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Orlando Sentinel Article 11-29-07 |
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The FHSAA brought state track back to Winter Park and state swimming and diving
back to International Drive, and is holding its eight state football finals
at the Citrus Bowl over the Dec. 7-8 and 14-15 weekends. Buddy Collings E-mail | Recent columns Now comes word that the Central Florida Sports Commission, which brokered the football and swim deals, is partnering with Osceola County and Osceola High in a bid to bring the 2009 and 2010 state baseball tournaments to Kissimmee, spring training home of the Houston Astros. "It's been an incredibly progressive and fast-growing relationship between ourselves, the folks at the FHSAA, and our other partners," said John Saboor, president/CEO of the sports commission. Saboor deserves credit for thawing out the icy relationship by inviting FHSAA brass to commission headquarters in 2006 and back for a follow-up visit to check out area venues that spring. "All that was missing for a long time was somebody to say, 'Hey, we'd like to have you here,' " Jack Watford of the FHSAA said. Sarasota's Ed Smith Stadium has the 2008 spring season remaining on its deal to host baseball and is also in the running for the next contract -- along with three other cities: Bradenton, Port Charlotte and Port St. Lucie. The target date for an FHSAA decision is Feb. 11. Boone, Seabreeze at home? Host regions for semifinals are predetermined by the FHSAA. So we know that Boone (12-0) will be home next week if it wins on the road Friday, and Daytona Beach Seabreeze (12-0) will stay home if it advances. Kissimmee Osceola (12-0) and Harmony (10-2) would have to travel again. If South Sumter (11-1) gets to the 2A final, it would play Saturday, Dec. 8, at 7 at the Citrus Bowl. Deltona Trinity Christian (11-1) would play the 1B final Dec. 7, at 1 p.m. if the Eagles can spring an upset at defending state champion Tallahassee FAMU (8-4) on Friday night. Crunching numbers Football district runners-up playing on the road were 4-19 statewide in rematches against district champs last week. Port Orange Spruce Creek (9-3), which plays at Apopka (11-1) on Friday night, is one of seven runners-up still kicking. . . . Apopka quarterback Jeremy Gallon is up to 1,412 yards rushing and is 135 yards away from 1,000 passing. . . Seabreeze counted 16 tackles for senior linebacker Aaron McCauley last week. Extra points Oviedo senior Jake Schalles notched career wrestling victory No. 100 as the four-time defending state champ Lions opened with a 5-0 performance at the Tallahassee Lincoln Duals meet. . . Leesburg (3-0) senior Pearl Johnson is 15 points away from 1,000 career basketball points going into tonight's home game against Ocala Vanguard. Lake Mary Prep junior Toni Pratsch hit that plateau last season and was at 1,121 through five games. . . . Darryl Merthie, Lake Mary's all-time leading basketball scorer, got his first college start as a junior guard for Marshall on Sunday. Merthie had great stats in a 70-47 victory against Boston University. Buddy Collings can be reached at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com. http://www.seminolechronicle.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2007/11/28/474e0ea815c3b |
