Mother Nature may not be ready to cooperate, but football is back whether she likes it or not. Annual Fall Classic preseason high school games had a tough time getting completed last Friday night. Some were able to push through the dreary, wet weather while others were suspended or outright canceled. But that was then and this is now. Week 1 is here and these games count.
Mother Nature may not be ready to cooperate, but football is back whether she likes it or not. Annual Fall Classic preseason high school games had a tough time getting completed last Friday night. Some were able to push through the dreary, wet weather while others were suspended or outright canceled. But that was then and this is now. Week 1 is here and these games count.
CLEARWATER — Of the 43,316 attendees to Phillies spring training games this spring, 16,946 stayed at a hotel or condo. That’s not counting the players and team staff, 183 of whom stayed overnight in hotels, usually for lengthy stays.
Assignments
Seminole High School junior Austin Bybee has won a world and a state title in kickboxing. Now, he’s an Olympic hopeful hoping to join Team USA at the next global competition.
BELLEAIR — A world-class sporting event is about to come to Belleair. The LPGA has announced that in 2020 a new tournament will be added to the tour and will be held at the newly refurbished Pelican Golf Club.
EAST LAKE — Former LPGA star Jan Stephenson, who now owns a golf course in Palm Harbor, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame during a ceremony in California that took place during the week of the 119th U.S. Open, at the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Before he could even walk, Logan Hofstetter was in the water.
The Largo native grew up just a short drive from Indian Rocks Beach, where his family, avid beachgoers, spent much of their time.
His father and uncle, professional triathletes, were both surfers as well. So Logan’s natural affinity for the water is in his blood, he said.
It’s been a phenomenal few weeks for the Calvary Christian baseball program. The Warriors captured their second state championship in three years May 25, and this past week two of the team's senior stars — shortstop Christian Cairo, son of 17-year MLB veteran Miguel, and pitcher Braden Halladay, son of the late MLB star Roy Halladay — were selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.
In the ninja world, Jason and Kathy Bergstrom and their family – nine kids, five of them adopted – are known as the Bergstrom Bunch. The Seminole family operates the Jungle Gym, an obstacle-based facility in Pinellas Park, but three members of the family have taken their passion for competition to another level, excelling on the NBC show "American Ninja Warrior."
Calvary Christian made Pinellas County high school baseball history by winning its Class 4A semifinal May 24 in Fort Myers.
After 92 days, and 29 regular and post season games, the Seminole High School Warhawks baseball team finished their 2019 season with a 14-15 record.
With the team’s .248 batting average, 86 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and 169 strikeouts, the Warhawks defied the odds and won the Florida High School Athletic Association Class 8A District 7 championship and became the Class 8A Region 2 championship runner-up.
LARGO — Bobby Roundtree, a former Largo High School football star and University of Illinois junior defensive lineman who suffered a severe spinal injury during a swimming accident on May 18, remains hospitalized at Mease Countryside Hospital in Safety Harbor, according to the university.
Jayion McCluster has plenty to look forward to in the coming years. The soon-to-be Largo senior is one of the most highly rated inside linebackers in the entire country and announced his commitment to continue his football and academic careers at Florida State University on May 1.
CLEARWATER — For the second time in three years and seventh in program history, Dunedin baseball is heading to states.
The Seminole Warhawks varsity baseball team is this season’s underdog that no one expected to make a playoff run.
The Warhawks, with a 14-14 record, defied the odds and even defeated their district rival, the East Lake Eagles, in the Florida High School Athletic Association district and regional playoffs.
Registration is open for the 14th annual Tri If You Dare Youth Triathlon, which will take place Sunday, June 30, at the Seminole Recreation Center, 9100 113th St. N.
Richard Khan, a Seminole resident, participates in the Great Cycle Challenge each June to raise money for childhood cancer research. He rides in the memory of his sister, Natalie, who died at 27 from lymphoma.
It felt like winning the World Series for city officials and the Toronto Blue Jays as they broke ground on an extensive modernization project for Dunedin Stadium and put plans into motion to transform the Vanech Sports Complex into a state-of-the-art baseball training center.
Both Rick Masi and his son, Ryan, helped lead their respective teams — SHS boys soccer and Indian Rocks Christian School’s girls — to the state tournament. “I’m pretty sure this is the first time you’ve had a father and son coaching two different teams in state competition,” Rick said. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
CLEARWATER — Juan Antonio “Chi Chi” Rodriguez is one of the greatest professional golfers of all time, an eight-time PGA Tour winner with 22 additional victories on the senior circuit renowned for his flamboyant style both on and off the course.
CLEARWATER — Bags were already packed and buses were ready to roll before the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2, on Monday, March 25 in the final Grapefruit League game of 2019.
CLEARWATER – Palm Harbor University entered Saturday night’s championship game swinging the hottest bats of the weekend.
Less than a week after top PGA Tour players depart Innisbrook, the resort will play host to professionals from another sport. The inaugural Innisbrook Tennis Open starting Sunday will feature several top-100 players as well an Invesco Series senior match play event featuring tennis legends Jim Courier, James Blake, Mardy Fish and one of the greatest players of all time, John McEnroe.
CLEARWATER — Spectrum Field is typically awash in red, but during the Philadelphia Phillies’ annual Spring Training St. Patrick’s Day game, green is always the predominant color at the stadium.
It’s hard to somehow top a state championship season, but Countryside senior Anthony Burburija managed to do just that.
Registration is open for the 26th annual Seminole Stampede 5K Race and 1-mile Fun Run, set for Saturday, March 23 at Walsingham Park, 12620 102nd Ave. Participants must arrive before 7:30 a.m.
CLEARWATER — Newly minted outfielder Bryce Harper made his much-anticipated Grapefruit League debut for the Phillies when they hosted the Toronto Blue Jays on March 9, and judging by the sellout crowd, the sea of red and white No. 3 shirts in the stadium and the throng of national and intern…
The 2019 Valspar Championship is scheduled for March 18-24 at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, and during the kickoff luncheon, there was one question on everyone’s mind. Will Tiger Woods return? According to tournament officials, the answer is maybe.
The day after the news broke that free agent outfielder Bryce Harper had agreed to a record-breaking 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, there was a palpable buzz in the air at Spectrum Field, the team’s spring training home.
The day after the news broke that free agent outfielder Bryce Harper had agreed to a record-breaking 13-year, $330 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, there was a palpable buzz in the air at Spectrum Field, the team’s spring training home.
The optimism that accompanies spring training was on full display when the Philadelphia Phillies kicked off their campaign in Clearwater on Feb. 23.
Blue skies, white, puffy clouds and unseasonably warm temperatures greeted the 7,279 fans that steadily streamed through the Spectrum Field turnstiles for the Philadelphia Phillies 2019 spring training home opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Feb. 23. While the Phillies organization and its fanbase anxiously await word on whether 2015 NL MVP Bryce Harper will sign a mega free-agent contract with the team, the anticipation took a backseat on Opening Day.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack.
LARGO — Since becoming the new head coach for Largo High School baseball, Taylor Layner has overcome many obstacles in order to set a standard for the 2019 season in a short amount of time.
Osceola Fundamental High School defeated its rival Seminole High School on Jan. 22 to take home the Pinellas County Athletic Conference boys’ soccer championship title.
EAST LAKE — If Jan Stephenson was at the peak of her fame today, the professional golfer, recognized as much for her exploits off the course as her prolific career on the links, would most likely be a social media star with millions of followers.
Sandy Hartmann, owner of the real estate firm Sandy Hartmann & Associates, won gold in the 5K race at the 2018 Florida Senior Games in her age group, 60-65, qualifying her for the national competition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in June. Not only that, but every member of the race walking team from Specific Sports Training qualified to compete in the National Senior Games.
CLEARWATER – Before things get mean and muddy at Raymond James Stadium, there’s always the fun and sun offered up at Clearwater Beach as part of the annual Outback Bowl.
PALM HARBOR – A few months ago, Innisbrook Managing Director Mike Williams revealed some of the projects the Palm Harbor golf resort was undergoing, including remodeling all 300 guest rooms as well as a complete overhaul of the greens on two of the resort’s championship level courses.
DUNEDIN – Regarding $81 million in proposed upgrades at Dunedin Stadium, some key pieces of the puzzle may fall into place at the Thursday, Nov. 8, meeting of the City Commission.
The Ridgecrest YMCA Sharks swim team enjoys an end of the season celebration recently. This was the second year of competition for the Sharks, who had 14 swimmers ranging in age from 6-16.
SEMINOLE – For Kansas City Royals center fielder Brett Phillips, getting the chance to return home and play baseball for his Seminole fan base at Tropicana Field is an opportunity he’s waited a long time for.
DUNEDIN – The last time Dunedin High School fielded a competitive football team, current seniors were middle schoolers.
LARGO – Members of the Largo Police Department will take a break from protecting the streets and will head to the field to take on the St. Petersburg Police Department Saturday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m., for the second annual Law Enforcement Charity Soccer Game at the USF St. Pete Soccer Field, 5…
LARGO – For most football coaches, losing the team’s best player just weeks before the season starts would probably be a good reason to panic.
LARGO – A former Largo Little Leaguer has become an international esports star, as 21-year-old Jared Braun recently traveled to Germany to participate in the 2018 Player Unknown Battlegrounds Global Invitational, a tournament featuring 20 teams competing for a share of $2 million in prize money.
OLDSMAR – City of Oldsmar officials recently agreed to enter an agreement with the Tampa Bay Lightning to build an outdoor street and roller hockey rink in town.
PALM HARBOR – Professional golfer Jan Stephenson is known for her many outstanding accomplishments on the course, including 16 LPGA Tour wins and three major championships following her Rookie of the Year Award-winning debut season in 1974.
PALM HARBOR – Dealing with periodic coaching changes at the high school level just comes with the territory.
No. 5 seed Diana Zavjalova of Latvia won the Pepsi Professional Women’s Bowling Association’s St. Petersburg-Clearwater Open on Aug. 4 at Seminole Lanes. This was Zavjalova’s third PWBA title.
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Our Back to School special section provides plenty of information, tips and news from and about Pinellas County schools and colleges in an effort to get parents and students ready for the new year.
