra points Seminole outgained Dr. Phillips 374-267 in total yards. Marvin Washington went 15 of 22 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown for Dr. Phillips.
Seminole knotted the score for the final points in regulation when Payton Rivers nailed a field goal of 20 yards inside the final minute of the third quarter.
Dr. Phillips junior Tanner Ingle scored his 6th non-offensive touchdown of the season when he returned a punt 62 yards with nearly two minutes to play in the first quarter.
Dr. Phillips, which converted five of 11 third down attempts, overcame 15 penalties for 177 yards and a thrilling momentum shift for Seminole late in the second quarter.
Defensive end Robert Porcher set the single-season sack record at Dr. Phillips when he recorded his 16th takedown on the final play of the first quarter. Porcher finished with six tackles.
Seminole responded to a 24-yard touchdown run up
Nick Smith led Dr. Phillips with 7.5 tackles (2 for
Seminole’s Vernon Mamwell started in place of injured D.J. Hampton at running back and finished with 55 yards rushing on 22 carries. Mamwell missed last week’s game against Winter Park with a hamstring injury. Seminole entered the game averaging 225.9 yards rushing and finished with 147 yards on 44 carries in the loss. The first reception of the season for Seminole’s Brenden Blyseth resulted in a 21-yard touchdown from Kaylan Wiggins. Wiggins made the throw over the middle after the senior avoided trouble by rolling to his right on the team’s first drive. Wiggins converted on third down numerous times while running and throwing the ball, but the Seminoles finished just 6 of 15 when put in that position. Payton Rivers missed a field goal try of 37 yards for Seminole on the final play of regulation as the kick sailed wide to the left. Rivers’ longest field goal attempt in the regular season was from 30 yards against Lake Mary. He made a 36-yarder last week at Winter Park. Dr. Phillips 37, Seminole 34 (2 OT) FIRST – S: Blyseth 21 pass from Wiggins (Rivers kick); DP: Ingle 62 punt return (kick failed). SECOND – DP: Palmer 24 run (Stockwell kick); S: Davis 39 pass from Wiggins (Rivers kick); S: Davis 32 pass from Wiggins (Rivers kick); S: Rivers 38 kick. THIRD – DP: Charles 34 interception return (Stockwell kick); DP: Hogan 32 pass from Washington (Stockwell kick); S: Rivers 20 kick. OVERTIME – S: Wiggins 10 run (Rivers kick); DP: Hogan 10 run (Stockwelll kick); DP: Stockwell 19 kick.
Ryan Popp Logan Beardslee Kaden Baur
Page 4 Florida Sporting News • 11/11/16 - 12/07/16
The President of Your Fan Club by Dr. Chris Cortman
Part 1 When it comes to athletics, there’s nothing quite like a supportive parent. How great to have a dad who can teach you to throw a curveball and then catch you for hours (even after catching several in the shin). And who but mom would attend every single soccer practice, from diapers to lipstick? Weekend travel tournaments to outer Timbuktu? No problem. Taekwondo meets that outlast the Paleozoic era? Part of the job. And unless you marry a prince(ss), no one will ever invest as much time, energy, money or love on you again. There are countless major leaguers who credit their parents for their successes. But for every triumphant son mouthing a “Hi mom” for the TV camera, there is another who carries emotional scars because of a parent who is overly invested in a child’s athletic career. Jim was never interested in baseball. His dad, George, played in high school and believed he would have been drafted by the major leagues, if he weren’t first drafted for Vietnam. While his baseball career ended prematurely, he was secretly pleased when his wife told him she was having a son. Maybe it was fate’s way of giving George a second chance for baseball greatness, but Jim could care less. He sabotaged his practices and begged to quit his Little League team. George
finally obliged, but he never had a flattering or encouraging word for his son as long as Jim could remember. And who could forget Andre Agassi’s story? One of tennis’ all time superstars remembers his childhood as one long, horrendous tennis practice, wherein he reported, “I literally hit one million balls” at his father’s insistence. One could argue that Agassi owes his entire successful career to his father’s passion, but according to his memoirs, Andre maintains a deep-rooted resentment. The bottom line is this: some parents feel the need to live vicariously through their children to compensate for unfinished business of their own. But there’s more damage that unbridled parental passion contributes to. There is a parent at almost every game that yells instructions to the child, rides the officials like a rodeo bull, and treats powder puff football games like his daughter’s future depends upon it. Most typically, the behavior of a well-meaning father, these immature tirades, if displayed by a toddler, would no doubt prompt a disciplinary timeout to the nearest bedroom. Instead, it is the child, not Dad, who feels punished. For instance, one parent’s vocal critiquing of the coaching and umpiring was so relentlessly negative and abrasive, that the child – not the father– was asked to forego the baseball practices and games, because his father was such a hindrance to the team’s well-being. So what is it about sports that inspires such objectionable behavior in otherwise rational people? As you probably know, the term sports fan is derived from the word “fanatic”, and for good
reason. No one attends a PTA meeting with a giant foam index finger, declaring, “We’re number one!” Similarly, one does not expect to see four barechested men with rainbow wigs at the Republican National Convention. But in sports, logic takes a backseat to passion, and as a result, abnormal behavior is often the norm. But why? Simply put, the sports fan exhibits bizarre behavior, from gametime rituals to peculiar and unsanitary superstitions. One third baseman, for instance, snatched his sweaty sweatshirt from the trunk of his car and wore it underneath his jersey every ball game for nine straight years, without the benefit of a washing machine. (Though an excellent defensive third baseman, his teammates found him rather offensive when seated near him in the dugout.) But it’s not just rituals and superstitious behavior that define the sports fan. It’s the deep emotional connection to the performance of the team. What else could possibly provoke such powerful and personal emotion from watching a group of oversized men smashing into each other in Seattle, Washington? It’s about identification. It’s not a bunch of musclebound Neanderthals, it’s you that they represent. Those are not just “your boys”, they actually represent you. And so it is with your kid. S/he is a mini you. It’s you that’s out there winning, losing, being cheated by an official. And that is what makes it so personal. That’s what makes it so powerful. (In part two of this article, we will explore what parents can do to become the best supportive parent for your child/athlete.)
11/11/16 - 12/07/16 • Florida Sporting News
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West Orange Football End on Disappointing Note by in some games that weren’t too close. They lost to Winter Park () by a score of 50-14, followed by a tough loss to rival school Dr. Phillips by a score of 40-2, giving up the Orange Crate Trophy they recaptured last year. Losses to Oxbridge Academy, Jones and Apopka by scores of 49-7, 48-24, and 56-20 respectively only added to the misery they faced at the halfway mark in the season.
Greyson Everidge WINTER GARDEN – The West ended in losses, with the last win for Orange Warriors season didn’t end as West Orange having come against most people would have expected it to Evans by a score of 48-0. Despite at the start of the season, where they the bad form throughout the year, the were predicted to be one of the best Warriors still had a chance to advance teams in the district for yet another to the play-off rounds assuming they year. Last year they beat bitter rivals beat Wekiva in the second to last game Apopka twice, while going all the way of the year. Last year would have to the 8A State Final Four where they been an easy win, but low morale were knocked out by the Kissimmee among West Orange players and a Kowboys. However in a season seemingly changed Wekiva team saw plagued by controversy and tough the Mustangs walk away with a 49-20 Had the Warriors not lost two of their goings, the Warriors failed to make win, spelling the end of the season for best players and wide receivers at the playoffs and ended with a (2-8) record, the Warriors. start of the year through expulsion going (1-2) in the district. through alleged sexual misconduct, the West Orange will look to improve next For most of the opening start of season may have turned out entirely season, and with a still strong coaching the season, the exception being the different. staff and a new feel, they should be first game win against Foundation able to turn the program around and The last three games of the season Academy, the Warriors were beaten get back to winning ways.
Ocoee Football Make History This Season by Greyson Everidge OCOEE – The Ocoee Knights, who have yet to win anything since the schools opening over 15 years ago, won the Class 7A District 4 title, going (6-0) in district play. The accomplishment, achieved under Head Coach Ben Bullock, was the first of its kind for the Knights. In addition to the title, it was the first time the team won more than three games in a season since Bullock took over this season. Despite losing the first two games in what could have been the downward spiral of the team early on to Apopka and Lake Nona, the Knights pushed on to win four in a row, which put them in the driving seat to win the district title. All they needed was a win against Lake Howell to secure the district title. They blew out their opposition, winning by a score of 42-6. They lost their next game to Wekiva by a score of 21-7, but when on to win their next one which came against Lake Minneola by a score of 41-0. An end of regular season win against rivals West Orange was just the icing on the cake, as the Knights captured a 31-29 win. They moved into the playoffs feeling confident, but unfortunately lost 52-13 to Bartram Trail. Despite the loss, the Knights still made history for their school, and gave next year’s stars much to aim for. Dorian Jones, who heads the Knights defense and is committed to play at Georgia State, was one of the standouts and stars of the team this year. Joining him in playing a
crucial role in this season’s success was Konrie Brown, BJ Bohler, and Lyston Barber. The four of them, and the rest
of the team had something to prove, and can no doubt feel proud of what they accomplished this season.
Page 6 Florida Sporting News • 11/11/16 - 12/07/16
Successful Season for the Windermere Prep Lakers by Kaden Bauer WINDERMERE – Head coach Jacob Doss and the rest of the Windermere Prep school will come out of this season with a smile on their faces. The Lakers (10-1) made it to the semifinals of the Florida High School Football Playoffs undefeated and looked to go farther but were bested by St. Edwards in a closely fought game that ended 30-18. Before that controversial loss, the Windermere Prep Lakers had an outstanding regular season and playoff run. They outscored their opponent by at least a touchdown in all but one of their games and put up an impressive 30 plus points on the scoreboard every game while putting up 50 in three of those. The secret to their dominance was their running
game. The offensive line continuously opened up holes and gave the Lakers running backs space to show their speed and score numerous touchdowns. Having a solid defense didn’t hurt either. In two of their regular season games they shut out their opponents, Orangewood Christian by a score of 42-0 and Lake Mary Prep by a score of 49-0. This dominant offense and defensive duo was key to them going undefeated in their district (4-0) and in their season total (8-0). The Lakers started off strong in the playoffs beating both Boca Raton Christian and Legacy Charter, who they beat 48-27 during the regular season, handily with scores of 57-13 and 49-14 respectively. Their dominant running game and
defensive pressure were showed off once again in this game to keep their undefeated season alive and championship aspirations alive. They lost in the semifinals to a tough St. Edwards side that shut out the Lakers powerful offense and ran all over their previously impenetrable defense. This was the first game that the Lakers did not score at least thirty points and only the second game where they allowed more than thirty. Even though they didn’t end the season with the silverware they wanted, the Windermere Prep Lakers can go into next season with a bright squad that has the capability to go all the way.
Windermere Boys’ Basketball is Ready to Play. by Kaden Bauer The Boys Basketball Program at Windermere Prep consists of 6 teams, starting with a 6th grade team and building all the way up to the State Championship varsity team. Over the past week, all 6 teams started their seasons, with many teams bringing home wins. On Tuesday, November 22nd, WPS had 4 of the teams on the boy’s side competing as well as the varsity girls basketball team. The girls competed hard against a very good Poinciana
team, and ended up with their first loss of the season, dropping their record to 2-1. Results for the boys teams: 7th Grade Boys vs Foundation: L 33-42 Stat Leaders: Sai Srinivasan (12 points), Jayden Williams (10 points) 9th Grade Boys vs Foundation: W 40-29 Stat Leaders: Rick Walcott (15 points), Cole Nabavi (12 points)
6th Grade Boys vs Orangewood Christian: W 43-20 Stat Leaders: Mason Williams (18 points), Walker Curtis (8 points) 8th Grade Boys vs Orangewood Christian: W 33-26 Stat Leader: Ricky Reeth (11 points) 9th Grade Boys vs Orangewood Christian: W 53-41 Stat Leader: Cole Nabavi (23 points) On Friday and Saturday, the defending State Champion varsity boy’s team saw their first action of the season. The Lakers took on Wekiva HS on Friday, losing 64-44. Stat leaders for the game were newcomer Rahsaan Lewis (10 points, 6 steals) and David Nickelberry (8 points). The varsity team turned around on Saturday to compete in the Breast Cancer Awareness Classic against Oviedo High School. The Lakers returned to their typical form with a convincing 71-53 victory. David Nickelberry lead the way for WPS (18 poins, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals), with Xion Golding (15 points, 4 assists, 3 steals), Rahsaan Lewis (11 points, 5 assists, 6 steals), Will Seelman (12 points, 7 rebounds), and Shaquan Jules (9 points, 6 rebounds) all contributing big numbers to the win. It will be another busy week for boy’s basketball. Today, the 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grade teams are all in action, highlighted by the 9th grade team’s home game against Poinciana High School at 7pm. Tuesday, 6th grade plays at home against The Christ School at 4:15pm, followed by the home openers for JV and Varsity basketball against Melbourne High School (6:00pm, 7:30pm). On Wednesday, boys JV and Varsity travel for a tough matchup against Tampa Catholic.
11/11/16 - 12/07/16 • Florida Sporting News
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Windermere Girls’ Soccer on the RISE With the highest turnout in WPS history, the Girls Soccer program now boasts varsity, junior varsity, and middle school teams. All three teams were in action this week, and all three brought home victories! Varsity Girls Soccer The Varsity girls soccer team beat Haines City High School on the road on Wednesday night 5-0. The girls are off to a great start this season with a 4-2 record. Their next game is against district opponent Lake Highland. JV Girls Soccer
This is the first year WPS has fielded a JV girls soccer team. The girls are working hard and off to great start. They have a 2-0 record. Tuesday night they recorded a victory against Celebration High School winning 1-0. MS Girls Soccer The middle school girl’s soccer team is off to a strong start this season. They had a big win on Tuesday against Orangewood Christian beating them 1-0. The girls are 4-2 on the season and will be preparing for their next game which is at home.
UCF football will stay home, play in Cure Bowl Scott Frost will lead UCF football to its eighth bowl game appearance before a hometown crowd, with the Knights are scheduled to face Arkansas State at Camping World Stadium in the AutoNation Cure Bowl Dec. 17. It will be a short trip for fans and somewhat of a walk down memory lane as the stadium, previously called the Citrus Bowl, served as UCF’s home football stadium from 1979 until 2006. “I think it’s wonderful that we get to play here in the great city of Orlando in the stadium UCF played at for a number of years,” Frost said. “I think it’s gonna give us an opportunity to have a lot of fans from the university and from the city to get another chance to see us play. I think it’s gonna make travel and logistics easy for our football team and I can’t wait to give our seniors another chance to play football.” Frost said he doesn’t know much about the Knights’ opponent, but he looks forward to studying more as UCF prepares for the game. “Arkansas State I think started off slow this year and has really come on toward the end of the year,” he said. “We’ll work in the next few days and weeks to get to know them better and start developing a game plan. I’m excited for both teams and for the chance to get to play right here in Orlando.” This is the second year of existence for the Cure Bowl, which features teams from the American Athletic Conference and the Sun Belt Conference. Due to a lack of available teams last season, San Jose State was invited in place of an AAC team. The Spartans defeated Georgia State 27-16. Other bowl games that were in contention to invite UCF included the Boca Raton Bowl, the Miami Beach Bowl, the Bahamas Bowl and the St. Pete Bowl. Sources told the Orlando Sentinel UCF administrators wanted to stay local in hopes of selling more of their allotted tickets to the bowl game. That sentiment was shared by Cure Bowl representatives, who felt the Knights had a better chance of filling the stadium. Landing a hometown team for any bowl game is a bonus and Cure Bowl executive Alan Gooch said it took a bit of wrangling to keep UCF local. “I don’t think it’s any surprise or any secret that UCF is one of the large assets in the American Athletic Conference,” said Gooch, a former player and coach for the Knights. “Everybody understands they do a great job traveling wherever they go and so wrestling them away from Miami and St. Pete was a little work but it was a lot of fun and we were glad that we were able to land the big fish.” Frost, who led UCF to a 6-6 turnaround in his first season, is looking to help the Knights win their first bowl game since defeating Baylor in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl. Overall, UCF is 3-4 in bowl games.
Arkansas State promises to make that a challenge. The Red Wolves (7-5 overall, 7-1 Sun Belt) boast a stout defense that ranks No. 2 among FBS teams in team tackles for loss and No. 12 in sacks. Led by third year coach Blake Anderson, Arkansas State recently defeated Texas State 36-14 to clinch a share of the Sun Belt Conference title. The Red Wolves are 2-4 in bowl game appearances having clinched their last victory against Ball State in the
2013 GoDaddy Bowl. UCF and Arkansas State faced each other once before in 1991. Former Knights running back Willie English set a single game 242 yards rushing record during the team’s 31-20 win at the Red Wolves’ home. Coincidentally, Arkansas State athletic director Terry Mohajir played in that 1991 game against UCF as a safety for the Red Wolves.
Page 8 Florida Sporting News • 11/11/16 - 12/07/16
Foundation Academy Wrap Up a Strong Season by Greyson Everidge WINTER GARDEN – The Foundation Academy Lions, coached by Brad Lord, finished the 2016 campaign with some bad luck, but it shouldn’t take anything away from the Lions who played well the whole season, finishing (7-5). Foundation suffered an opening day loss to their bigger neighbors West Orange by a score of 36-3, but only climbed upward from that point on. Although they lost in three of their opening four, there were positives to take from each game, which they used to their advantage in the coming games during the middle portion of the season. The losses game to The First Academy by a score of 22-7, and Northside Christian by a score of 21-7. In the middle of those two games the Lions won away on the
road to Carrollwood by a score of 42-7. After those opening losses Foundation launched themselves into a three game winning streak, which saw them win big against St. Petersburg by a score of 40-14, Cornerstone Charter by a score of 61-0, and Jordan Christian Prep by a score of 27-0. A loss to Victory Christian Academy by a score of 24-16 was the only thing standing in the way of yet another three game winning streak, which carried them into the playoffs. Harvest Community and West Oaks Academy were the two that fell in the regular season, with Trinity Christian Academy losing in the first round of playoffs by a score of 59-14.
The Lions season ended in the second round of playoffs with a loss to Victory Christian Academy by a score of 35-28, which saw the Lions lose in overtime in a tight and entertaining game. They maintained a strong defense throughout the season, and had a strong running game through running back Jaquane Patterson, who accounted for most of the running yards picked up this season. Senior quarterback Jacob Titus also had strong showings throughout the season, picking up yardage for the team game in and game out. All said and done, the Lions have much too look forward to in the 2017/18 school year.
Boone Football Finish With Average Season by Greyson Everidge ORLANDO – The Boone Braves finished the 2016 year with an average record, sitting even at (5-5), while also sitting even in district play with a (2-2) record. Head Coach Andy Johnson worked with the team throughout the year, and a couple of bad breaks went against the Braves over the course of the year which could have possibly shifted results other ways. All said and done, the Braves have both positives and negatives to take away from this season as they already start to look ahead to the upcoming year. The Braves started the season a little roughly, losing their opening two matches. The first was a fairly heavy loss to Lake Brantley by a score of 45-21, which saw them lack in most
areas across the field. The second loss game against Wekiva which saw them lose 28-21, as the tightened up areas that proved to be weak in the opening game. They took this lesson to heart, using it to propel them to a three game winning streak. The streak saw them beat Lyman in a shutout by a score of 27-0, University by a score of 35-7, and Lake Nona by a tight score of 138. The wins pushed them positive and gave them good momentum in preparation for their game against Jones, which ultimately saw them lose by a huge margin of 85-10. They went on to lose two more, this time coming against Timber Creek and
Winter Park by scores of 30-20 and 28-19 respectively. Sitting at (3-5) with two games remaining in the season the Braves went on to win their next two. The first was a district game against Colonial which saw them win on the road by a score of 42-30, and the second with a shutout at Edgewater by a score of 44-0. The Braves failed to qualify for the playoffs this year, but will look to make a comeback and accomplish playoff ambitions again next year.
11/11/16 - 12/07/16 • Florida Sporting News
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Bishop Moore Football Have Yet Another Strong Season by Greyson Everidge ORLANDO – Reigning 8A State Champions Bishop Moore had yet another great season, and although they didn’t make it to the State Finals or take home a ring, they made a lot of fans and families proud. They worked hard the whole year, and ended up finishing the season with a (12-2) record, and an undefeated (4-0) record in district play. Bishop Moore had a strong attacking style in both running and passing this
TFA Advances in the rotary Tip-Off Classic
year under Head Coach Matt Hedrick, which helped the Hornets to wins in their opening two games. The first game was a large win on the road against Edgewater by a score 42-6. The attacking prowess of the Hornets was definitely on show this game, giving up only one touchdown to start off the season. The second win was against Lyman by a score of 35-13, with the Hornets showing similar attacking play to get the job done.
and the Hornets found themselves in the playoffs. The won their first round game against Merritt Island by a tight score of 21-19. The second playoff game was yet another tight one, with the Hornets winning by one touchdown by a score of 21-14 against Palm Bay. The third and final game of the playoffs which saw Bishop Moore exit the tournament was against American Heritage, which saw them lose 20-7.
The only loss in the regular season came against University at home in a tight 3833 loss, which saw the Hornets loosen up on defense just enough to concede the loss. They rallied after the loss, making sure the next time they would lose would be when it was all over.
Despite the loss against American Heritage, the Hornet’s had another highly successful season, losing just once in the regular season. Moving into next year things look promising, with plenty of young talent to ensure the future is bright for Bishop Moore.
The rally consisted of 10 wins in a row, giving the Hornets a nearly perfect record. Fast forward through 8 of those games
ORLANDO – Reigning 8A State Champions Bishop Moore had yet another great season, and although they didn’t make it to the State Finals or take home a ring, they made a lot of fans and families proud. They worked hard the whole year, and ended up finishing the season with a (12-2) record, and an undefeated (4-0) record in district play. Bishop Moore had a strong attacking style in both running and passing this year under Head Coach Matt Hedrick, which helped the Hornets to wins in their opening two games. The first game was a large win on the road against Edgewater by a score 42-6. The attacking prowess of the Hornets was definitely on show this game, giving up only one touchdown to start off the season. The second win was against Lyman by a score of 35-13, with the Hornets showing similar attacking play to get the job done. The only loss in the regular season came against University at home in a tight 38-33 loss, which saw the Hornets loosen up on defense just enough to concede the loss. They rallied after the loss, making sure the next time they would lose would be when it was all over. The rally consisted of 10 wins in a row, giving the Hornets a nearly perfect record. Fast forward through 8 of those games and the Hornets found themselves in the playoffs. The won their first round game against Merritt Island by a tight score of 21-19. The second playoff game was yet another tight one, with the Hornets winning by one touchdown by a score of 21-14 against Palm Bay. The third and final game of the playoffs which saw Bishop Moore exit the tournament was against American Heritage, which saw them lose 20-7. Despite the loss against American Heritage, the Hornet’s had another highly successful season, losing just once in the regular season. Moving into next year things look promising, with plenty of young talent to ensure the future is bright for Bishop Moore.
Page 10 Florida Sporting News • 11/11/16 - 12/07/16
The President of Your Fan Club by Dr. Chris Cortman
In part one, we explored the parent as sports fanatic, often living life vicariously through the child’s athletic achievements, much to the family’s embarrassment. Part two OK, you can admit it now, you’ve been a little over the top when it comes too little Justin’s ball games. So you’ve agreed to lighten up on the umpire’s optometrist and have vowed never to lace the little guy’s juice boxes with performance-enhancing chemicals. After all, your aim is to promote Justin, not saddle him with performance anxiety and deep emotional wounds. But even after you’ve been told to knock it down a few notches by coaches, umpires, officials – and your wife – you still find yourself overheating after a bad call. What to do? Allow me to suggest three tips that may help you to be that guy everyone appreciates in the stands, not the one that prompts the other parents to roll their eyes in unison upon your arrival. 1) Be realistic: While we’d all love to sire Ken Griffey,Jr, it is a bit of a longshot. You have a better chance of singing a duet with Lady Gaga at the Super Bowl then watching little Justin quarterback it. Unfortunately, the odds are astronomically against your child becoming a professional athlete – I’m thinking Powerball odds here – even if he seems to have
more potential than any of the backup point guard’s on his freshman basketball team. Professional athletics, while always competitive, today feature the creme de la creme, with extra cream, just to get a shot. Your kid must be uniquely skilled: carved out of granite, stronger than morning breath and faster than high school gossip for beginnings. S/he must possess a stable temperament, 500 community hours and an SAT score to beat the band. (Yes, every musician in the band.) Just in case that’s not Justin’s case, it’s OK. Most of us are not astronauts, rock stars or professional athletes, and still live reasonably happy lives. 2) Sports are meant to be fun– your job is to make sure it is by being encouraging. According to the research, as many as 70% of young athletes drop out of team sports by age 13, citing a lack of fun as their main reason for doing so. (Monitor on psychology, American Psychological Association, November 2016). Where did the fun go? Well, for one thing there is too much of an emphasis on winning at all costs and not enough on playing for the fun of it. What can be done? An approach developed and studied over the past 35 years by a couple of psychologists from the University of Washington named Smith and Smoll, trains coaches to praise athletes for effort and dedication, not just for winning. The approach is called the Mastery Approach to Coaching, and helps teams make their own rules so they are more likely to follow them. Their research suggest that Smith and Smoll have found the approach leads to better coach – athlete relationships, lower performance anxiety, team harmony, improved self-mastery and esteem and, perhaps most importantly, more fun. >> And what can you do personally? How about ensuring that everything that flows from your mouth, parent, needs to be encouraging or…
Never said. You know that adage, “if you don’t have anything nice (encouraging) to say, don’t say anything at all” ? What about corrections, you ask? There is a time and a place to help your young athlete by teaching him/her important skills of the game. Those teachable moments are never humiliating, and not in front of the other teammates, unless it’s an opportunity to teach the entire team without ridiculing the one player. There is a litmus test that you can use: there is a parent in the stands that you can run your words in front of before saying them to the players. Chances are, they may help you tweak your words so they sound more positive and encouraging. Remember that the young athlete will most often turn to the safe adults when asking for advice on improving their game. One more thing: mom and dad, make sure your encouragement takes the same line of direction, so as not to send mixed signals to your athlete child. 3) Sports is the best education your child may ever have -including the classroom. Participation in youth sports is an extraordinary opportunity for children to play, learn, connect, sacrifice for others, celebrate, lose, learn sportsmanship, excel, experience humility, strive for excellence, learn more humility, taste defeat, bounce back, give it all and win, give it all and lose, tap into unknown personal reservoirs, feel depleted, do the impossible, feel the zone, feel uncoordinated, feel unstoppable, cry in pain, cry for joy, become injured, rehab that injury, but learn more about self than in any psychology course. Add all of that up, and participation in sports may be the sum of all things that you will learn and experience in your personal journey. It is, in fact, the great metaphor for life.
11/11/16 - 12/07/16 • Florida Sporting News
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Foundation Academy Wrap Up a Strong Season by Greyson Everidge
Once again, Foundation Academy’s Troupe 7059 of the International Thespian Society is going to State! On November 19th, 13 FA drama students competed with over 1,000 other drama students from all over Orange County in the District 5 Thespian Competition and 7 of them scored Superiors, which qualifies them for the state competition in March in Tampa—the largest Thespian competition in the world! Thespians going on to state are Brittany S, Maddi D, Casey K, Madison M, Abby D, Susannah C, and Madison F. Way to go Thespians! We are so proud to call you Lions!
Olympia Football Lose In First Playoff Game by Greyson Everidge WINDERMERE – The Olympia Titans have nothing to be ashamed about this season, as they concluded the year with (6-4) record, finishing (3-1) in the district. Head Coach Kyle Hayes coached the team to a solid year, with more to look ahead to next season for the Titans. The opening game of the season saw the Titans lose by a score of 42-12 to Seminole High, who are currently sitting with a State Final Four game to play. Despite the opening day loss the Titans went on to win five in a row, starting with East River, whom the beat 20-13. They next played Colonial, who they beat
comfortably by a score of 54-27. The third game of the winning streak was played against district opponents Cypress Creek, who they Titans dispatched by a score of 40-14. The Titans had a balanced game, with one of the few standouts being senior Chris Sipp, who received for 72 yards on 6 throws.
Olympia beat Oak Ridge by a score of 27-13 before losing to Winter Park 26-12 heading into the playoffs. The Titans would play their first game in the post season against Riverview, which saw them ultimately lose by a score of 56-15. The Titans didn’t look that great around the board, and were disappointing in the grand scheme of things. The next game was played against Evans, who The game didn’t take anything away from lost 31-16. The Titans then went on to win team who had a great season looking back. on the road to district opponents Freedom, beating the Patriots by a score of 26-15. In a With this year’s season under their belt and game which spelled the end of the win streak the potential for improvement within the team, even though it was expected, the Titans lost the Titans have much to look forward to when to Dr. Phillips by a score of 24-14. The game next season eventually rolls around. actually ended tighter than most fans expected it would.
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Jones Wants to Play Bishop Moore in Football Again! Bishop Moore has won 35 consecutive district football games dating to 2008, but that streak could get a stiff challenge in the next two seasons if former rival Jones rejoins the Hornets’ district.
will join 2015 state champion Bishop Moore as the heavy favorites in a district that also includes Eustis, Poinciana, South Lake and Tavares. “It’s always good to have another district game,” said Bishop Moore coach Matt Hedrick. “But obviously Jones is going to be really hard to beat with Elijah there.”
Jones, which is coming off a 10-2 season in which it suffered both of its losses to Class 4A state finalist Cocoa, submitted a request to the Florida High School Athletic Association on Friday to be move up one class and join 5A, District 13 – which Bishop Moore has dominated. “The biggest reason this fits for us is because we just like the idea of playing for a district championship,” first-year Jones coach Elijah Williams said after his school finalized the decision in an afternoon meeting. Friday was the deadline for schools to appeal to be moved up from the lower four classifications, 1A through 4A, which will no longer have districts in the new FHSAA football format approved for 2017 and 2018.
The move would make Jones ineligible for a Metro Conference title because it will not have room for six required conference games in a 10-game regular season schedule.
The top four classes, 5A through 8A, retain districts with 16 champions per class earning automatic playoff berths. The other four berths per region will be determined by a points system that factors in wins, losses and the final record for all opponents played.
“There’s no scenario where we could play for both a Metro and district title, unless we went all the way up to 8A, which wouldn’t be fair for our kids,” Williams said. Williams said he has verbal agreements to play Metro rivals Oak Ridge, Evans and Edgewater in non-district games and he hopes to continue to play Cocoa. That would leave only one date to fill.
If granted its request, which seems likely, Jones
Wekiva Football End A Strong Season by Greyson Everidge
ORLANDO – The Wekiva Mustangs, off the 30-21, but there are many back of a decent 2015 season, made good on good things to take from not only the last chances this season, finishing the year out with a (7-4) record. The finished (2-1) in district play, which was good enough to earn them a spot in the playoffs this year. Led by Head Coach Rich Bedesem, the Mustangs had some entertaining showings this year. Their opening game resulted in a loss against Dr. Phillips by a score of 287, which dampened the start of the season. The Mustangs didn’t let the loss get to them, and went on to win their next two to take their record positive. The wins against both Boone and University proved to be crucial toward their end of year playoff push. They were off and on for most the season, with their next game coming against Timber Creek which ended in a 19-7 loss. The back and forth continued with another win against Winter Park by a score of 35-7. They beat Evans 27-6, but lost to Apopka by a score of 38-31. They won their next three against Ocoee, West Orange and East River. The game against Ocoee ended in a 21-7 win. It was critical to revamping their play, while also putting a dent in Ocoee’s. It was also good to get a win against West Orange by a score of 4920 because West Orange had beaten them in each of the last two seasons in district play. The East River game ended 48-14 for the Mustangs as they headed into their first playoff game against Winter Park. They had beaten Winter Park earlier in the year by a score of 35-7, but couldn’t keep it together for the game in the playoffs, exciting the tournament in the first round. The Mustangs lost
game but season as they look ahead for the 2017 year.
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Lake Highland Football Go 7-3 But Miss Playoffs By Greyson Everidge LAKE HIGHLAND – The Lake Highland Prep Highlanders had a good season by most accounts, going (7-3), but their district record of (2-2) prevented them from making an appearance in the playoffs this year. For most teams a (7-3) record would have been plenty good enough to make a bid in the postseason. They opened up the year with three wins from three, getting a little lucky on the second through a win by forfeit against Marco Island. The first win was against Lake Weir by a score of 36-19 and the second came against Seven Rivers Christian by a score of 42-6, dominating both running and passing attacking plays while showing strong defense for the second game in row. They lost to Cocoa by a score of 49-24 before winning three more in a row. In the next round of three wins, the Highlander put up strong offensive numbers scoring 41, 56 and 51 points against Atlantic, South Lake and Astronaut respectively. Two losses followed to Berkely Prep and Jones in district play, losing 35-28 and then 41-13. The final game of the season was a win against Trinity Prep at Trinity Prep by a score of 50-10. As typically seen throughout the whole season, the Highlanders put up good numbers offensively while still maintaining a defensive hold on the other team. Due to these offensive numbers and seemingly solid defense it was a bit surprising seeing them fail to qualify for the playoffs, but it came down to some bad luck in the way the district standings played out. Lake Highland will look to improve next season in the hopes of making an appearance in the playoffs this time next year.
FOUNDATION ACADEMY CROSS COUNTRY SHINED THIS SEASON An Outstanding performances by every member of the Foundation Academy Team at the Varsity Cross Country District Meet. Each runner went out and truly attacked the course–the results were a testament to their hard work and commitment
to the team. For the ladies, it was a strong end to the season that left everyone with high hopes and expectations for the future. And the men’s team qualified as a team to compete in the regional meet next Saturday in Melbourne! This is the first men’s
regional appearance in school history. A highlight of the meet was the performance of Zach L, who earned the title of MVP of the FA District Meet. Not only did Zach post a respectable 23:48–a very strong time considering it was his
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first 5k of the year–he also helped during the race. Zach stopped to help two runners from another team who were struggling to make it up the hill on their second lap. He then went on to finish the race hard and give his best effort. Zach displayed character and commitment to excellence! Other Foundation runners also showed excellence– read below for their results! Maya P finished with a 29:19, which was 41 seconds below her goal and well under her best race of the year. Paige F finished 22nd at 23:40, which was 20 seconds below her goal. Expect to see Paige at regionals next year… Birhanu V finished 6th overall at 18:06, which qualified him as an individual runner for regionals. Nathan W posted 18:40, shattering his goal and finishing 12th overall. He also qualified as an individual runner for regionals. Pedro F came in at 20:12, almost a full minute below his goal and finished 34nd. Felipe F destroyed his goal by almost 2 minutes, running a 20:47 and posting a strong number to help the team advance. Jacob S also beat his goal, posting a 21:59 and cracking the top 50.
11/11/16 - 12/07/16 • Florida Sporting News
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