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Observer YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

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SPORTS

The top athletes and teams of 2015 are named.

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by Arden White | Staff Intern

New PCHS clubs part of vision One of PCHS principal Susan Sullivan’s goals was to get students more involved. Service and hobby clubs were a way to do it.

+ Students place at speech contest Trapnell Elementary School hosted its 4-H Tropicana Speech Contest Tuesday, Dec. 15. Plant City Times & Observer News Reporter Emily Topper enjoyed being a contest judge.

THE WINNERS Fourth Grade First: Shelina Persad Second: Destiny Montalvo Third: Victoria Chavez Fifth Grade First: Sean Nicolatos Second: Bailey Zapata Third: Dennisha Williams

+ Thespian troupe takes stage Strawberry Crest High School Thespian Troupe #7490 took home an “Excellent” rating for its performance of “Alienated” at the District 9 One Act Festival.

This is the second highest rating troupes can achieve.

Will Sippel also recieved an award for AllStar Cast.

Cast members of “Alienated” include: Jennifer Caldwell, Nikitha Chandran, Shelby Daniel, Brianna Doane, Reni Fashoro, Kristen Gaertner, Samuel Jennings, Anthony Johnson, Jessica Lawrence, Kate Luke, Hudda Malik, Ruby Moore, Raul Ordaz, Jasmine Philipoom, Paula Pierce, Jared Pierson, Talia Reinoso, Caitlyn Rooms, Will Sippel, Megan Schultz, Kyle Tears, Lexi Wallace, Tabitha Westrate, Will White, Stephanie Woerner, Kyle Xiong and Charlotte Yang

+ Rotary gives dictionaries The Daybreak Plant City Rotary Club continued its tradition of giving dictionaries to schools in the Plant City area this year.

Club members stamped the books with a special Rotary seal on Monday, Nov. 30. They delivered them to different elementary schools Monday, Dec. 7.

Rotarians who took part in the deliveries include Bruce Rodwell, George Banning, Christine Miller, Carole Wright, Rob Evans, Dan Orrico and Mary Ann Parrish.

The elementary schools who received the books were Walden Lake, Wilson, Trapnell, Burney and Springhead.

During the 2015-16 school year, there have been five new school clubs started at Plant City High School. These include: Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Ladies’ Quest, Teenage Republicans, Young Democrats and Bringing Our Lives Direction.

“By establishing more clubs, more students are given the chance to participate in more extracurricular activities and take on a leadership role,” Susan Sullivan, principal at Plant City High School, said. “We encourage all students to be

Members of the newly formed Teenage Republican Club at PCHS worked the Sunshine Summit in Orlando in November.

They were able to hear from Republican presidential candidates.

involved in multiple clubs and believe it is directly correlated to their academic success.”

FCA

Fellowship of Christian Athletes, commonly known as FCA, was reintroduced to PCHS during the 2015-16 school year.

“It’s one thing to just pray with our girls’ soccer team, but it is even better when we can bring all of our athletes together to have fun and wor-

SEE CLUBS / PAGE 4

DRINK UP by Emily Topper | Staff Writer

Watch out, Strawberry.

Here is Watermelon.

Desmond Williams has teamed up with Plant City’s Wish Farms to bring a healthy watermelon juice drink that rivals sugary sports drinks.

About AquaMelon

Grocery store shoppers might have noticed a new pink drink popping up in stores across the Tampa Bay area.

Missouri native Desmond “Dez” Williams is the co-founder of AquaMelon, a healthy watermelon drink for athletes, health nuts and watermelon aficionados. The drink is made of pure watermelon juice, without any preservatives or GMOs. Williams and his team — which includes help from CEO of Plant City’s Wish Farms, Gary Wishnatzki — created AquaMelon to be the healthy, fruity alternative to popular, sugary sports drinks.

For more information about AquaMelon, or investment or chain retail opportunities, visit the AquaMelon website: DrinkAquaMelon.com Email: dwilliams@aquamelonwater.com.

MELON POWER

Williams came up with the idea for AquaMelon while training for the Tough Mudder, a mud run. During training, Williams and his girlfriend would place halves of watermelons in the fridge. When they returned from a tough training, they would devour them.

“We would come back exhausted, and we would just take a spoon to these watermelon,” Williams said.

After finishing the watermelon, Williams began drinking the juice that was left at the bottom of the skin.

Dez Williams is the cofounder of AquaMelon, a drink exclusive to the Tampa Bay area.

Emily Topper

He noticed that he felt great after drinking it. It spurred him to look up the benefits of watermelon. Watermelon juice is full of vitamins and minerals, and is great for healthy kidneys, weight loss and blood circulation.

Once Williams realized the health benefits and how many other athletes also drank watermelon juice, he decided that a drink form should be commercially available, without any unhealthy additions or preservatives.

With a plan for a product in mind, Williams knew that he and his team, including cofounders Ashley Auguste and Joseph Hunter, needed advice, but they could not afford expensive consultants. Williams enrolled at the University

SEE MELON / PAGE 2

WATERMELON FUN FACTS

• Watermelons contains vita-

mins A, B6 and C, which help the immune system and eyes.

• A watermelon is 92% water.

• Watermelon delivers lycopene — which has been studied for its potential role in reducing risk of heart disease, various cancers and protection to skin from harmful UV rays.

• Farmers grow watermelon in

rows (8 to 12 feet apart) and in raised beds (4 to 12 inches high) composed of well drained sandy soils.

• Watermelon pickers look for a pale or buttery yellow spot on the bottom of the watermelon, indicating ripeness.

SOURCE: watermelon.org

INDEX

BONDING TIME

by Arden White | Staff Intern

Register for Daddy Daughter Dance The Plant City Recreation and Parks Department’s dance fills up fast.

The seventh annual Daddy Daughter Dance isn’t until February, but only 150 couples can attend — and the guest list fills up fast.

Registration begins Monday, Jan. 4, at the Plant City Recreation and Parks, 1904 S. Park Road, and goes until Friday, Feb. 12. The dance will be Saturday, Feb. 20, at the John R. Trinkle Center The doors will open at 3:15 p.m. to give families the chance to take pictures together and allow the girls to receive flowers before the father figures and girls enter the event at 4 p.m. The guests then sit down at the dining tables to enjoy a catered meal while they watch the opening entertainment. It’s after this that the couples get the chance to dance together on the floor.

Although it is called the Daddy Daughter Dance, all dads and daughters, grandfathers and granddaughters, uncles and nieces, and father figures are invited to attend.

“We’ve sold out the past few years, and it’s what we hope and expect to do again this year,” Deborah Haldane, program manager, said. “It’s really such a great event because the girls and father figures get great quality time together.”

Throughout the night the recreation and parks staff will be taking pictures of each couple.

“My favorite part of the whole event is getting to see

SEE DANCE / PAGE 2 Vol. 3, No. 21 | One section

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CLUBS / PAGE 1 ship as a whole at FCA,” Deanna Rodriguez, club member, said.

FCA is led by Ashlyn Yarbrough and Drew Knotts, co-presidents. The club provides a Christian environment where students can come together in fellowship in school.

“I think FCA is going to be a great thing to have back at Plant City High School,” Yarbrough said.

“Our goal is to get all of the teams involved in some way and hopefully that will spread the love of Jesus in an incredible way. I’m so excited to what God has in store for us and the school.”

FCA is co-sponsored by Walter Baucon and Caleb Roberts.

“Our focus is to provide another positive environment at school for the students,” Roberts said.

LADIES QUEST

Ladies Quest is a service club dedicated to sisterhood and helping the community.

“Our focus is to uplift and inspire young women,” Keira Davis, president of Ladies Quest, said. “We are going to

DANCE / PAGE 1 the precious moments the dads and daughters share together,” Haldane said.

The Daddy Daughter Dance has changed since it started.

Originally, the event was held at the Planteen Recreation Center and donated food from members of the community served as the guests’ meal. Since then, it has been moved to the John R. Trinkle Center and has catered food, along with a wide variety of entertainment.

“We love to have opening entertainment for the guests and have had various acts,” Haldane said. “We’ve had everything from magicians to Disney characters.”

The Plant City Recreation Department accepts cash, credit card or a check payable to the City of Plant City. Visit PlantCityGov.com or call (813) 659-4255.

try to get the middle school girls to do service activities with us. We also pair up with Gentlemen’s Quest and do activities with them as well.”

In Ladies Quest, the club focuses on bonding, etiquette and team building.

“My favorite part about being in the club is bonding and being a big sister to the younger girls,” Lacey Hargrove, club member, said. “Being able to establish a relationship that will last a lifetime is one of the best parts. I’m so grateful to be able to have a positive impact in their lives.”

Ladies Quest has been sponsored by Kenyatta Shaw.

“Our members can benefit from being in the club because it helps their self-esteem and allows them to be involved in a group where they feel like they belong,” Shaw said.

TARS

Teenage Republicans, also known as TARS, is a national organization focused on educating Republican teens on current politics. Arie Fry decided to extend the chapter to Plant City High School in the 2015-16 school year. TARS allows students to hear from po-

About the dance When: 4 to 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 20 Where: John R. Trinkle Center, 1206 N. Park Road Registration: Begins Jan. 4 at the Plant City Recreation and Parks, 1904 S. Park Road. Only 150 couples can sign up.

The registration deadline is Friday, Feb. 12.

Price: $35 per couple and $10 for each additional person.

Dress: It is a formal dress occasion. Ties and dresses are encouraged.

Age: Girls must be 3 years old and up Arden White is a student at Plant City High School and an intern for the Plant City Times & Observer.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

litical speakers to help further their knowledge “I hope to grow in members and give kids the chance to meet amazing leaders and take kids across the state to learn about our government,” Arie Fry, president of the TARS PCHS Chapter, said.

TARS has been co-sponsored by Kay Ruel and Cliff Vance.

“Our goal is to make students more politically aware, so they can actively participate in politics,” Ruel said.

“We hope to make students more knowledgeable and give them the opportunity to learn about the candidates’ platforms.”

The members are given the opportunity to travel across Florida while learning about current republican candidates.

“It’s just an awesome experience to be more involved in politics and getting to meet the presidential candidates was great,” Ariel Navarrete, club member, said. “I even got a selfie with Jeb Bush.”

YOUNG DEMOCRATS

Young Democrats is the official youth arm of the Demo-

MELON / PAGE 1 of South Florida and founded the student incubator to get help with his business plan and to give other students a platform for their companies.

He has since earned a Master’s degree in business and entrepreneurship and will walk across the stage to accept his diploma in the spring.

“I went there specifically to start the company,” Williams said.

As the incubator and William’s development grew, he began looking for opportunities to grow his business.

With AquaMelon based in the Tampa Bay area, Williams and his team looked for a facility that was close to Tampa, with room to grow into chain stores.

“We knew we needed to partner with somebody that

cratic Party.

“My favorite thing about being in the club is feeling like I’m a part of a group and getting the chance to be more involved in politics,” Zoe Willis, club member, said.

During the 2015-16 school year, Trinity Lester decided to extend Young Democrats to Plant City High School.

“My primary goal for the club is to get students involved in the political process,” Lester said. “We provide a friendly and dynamic atmosphere for students to openly speak and share their opinions and questions, not only on politics but also on large pressing issues that affect every single one of us.”

Young Democrats is sponsored by Niki Carpenter.

“I hope to educate students more about the political system in America and help them stay informed,” Carpenter said. “As the students are becoming of voting age, they’ll be able to make informed decisions.”

ABOUT BOLD Bringing Our Lives Direction is sponsored by Ashley Booth and was founded by Plant City Times & Observer intern Arden White. BOLD strives to further students’ education about their career possibilities by hosting business leaders to speak and mentor. BOLD normally has two speakers for each club meeting and is focused on having a wide variety of speakers for the members to learn from. White asked Bryson Keel, vice president of BOLD, and Booth about their experiences in the club.

Arden White is a student at Plant City High School and an intern for the Plant City Times & Observer.

understood the infrastructure,” Williams said.

One of William’s mentors at USF introduced him to Wishnatzki.

After Williams pitched a way for AquaMelon to showcase some of the farm’s products, such as through an AquaBerry drink, Williams and Wishnatzki teamed up.

“He liked it and said, ‘Let’s partner up,’” Williams said.

“That’s how we got there.”

AquaMelon uses watermelons from Wish Farms.

The fruit is processed in the farm’s production facility, at 1205 Wood Court in Plant City.

WATERING THE ROOTS

From the time the idea for AquaMelon formed, Williams’ business endeavor has been extremely fast-paced.

Within nine months, he had

“My favorite thing about being in BOLD is gaining the opportunity to learn from successful people and getting to expand my horizons when it comes to future careers.’’

— Bryson Keel

“I’m so amazed at how the club is inspiring its members: some teenagers are more inspired after one hour listening to the generous speakers than they are in all four years of high school.”

— Ashley Booth

a prototype. Within a year and a half, he had a final shelf product.

The toughest part of producing AquaMelon, Williams said, was creating a scalable manufacturing process while maintaining the integrity and profitability of his product.

But with his team, he has created a product that is set to hit chain stores in the near future.

“As a start-up ... you can’t put more emphasis on the quality of your team,” Williams said. “That is literally the crust. If you believe, they will believe.”

Through partnerships and work with the business incubator, AquaMelon is on its way to becoming a wellknown staple throughout the Tampa Bay area.

AquaMelon can currently be found at Nutrition Smart, the Ritz-Carlton, Hank’s Cat-

fish & BBQ and on many Hillsborough Community College campuses. The drink, which is cold-pressed, is available in a variety of flavors, including Miami Mist, Cabana Breeze and Best Harvest.

AquaMelon also won first place in the University of South Florida’s Fintech Business Plant Competition and first place runner-up in the Florida Venture Forum Early Stage Conference, which is a state competition.

Williams remains focused on providing a quality product to consumers, while looking for room to grow his business.

The AquaMelon team is actively looking for chain retail opportunities and courting investment opportunities.

Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver. com.

The Evangelical College & Seminary of Plant City Invites You to Take a Significant Step Forward in Your Christian Faith.

New Year’s Resolutions are commitments to make a change and are rooted in a realization that a change is needed. However, most New Year’s Resolutions are forgotten within a few weeks or months. Many resolutions even if followed through upon would not make any significant difference in people’s lives. Here are three suggestions of possible New Year’s Resolutions that if acted upon will have a substantial impact on your life and those with whom you come into contact.

Recommended New Year’s Resolution #1: “Strengthen Your Faith” By devoting a few hours on Monday nights to study “Christian Evidences” BI433 Christian Evidences Mondays: 6:30-‐9:00pm, Prof. Robert Westlake This course focuses on the rational evidence for the truth of Christianity and an evaluation of the beliefs of several other major faiths including Judaism and Islam. This course will enable Christians to answer the most common arguments against Christianity. In addition, the study will strengthen the faith of the student by examining the monumental amount of evidence that God exists, that Jesus Christ is God incarnate and that the Bible is the God-‐breathed and totally true and reliable. Other topics include forming a Biblical worldview, the New Atheism, science and faith and the problems of evil and suffering.

Recommended New Year’s Resolution #2: “Enhance Your Understanding of the Days We Are Now Living In” By devoting a few hours on Tuesday nights to study “New Testament Prophecy” BI201 New Testament Prophecy Tuesdays: 6:30-‐9:00 pm, Prof. Robert Westlake This course will cover the topic of prophecy (both fulfilled and unfulfilled) in the New Testament. The course will include and in depth study of the Book of Revelation, the Olivet Discourse and the Rapture of the Church. The course will also focus on the consistency of New Testament Prophecy with the Old Testament and the Book of Daniel in particular.

Recommended New Year’s Resolution #3: “Increase Your Knowledge of God’s Plan for Living Wisely in This Age” By devoting a few hours on Thursday evenings to “New Testament Survey” BI102 Old Testament Survey Thursdays: 6:30-‐9:00 pm The course will cover all thirty-‐nine books of the Old Testament and focus on the main themes and how they interrelate with each other to provide a coherent and consistent account of the character of God, His plan of redemption for mankind and how we are to live in light of these two truths.

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All three of the above courses can be previewed the week of January 11th at no cost or obligation.

For a complete list of courses offered refer to our websit at evangelical-‐college.org

Questions can be addressed to Professor Robert Westlake at 813-752-7197 or rgwestlake@verizon.net

Evangelical College and Seminary

2505 Granfield Avenue Plant City, Fl. 33563

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YEAR IN PICTURES

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

JANUARY

Samantha Sun was crowned the 2015 Strawberry Queen.

Plant City High School held its annual Every Buddy’s Beautiful Fashion Show, connecting cosmetology students to special education students.

The City Commission ordered the demolition of a historic home in downtown Plant City after the owners refused to fix the home up or sell it after a fire destroyed it.

The Strawberry Ball was 1920s-themed.

First Lt. James Frank Gatlin Jr.’s remains were identified and brought back to his family Jan. 28.

Gatlin was a pilot in World War II.

Plant City Police Department’s first black detective, Roosevelt “Bobby” Miller, passed away after a battle with cancer. He was honored in January.

Diana Lott and Donna Keel took over as chaperones for the Strawberry Queen’s Court from Sandee Sytsma, who had served in the role for decades.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

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FEBRUARY

Turkey Creek Middle School students helped Jackson Elementary students pick strawberries in the middle school’s FFA field.

Commissioner Mary Mathis rode in the Black Heritage Parade.

Dub McGinnes was awarded 2015 Citizen of the Year.

Longtime Dolphins’ President Buddy Bennett died Feb. 10 after a battle with cancer.

Artist Morgan Davis created “Strawberry Short Stories,” a comic calendar in celebration of the Florida Strawberry Festival.

Christian Higher Education Open House Reception: Thursday, 1/7/2016 @ 6:30 -‐ 8:00 pm Winter Semester: 1/11/16 – 4/29/16

Our Mission:

We Equip Men and Women for Christian Service Through Higher Professional Biblical Education

Our Core Values:

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We are Christ centered, church connected and community minded as we equip the body of Christ to be grounded in biblical truth, living a victorious life, impacting their world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ Leavell College Courses Start February 2016 Check our website www.BiblicalLeadership.Institute for further information!

2016 Winter Class Schedule Monday

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Introduction to New Test.

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2nd Corinthians (BI) Dr. Woody Nail Towers Class 4 - 8 wks

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Prison Epistles Dr. M. Miller (BI)

Introduction to Old Testament (BI) Dr. Middlebrooks

6:30 - 9:00 pm

Leadership Class Dr. Morris (CM)

Family/Marriage Counseling (CM) Dr. M. Weissman

6:30 - 9:00 pm

Life of Jesus Dr. Touchton & Rev. Wright BI

Intro to Personal Finance (GE) L. Dougherty SRBC Remote

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Christian/Biblical Doctrines (BI) Dr. Morris

Evangelism & Discipleship (CM) Dr. M. Miller

Friday

Pastoral Leadership Dr. R. Churchhill (CM) 6:30 - 8:30 pm

105 East Baker Street | Plant City, FL 33563 | 813-659-1903 www.BiblicalLeadership.Institute | Visit our website & Like us on Facebook

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

MARCH

There were some inventive costumes at the festival’s baby parade.

The Florida Strawberry Festival didn’t stop at sundown.

Mr. Berry made his usual appearance in the Florida Strawberry Festival Grand Parade.

Jodi Stevens and her daughter competed in the 2015 Baby Contest.

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To contact us, send your information via: Email: Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@PlantCityObserver.com.

Mail: The Plant City Observer, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A, Plant City, FL 33563

CONTACT US The Plant City Times & Observer is published once weekly, on Fridays.

It provides free home delivery to several neighborhoods in Plant City.

The Plant City Times & Observer also can be found in many commercial locations throughout Plant City and at our office, 110 E. Reynolds St., Suite 100-A. If you wish to discontinue home delivery or if you wish to suspend home delivery temporarily, call Linda Lancaster at 704-6850.

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Publisher / Karen Berry, kdberry@inthefieldmagazine.com Managing Editor / Amber Jurgensen, ajurgensen@PlantCityObserver.com Sports Editor / Justin Kline, jkline@PlantCityObserver.com Staff Writer / Emily Topper, etopper@PlantCityObserver.com Design Editor / Terry Chapman, tchapman@yourobserver.com Circulation/Office Manager / Linda Lancaster, llancaster@PlantCityObserver.com

“If we are to build a better world, we must remember that the guiding principle is this — a policy of freedom for the individual is the only truly progressive policy.” — Friedrich Hayek, “Road to Serfdom,” 1944

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

APRIL

Plant City Relay for Life placed fifth in the state in 2015 for its superherothemed event.

Kids searched for Easter eggs at the City-Wide hunt at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex.

Strawberry Crest High School held its prom at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa.

Plant City High School’s JROTC drill team went to states.

Raylynn Thompson was crowned 2015 Little Miss Plant City.

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

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Cork Elementary students were raising money for their fifth-grade field trip by leaving flamingos in front lawns.

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JUNE Plant City High School’s Class of 2015 graduated June 3.

A baby was born in an elevator at South Florida Hospital June 17.

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Koa Yoga Studio opened for its first month of business in June.

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JULY Lisa A. Rhodes Your Residential Specialist throughout Tampa Bay!

813-376-8294 Direct Line

1607 S. Alexander St., Plant City, FL 33563 Above: Artist Eric Barber made steampunk jewelry at the Art Lounge Gallery.

Right: It was a Plant City Fourth of July at the stadium near Park Road.

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This week’s Cryptoquiz answers Marshall Middle Class of 196465 football team had a reunion as triumphant as its season.

1) Australia, 2) Gynecology, 3) Obstetrics, 4) Infertility, 5) IVF Carl Wood

This week’s Sudoku answers

Susan Senese was raising money to help her special needs family.

This week’s Crossword answers

Movers and shakers shimmied to the annual Tampa Bay Elvis Festival on Saturday, Aug. 1, at the Strawberry Festival Expo Hall.

2015

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

SEPTEMBER

Mud Titan 4 was held Saturday, Sept. 19, at Roberts Ranch.

Plant City Times & Observer Managing Editor Amber Jurgensen went to Fancy Farms with In the Field Managing Editor Sarah Holt and farm owner Carl Grooms during the strawberry bed-making process.

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Emilee Hanscom performed with her violin at this year’s Plant City Entertainment Tea Saturday, Sept. 26.

Easton Chandler saw himself on the big screen in Times Square for the 21st annual Flagship Buddy Walk for down syndrome.

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PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

OCTOBER

11

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PUBLIC AUCTION STORAGE SALE In accordance with the provisions of the Florida Self Storage Act (sections 83.801 - 83.809), there being due and unpaid charges for which the undersigned is entitled to satisfy an owner and/or manager’s lien of the goods hereinafter described and stored at the Uncle Bob’s Self Storage location(s) listed below.

Plant City High School won its homecoming game against Strawberry Crest High School Friday, Oct. 2.

Kenlee Andreu was crowned the Cover Girl for Durant High School Saturday, Oct. 17.

And, due notice having been given, to the owner of said property and all parties known to claim an interest therein, and the time specified in such notice for payment of such having expired, the goods will be sold at public auction at the below stated location(s) to the highest bidder or otherwise disposed of on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 9:00 AM at 1005 South Alexander Street, Plant City, FL 33563, 813759-9526.

CUSTOMER NAME Qwynesha Gaddie Danielle Zazulia Faith Burnett-Curry John Rice John Edgemon Daphne Springfield Pamela Johnson Jim Rogalsky Mark Harris Rhonda Carpenter Christopher Rogalsky

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PlantCityObserver.com

PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

NOVEMBER

Tom and Carole Shepherd were on a walk when Carole Shepherd suffered cardiac arrest. A mystery man, who was walking his dog, performed CPR on her until EMS arrived. She says he is her angel.

The Hardwood BBQ team gave its Pig Jam proceeds to Michelle Friend Dearhart, center, who is battling cancer.

Gracie Gainer was crowned as this year’s Turkey Creek Middle School Cover Girl in the Calendar Girl competition.

The YMCA held its annual Turkey Trot 5K.

PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

13

DECEMBER

Many bands, including Plant City High School, performed in the Plant City Christmas Parade Friday, Dec. 4.

Nick Rogers, 20, coordinated his Christmas light display at his home to Christmas music.

Famous playwrights Jamie Wooden, Nick Hope and Jessie Jones toured Plant City Entertainment Dec. 15.

The East Hillsborough Art Guild held its annual Christmas show at Walden Lake Golf & Country Club.

Sports

YOUTH | HIGH SCHOOL | GOLF | COMMUNITY

PLANTCITYOBSERVER.COM

WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND?

A look back on 2015 Happy New Year, Plant City!

I can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store for us.

Of course, it’s only Jan. 1. There won’t be much going on until next week, so I’ll save the outlooks and predictions for another time. Today, let’s take a look back at 2015.

What a year that was.

Waves were made, tides were turned and championships were won. Some sports took heavy losses, but others thrived. On at least a few occasions, the human spirit triumphed in the face of adversity.

This sportswriter’s heart was warmed several times.

First off, congratulations to all the teams that took home championships last JUSTIN year. We KLINE saw some kids, such as the Plant City Dolphins Mighty Mites, win their first championship in organized sports. We saw that even repeat winners, such as Durant High volleyball, can still get emotional over winning the district. We saw Plant City High football win the district for the first time in years, en route to posting the best playoff run in school history. We saw Strawberry Crest’s cheerleading squads become perennial contenders, joining the likes of the girls basketball program in the “Most Likely to Be Successful” category.

We also saw some individual athletes do remarkable things.

Durant swimmer Katie Vasiloff became a backto-back state champion as a sophomore.

Plant City runner Luke Whitmore sacrificed a possible championship win to help an injured competitor finish a race.

Freshman wrestler Cullen Telfer gave Crest its firstever state championship in a boys sport. Special Olympics athlete Lonnie Coston, who is blind, not only learned the sport of powerlifting, but also excelled at it.

Personally, I’ve also met some incredible people. Evan Crowell used sports to help fulfill his Ivy League dreams.

Russell Kemp and Jacob Meachum have stayed strong in the face of some serious health problems.

Morgan Pierce actively raises awareness for others who have cancer.

I also want to congratulate our top five athletes and teams one. I don’t need to tell you that you had a great year — you didn’t earn these honors simply by being nice to me. I picked five people and squads that truly deserve to be considered the best of the best.

It was certainly a good year to be an athlete in Plant City, and I’m expecting big things around town in 2016.

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver. com.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

YEAR IN SPORTS

T

he calendar says “2016” but it’s only January. Plant City minds are still thinking about everything that happened in 2015 — and for good reason.

As is tradition, the Plant City Times & Observer has combed through the inhouse photo archives to find the best sports photos of 2015. On the next page, find something else to talk about: the top five athletes and teams of 2015, as determined by Sports Editor Justin Kline’s one-man committee.

It’s the Times & Observer’s hope that readers find something in this section to fondly look back upon, as there were plenty of big moments and thrilling tales to choose from.

As for the top five athlete and team selections, readers are encouraged to talk about them on Facebook and Twitter. Love the No. 1 athlete? Think a team absent from the list should have been included? Feel free to sound off to the Plant City Times & Observer Facebook page, or our Twitter handle: @PCTOSports.

PLANT CITY TIME & OBSERVER

5

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

1. Markese Hargrove The best running back in the district improved upon his breakout junior campaign, playing in every single game and finishing his high school career in the record books.

Hargrove ran for 1,731 yards in 2015, scoring 13 touchdowns, eclipsing 200 yards in three games and 100 yards in eight, and averaged exactly seven yards per carry. He had a habit of making the big plays when the Raiders needed them most, helping the team to an 11-game win streak and a regional championship appearance.

He was the first athlete to receive the Bill Minahan Award, which offers a $1,500 scholarship for an athlete with notable leadership skills. His 4.3 GPA and teammate-tutoring habits, as well as his willingness to help his teammates get to and from practice and improve on the field, netted him the award in January.

He finished his career as the Raiders’ all-time leading rusher, passing former head coach Wayne Ward with 3,261 yards on 440 carries — good for 7.4 yards per attempt.

Although the Raiders’ offensive line deserves some credit for opening up the holes for Hargrove to run through, the elusive back’s ability to slip through tackles and make defenders miss was unrivaled in the area and ended up being the most consistent facet of the Plant City offense. He’ll be a tough guy to replace.

2. Kendall Johnson Plant City’s girls golf team went undefeated in the 2015 regular season, and senior star Kendall Johnson led the way.

Johnson, a top-10 finisher in the 2014 state championship tournament, spent the offseason improving her weaknesses: her short game and putting. All the hard work resulted in a fantastic final season, which vaulted her into the school record books as one of the best to ever come through the program.

She averaged a 36 throughout the regular season, leading both the boys and girls programs.

She became the individual district and regional champion for the sec-

ond consecutive season, shooting a 70 in districts and a 71 in regionals. At the state championship tournament in November, she ended up placing a respectable 13th overall.

She joined her coach, Meg Jordan, and alumna Kelsey Jensen in the Plant City record books for shooting the lowest round in school history — a 34.

Johnson committed to play for Daytona State College in the 2014 offseason and plans to honor that commitment upon graduating this summer.

3. Terra Brooks There may not be a better pure athlete in Strawberry Crest High than three-sport standout Terra Brooks.

Brooks, a senior, plays volleyball and basketball and runs track for Crest.

Her play on the volleyball court in 2015 led her to become the only threetime Plant City Times & Observer Athlete of the Week ever, after getting it for track several years ago and for basketball in 2014.

Although her skills are respected in all sports, it’s on the volleyball court that she feels most comfortable.

Brooks won first-team all-Western Conference honors for her play this season, which included 232 kills, 38 aces and 90 blocks — all of which led the Lady Chargers by a considerable margin.

Near the end of the 2015 season, she told the Times & Observer that she plans to play volleyball at Alabama A&M University upon graduating.

On the basketball court, Brooks in currently averaging 10.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.7 blocks per game, helping the Lady Chargers to their current 15-0 (7-0 district) record. She is expected to run one last season of track for Crest when that season begins in the spring.

4. Jonah Scolaro Durant’s baseball team and was full of seniors that carried the team in big moments.

But the team’s best player was one of its youngest. Jonah Scolaro, in his sophomore season, excelled for the Cougars both on the pitching mound and in the batter’s box. He also became

a Plant City Times & Observer Athlete of the Week for his versatile play.

At the plate, Scolaro led the team with 105 plate appearances and 99 atbats, 16 runs, 34 hits and nine doubles. He finished with a .343 average in 30 games played, as well as 13 RBI. He had the second-highest batting average of all Cougars with at least 20 games played, trailing only Zach Barfield (.345.)

On the mound, Scolaro led the team with a 1.24 ERA and a 9-1 record in 14 appearances. He struck out a team-leading 92 batters and allowed 12 runs (11 earned) and gave up no homers.

Durant will have to recover from losing so many important seniors, but having a player like Scolaro on the roster makes it much easier for any team to do such a thing.

5. Steven Ogletree Of all the Raiders to have a breakout season in 2015, Steven Ogletree may have the most potential of the bunch.

The junior linebacker established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the middle of the defense, racking up big-time numbers and landing his first NCAA Division I offer from the University of Wisconsin.

Ogletree finished with 138 total tackles (83 solo, 55 assisted), nine sacks, eight passes defensed, a blocked punt and a 96-yard pick six. He also got a few looks as a kick returner, usually when Plant City was ahead on the scoreboard.

With fellow productive linebacker Cory Cotnoir set to graduate in the summer, Ogletree will be looking to lead the 2016 defense in the wake of this upcoming mass exodus of graduating seniors.

Ogletree is still mulling that offer from Wisconsin and, with the upcoming slew of offseason summer football camps impending, is expected to get a lot of attention from the big-time D-I schools should he continue improving his game. He’s helped prove that Montel McBride and T.J. Chase aren’t the only guys who can pull the brightest recruiting spotlights onto the Winter Strawberry Capital of the World.

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver. com.

Borrow Better Banking.

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TEAMS OF THE YEAR

1. Plant City Football In 2015, the Raiders had to deal with a surprise coaching change, a move to a new (tougher) district and several key roster losses. After Armwood kicked its butt in the season opener, Plant City looked vulnerable.

But that was misleading.

Since losing to the Hawks, Plant City ripped off an 11-game win streak through the playoffs, won the district before almost any other team in the county won theirs and made it further than any team in Raider history. The team proved that, even when dealing with season-ending injuries at key positions, the roster was deep and talented enough to make up for it.

On behalf of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Greg Meyer won a couple of awards: Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year. He’s up for the NFL’s Don Shula Coach of the Year award.

Meyer was also named Western Conference Coach of the Year, and 11 of his players were named county all-stars. Markese Hargrove, T.J. Chase, James Alexander, Cory Cotnoir, Steven Ogletree and Antoine Thompson were first-team Western Conference All-Stars, and Jamal Savage, Corey King, Kwest Fluitt, Chase Lott and Tydre Ward got second-team honors.

2. Plant City Dolphins Mighty Mites Plant City’s 5- and 6-year olds went 15-0 in 2015 action, from the TCYFCC regular season all the way to the United Youth Football League National Championship. They

averaged well over 20 points per game in TCYFCC action, nearly doubled that in the playoffs and held steady to win the Superbowl over the rival Brandon Lions.

In the UYFL, they outscored opponents, including the Lions, by a total of 67-0 to win the UYFL title and rings.

Led by a rock-solid ground game, starring Derrick McBride and Ty’one Cooper, the Mighty Mites established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

3. Strawberry Crest Cheerleading The cheer team became the first program in school history to win a state championship and became the first in Hillsborough County history to sweep the district, regional and state competitions.

Head coach Loveny Rivas and her team had many problems to deal with throughout the season, with several key injuries and several dismissals from the team. There were even times when Crest had to compete without a full team.

The team didn’t win a single competition throughout the regular season, normally finishing second or third.

But, in the end, the Chargers’ hard work paid off. The squad won districts while shorthanded and unveiled its full routine for the first time all year at regionals. The team dominated the Western Conference competition, winning by 38 points. The team ended the state competition as the only team in program history to finish a postseason competition without having any points deducted.

4. Durant Baseball The Cougars went 23-7 in 2015, including a perfect 10-0 run through the district gamut. The team made a run through the FHSAA playoffs, with three close wins, to go as far as the state Final Four before taking a 12-0 loss to Oviedo.

The Cougars were led on the mound by fearsome pitching duo Bryce Gainer and Jonah Scolaro, and the team posted an ERA of 1.91.

The team’s “Dingers for Days” motto wasn’t totally on the money, as it slugged a total of five home runs on the season, but the team did post a .292 batting average. Of the 13 players who appeared in 10 or more games, 12 batted over .270.

5. Durant Volleyball The Lady Cougars turned to its sophomores and juniors, such as Emma Rustenberghe, for leadership in 2015. Things weren’t going so well early on, as the Cougars’ 2-3 start made them look inexperienced. But things turned around Sept.

21.

The team went 11-3 down the stretch. They posted a perfect 6-0 record in the district, scoring a 3-1 win over a tough Strawberry Crest team in the district championship game, and made it to the regional semifinals after a 3-1 win over St. Petersburg High.

The district championship game was especially great for head coach Brittany Wade: it was her 100th win as Durant’s head coach, as well as her third district title.

Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.

Happy New Year 2016!

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PLANT CITY TIMES & OBSERVER

PlantCityObserver.com

RAIN

PLANT CITY

(INCHES)

WEATHER

THURS. Dec. 10

0.00

FRI.

TEMPERATURES

Dec. 11

0.00

Friday, Jan. 1 Saturday, Jan. 2 Sunday, Jan. 3 Monday, Jan. 4 Tuesday, Jan. 5 Wednesday, Jan. 6 Thursday, Jan. 7

SAT.

Dec. 12

0.00

SUN.

Dec. 13

0.00

MON.

Dec. 14

0.00

TUES.

Dec. 15

0.00

WED.

Dec. 16

0.00

MONTH

TO DATE

4.40 (2014: 3.58)

FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 2016

HIGH 76 73 68 65 66 70 75

SUNRISE/SUNSET TIMES

Friday, Jan. 1 Saturday, Jan. 2 Sunday, Jan. 3 Monday, Jan. 4 Tuesday, Jan. 5 Wednesday, Jan. 6 Thursday, Jan. 7

SUNRISE 7:20 a.m.

7:20 a.m.

7:20 a.m.

7:20 a.m.

7:21 a.m.

7:21 a.m.

7:21 a.m.

SUNSET 5:44 p.m.

5:45 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

5:46 p.m.

5:47 p.m.

5:48 p.m.

5:48 p.m.

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YEAR

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LOW 57 56 52 50 52 55 56

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CROSSWORD AM I BLUE by Theodore Lansing ACROSS

1 Cooks over water 7 “Blue” creature 14 Astronomical distance 20 Drop-off place on a desk 21 Insatiable greed 22 James Cameron film 23 Elevator alternative 24 Moves back, as a hairline 25 Smooth and connected 26 Confetti, after a parade 28 Examinations 30 Fleur-de-___ (Quebec symbol) 31 Collector’s collection, perhaps 34 Grassy field 35 “A Nightmare on Elm Street” creator Craven 36 Suffers, as an injury 40 “Blue” food 44 Handling clumsily 45 Foreigners 46 Looks embarrassed 50 Man of tomorrow 51 Beach material 52 Hand over, as land 53 Adds up 58 Safety solutions in some factories 61 Font or Kia model 62 Chowed down 63 Cookie type 64 Imperturbable poise 65 Heavenly being 67 Where one is always looking up?

71 “The way” in China 72 Some fortunetellers 74 “Blue” fliers 75 Mouth-watering 77 One with powers of foresight 78 Pitcher’s stat 79 Properly clothed 80 Deprive of status or authority 85 Essentials 88 Imitate a donkey 89 Arabian chieftain (var.)

90 Grumpy associate 91 Atomic number 74 93 Biological groups 95 Bouquets 98 “Blue” judgers 100 Hawaiian strings 102 Pigeon sound 103 Uno + uno 104 “The Double Helix” subject 105 Game with matchsticks 106 Road runners 108 Coined money 111 Savanna leaper 115 “Sweeney Todd” food item 117 Place for hangers 121 Took advantage of, as a privilege 122 Put into motion 123 Yearbook-entry listing 124 Lobs softly 125 “Blue” recruit 126 Arched foot part

©2015 Universal Uclick

Christmas ...”

39 Assistant 1 Bro’s relative 41 Giant California tree 2 Explosive stuff 42 Not costing anything 3 LAX announcement 43 G-men and T-men 4 Bittersweet covering 47 Hire 5 Monroe of Hollywood 48 ‘49 defense alliance 6 Bettors’ formulations 49 Be stingy 7 Call one’s bluff 52 Picker 8 “Your turn,” in radio lingo 9 “Hotel du ___” (Anita Brookner 54 Attache’s mission 55 Finds fault with novel) 56 Proofreader’s direction 10 Make believe 57 Sushi fishes 11 Keeps out of sight 59 “Fine” studies 12 Decorates a cake 60 Activate an alarm clock 13 Sticky places?

61 Abstract form prominent in 14 Trusted chum the ‘60s 15 Fifth or Madison, e.g.

64 Lacking a musical quality 16 Cheap cleaning cloth 65 Word from the pews 17 Soviet leader Joseph 66 Buddhist’s goal 18 Having a nosh 67 Under covers 19 Kind of examination 68 Become exhausted 27 Greek letter 69 Bikini tops 29 Dine at 9 70 Large, colorful parrot 31 Disparage 73 Blooming Hawaiian loop 32 Four-legged race?

76 Bill killer 33 Threefold 79 Window stick-on 35 Opposite of narrow 80 Dull-colored 37 Nacho topping 81 Metrical foot 38 “___ the night before DOWN

82 Correct a manuscript 83 Police car device 84 Cheery song syllables 86 Aaron’s golden calf, e.g.

87 Rounded stadium roof 88 Con ___ (vigorously) 92 Become rimy 93 Potato dumplings 94 Delta follower 95 Hands-on-hips position 96 Commotion or type of room 97 Sailor’s milieu 99 Verse on a vase 100 An Eastern Christian 101 Plant that can be poisonous 102 Raccoon relative 107It follows high or Georgia 108 Building location 109 “ ___ Gynt” 110 Extremely long time divisions 112 “With the jawbone of an ___” (Judges 15:16) 113 “Fever” singer Peggy 114 Yellow Pages displays 116 Baby food 118 AA member, before 119 Formerly, to a poet 120 Measure for a mixture (Abbr.)