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Hernando Today

'This Is Our Year'

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: July 19, 2008

Updated:

Mike Sollazzo knows a thing or two about the State Tournament. After all, he has led a Spring Hill All-Star team to one four times in the past five years.

In 2004 at Anderson Snow Sports Complex, Sollazzo's AAA Minors (ages 9-10) squad reached the final of its bracket but lost to Marianna.

In 2006, Sollazzo coached an AAA Majors (ages 11-12) team that once again lost in the championship game of its bracket, this time to East Lakeland.

How about last year, 2007? Another trip to states, this time in the Junior Boys (age 13) division, yet still no title. In Grand Ridge, Spring Hill went 2-2.

So here they come again, another group of Spring Hill All-Stars with Sollazzo at the helm, searching for that elusive state crown.

The Spring Hill Senior Boys (age 14) All-Stars begin State Tournament play today at the M.E.R.E. Complex in Marianna, facing Chipley at 5 p.m. (4 p.m. Central Standard Time).

"I think the experience comes in big," Sollazzo said. "I think they're at the age now where they feel like they're not on vacation. They're out to prove something. If we go there with that attitude, I think we can come home with a state championship.

"...The team that beats us usually is the team that won it all. This is our year. I think we have the players, we have the pitching, we have the experience. We're ripe for a championship."

Strong in districts

At the District 6 Tournament June 25-29, Spring Hill mostly breezed through the competition with the exception of one game, going 4-1.

The one loss came in a sloppy contest against Sumter, when the winning run scored in the bottom of the seventh on an error. Spring Hill bounced back to thump Sumter the next day in the title game, 18-8.

The third and fourth-place hitters in the line-up, Louis Colaiacomo and Julian Perez, paced the team in hitting at .500 and .529 respectively. Leadoff man Thomas Tambasco hit .471 with three home runs. On the mound, J.T. Simpson struck out 17 batters in 11 2/3 innings.

"I thought the team played great," Sollazzo said. "Basically we had one game where we had quite a few errors. We tightened up our defense the past two weeks. Our defense is looking great. Our hitting is looking strong. The bangers are banging and the table setters are strong.

"...We added the bats of Louis Colaiacomo, Ian Townsend and Julian Perez. J.T. is probably the best pitcher in Hernando County at 14. He's healthy, last year he wasn't. All the other kids are a year older, a year stronger."

Because of those additions, Sollazzo feels like he has the complete package to compete with anybody on the state level.

The rest of the field in this double-elimination tournament includes Bartow, Chipley, Marianna, Messer Park, Okeechobee, Paxton, Vernon, West Jackson and West Volusia. The winner goes on to the World Series starting Aug. 2 in Covington, Ga.

In a quirk of the schedule, should Spring Hill win today it would receive a bye then play a doubleheader on Monday.

"I think by the time we finish our third game it will definitely be the deciding factor," Sollazzo said. "If we come through undefeated, I think our chances are really strong.

"Okeechobee beat us last year. They are the team to beat as far as I'm concerned. The host team, Marianna, has been together a while. They beat us in the Minors. And our old nemesis is back, Bartow. And there's the Orlando teams; West Volusia.

"It's going to be a great State Tournament, probably the best we've ever been involved in."

So what would it mean if Sollazzo's team could finally walk away with a first-place trophy? This marks the final chance for this group, as Spring Hill doesn't have an older division.

"To me it really means a lot," Sollazzo said. "I've been through a lot with these kids all these years."

2008 Spring Hill 14s Roster
Name Position(s)
Joey Asquith                        OF
Louis Colaiacomo                OF
Anthony Fiocca                   OF/1B
Jon Gaffney                           P/1B
Mike Kodetsky                     C/OF
Julian Perez                           3B/1B
Trey Scott                             C/OF
J.T. Simpson                         2B/SS/P
Dante' Sollazzo                     2B/SS/P
Thomas Tambasco              C/SS
Ian Townsend                      C/OF
David Woop                         1B/P
Head Coach - Mike Sollazzo.
Assistant Coaches - Vito Tambasco, Howie Woop.
 
COMING ATTRACTIONS
WHO – Bartow, Chipley, Marianna, Messer Park, Okeechobee, Paxton, Spring Hill, Vernon, West Jackson and West Volusia.
WHAT – Dixie Youth League Senior Boys (14-year-olds) All-Stars State Tournament at Marianna. Format is double elimination.
WHERE – M.E.R.E. Complex, Marianna.
WHEN – July 19-23.
AT STAKE – Only state champion advances to the Aug. 2 World Series in Covington, Ga.
DIRECTIONS – Take U.S. Highway 19 north to Interstate 10 near Tallahassee. Take Interstate 10 west to exit 142 (Marianna/Blountstown) onto State Road 71 north toward Marianna. Follow State Road 71 to Caverns Road and turn left. The park is located at 3625 Caverns Road.

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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