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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEGACY ELEVEN PHOTOGRAPHY.
Ava Knauer is an extra coach on the foor and is an excellent three-point shooter.
The Bloomingdale Lady Bulls basketball team is of to one of its best starts in their school’s history with a 9-0 record. According to maxpreps.com, the Lady Bulls are ranked 21 in the state of Florida and fifth in the 6A Division.
Bloomingdale made a huge statement win when they defeated defending state champion Plant 61-59 on a buzzer beater by Angelina Aberin in the second game of the season. The win gave them confidence that they can compete with anybody and has been a measuring stick for the rest of the season. The team chemistry and passion for the game is palpable with this group of players.
“What I believe is making this season successful so far is how bonded we are as a team and the amount of work we put in to reaching our goals,” said junior guard Ava Knauer. “Five days a week, we have ‘breakfast club’ where we get shots up and work on our weaknesses before school even starts each day.”
The team has a nice mix of young and veteran talent. The junior class is their biggest with five student-athletes, many of whom have played major roles for the team in the last three seasons. They have four seniors as well.
The Lady Bulls are a very deep and talented team that can play with up to 13 players in any given game. They wear their opponents out with their athleticism and constant ball pressure. The deep roster also allows the team to have tough, competitive practices that prepare the team for success. They will attack the rim with their dribble-drive ofense and kick out to their shooters if the layup isn’t there, and they have bags that clean up the glass with ease if necessary.
“What I enjoy most about playing for Bloomingdale is that everyone is so close to each other and there’s great team chemistry,” said junior point guard Aissatou (Aissa) Diallo. “Whenever someone is down, there’s always going to be someone to pick you up—always. One thing that I’ve learned so far at Bloomingdale that I never thought about is that every game is the biggest game of the year. Anyone can beat anyone on any given night, especially when you have a target on your back.”
Key players include senior point guard and co-captain Joline (JoJo) Raposo, junior guard Knauer, junior forward/center Kyrstin Wolf, junior point guard Diallo and senior guard and co-captain Kaylie Lewis.
“Our goal is to win a district title because I know how much it will mean to our coach, and he truly deserves it,” said Raposo. “It would mean a lot for the team because of everything we’ve been through so far. I
Joline Raposo leads the team with 10.7 points per game. know this is an expectation we all have for ourselves.”
Bloomingdale is led by 11-year Head Coach Joel Bower, who is very excited about his team’s chances of winning its first district championship since 1995. Bower is impressed with his team’s work ethic and love of the game. His team mantra that he’s been preaching to his players is to enjoy the journey because the journey is the destination. There is no doubt that the Lady Bulls are the team to beat in District 6A-11.
“I’m just excited for what the rest of the season will bring,” said Wolf. “Going through this with this team, my sisters, makes it even more exciting. Having such a deep bench, it doesn’t matter who is on the court, we are cheering. We know if one of us is down or of there will be another one there to pick us up. This group is closer than any team I’ve been on. It shows on and of the court.”
Te Bloomingdale Lady Bulls basketball team is of to one of its best starts in their school’s history with a 9-0 record. Kyrstin Wolf can score inside the paint and outside the three-point line and is a leading rebounder. Aissa Diallo is a key player, averaging 10.1 points per game.
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF TRACEY SELLERS
NEWSOME STANDOUTS SIGN TO PLAY D-I FOOTBALL AT EARLY SIGNING DAY
Jason Albritton and Ryan Eckley were major assets for the Newsome football program over the last four years. Their commitment paid of, as they both achieved their dreams of becoming Division I athletes when they inked pen to paper during the early signing period on December 15.
Running back Albritton was a four-year starter for the Wolves and carried the bulk on ofense for the last three seasons. This past season, he led the team with 226 carries for a team-high 1,405 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and 14 touchdowns. Newsome finished 8-3 and made the playofs for the third season in a row. Albritton has signed to play at the University of South Florida and will major in business.
“It’s something that I’ve been working towards since I can remember,” said Albritton. “I’ve known for a while now that USF was the place that I wanted to be. The night they ofered was something that I had been looking forward to for years.” Newsome Head Football Coach Christian Yockey will miss coaching both players.
“Both kids were great leaders and brought great energy to practice,” said Yockey. Albritton’s legacy will be just how hard he practiced and played. “He was tough as nails and really wore defenses out through an entire game. I know a lot of coaches in our area will be happy to not see No. 10 on a Newsome uniform,” Yockey added.
Eckley was the team’s punter/kicker and was the key cog for the Wolves on special teams for the last four seasons as a starter. This season, he had a 42.6-yards-per-punt average and 36 touchbacks on kickofs. The kicker made 28 of 32 point-after attempts and eight of 10 field goals, with a long of 47 yards. Eckley has signed to play for Michigan State in the fall and will major in kinesiology.
“Michigan State is the right fit for me because it really has a great college atmosphere,” said Eckley. “The football games are energetic, and it is definitely a fun place to be. I moved from the Midwest and still have lots of family in the area. My goals are to become an NCAA punt aver-
age leader. The end goal is to progress and prove myself to be a next-level player and get picked up to the NFL.” Yockey likes Eckley’s chances of having a pro career in the future. “Ryan forced teams to drive the length of the field with his ability to pin teams deep on punts and kicks,” said Yockey. “He has a chance to be an NFL Ryan Eckley signed to play for punter. He has a huge leg Michigan State. and the ability to do great things at the next level.” Albritton looks forward to helping build the same consistency at USF that he did at Newsome. He is grateful for his coaches and teammates that helped him achieve his goals. “It’s a young program with a relatively new coach who is eager to have hardworking guys. I like the way their ofense is run, and I feel like I can be a good piece to the puzzle,” said Albritton. “I’m really thankful for all of the teammates and coaches who’ve helped me along the way. I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Jason Albritton and Ryan Eckley were major assets for the Newsome football program over the last four years. Jason Albritton signed to play for the University of South Florida.
