In a game that started with little defense, it took a strong defensive play - followed by a football version of a bolt of lighting - to put undefeated Largo (13-0) up for good in a 28-13 Class 5A-Region 3 victory Friday against Cape Coral. ...more

December 1, 2007

LARGO - In a game that started with little defense, it took a strong defensive play - followed by a football version of a bolt of lighting - to put undefeated Largo (13-0) up for good in a 28-13 Class 5A-Region 3 victory Friday against Cape Coral. ...more

November 30, 2007

Class 5A REGION 2 FINAL Kissimmee Osceola at Chamberlain WHERE: John Adcock Stadium, 9401 North Blvd., Tampa RECORDS: Osceola 12-0, Chamberlain 9-3 OUTLOOK: Unranked Chamberlain hosts top-ranked and undefeated Osceola for a trip to the Class 5A state semifinals. Osceola eliminated defending state champ Lakeland in the region semifinals and also snapped the former national champion Dreadnaughts' win streak of 53 games earlier this season. The Kowboys are led by running back Bubba Brown, who has rushed for 1,936 yards and 34 touchdowns this season, including 109 yards and three touchdowns in last week's playoff win against Lakeland. Chamberlain has lost only two games at home this season, that being to Hillsborough and Plant. Junior quarterback Dontae Aycock leads the Chiefs' offense with 1,065 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns and 853 passing yards with five touchdowns. ... Chamberlain's secondary has a total of 14 interceptions, three of which have been returned for touchdowns. Senior defensive back Justin Bell has been the defensive catalyst, recording 99 tackles, three interceptions and has also been a standout on special teams with six blocked punts and two blocked kicks. Nick Williams REGION 3 FINAL Cape Coral at Largo WHERE: Packers Stadium, 410 Missouri Ave. N., Largo RECORDS: Cape Coral 10-2, Largo 12-0 OUTLOOK: The first real test to see how legitimate of a state playoff contender Largo is comes tonight when the Packers play a team from outside Pinellas County. Largo coach Rick Rodriguez stated emphatically Cape Coral is "the toughest team we have faced so far." Rodriguez noted Cape Coral has a balanced offense with a strong offensive line. Like Largo, its best players play on both sides of the ball. Spencer Boyd is Cape Coral's leading rusher with 1,027 yards. Quarterback David Pasquale has thrown for 1,707 yards. Fortunately for Largo, the Packers have faced a quality quarterback before in Clearwater's Luke Loucks and solid running backs like Dunedin's Adaris Bellamy, and effectively handled them. But Largo has yet this season faced an opponent with as many weapons. Despite having Pinellas County regular-season rushing record holder Brynn Harvey (2,237 yards and 26 touchdowns through 12 games), don't be surprised if Rodriguez opens up the offense utilizing quarterback Leonard Johnson's arm as well as his legs (862 yards rushing, nine rushing touchdowns) which excites Johnson. "I have to admit, handing the ball off to the same guy 20 or 25 times can get a little boring," Johnson said. If Johnson can hit some key passes to open up the field for Harvey, the Packers just might advance. Lee Diekemper ...more

November 30, 2007

The way the Class 5A brackets are set up, provided it can beat Cape Coral at home Friday night, undefeated Largo will host the next postseason game: a 5A state semifinal. ...more

November 29, 2007

Kevin Timothy, a junior at Brandon, finished as the Class 2A state runner-up at 130 pounds last season, compiling a 38-4 overall record along the way. This season, at 135 pounds, he's on a mission to win his first individual state title. ...more

November 27, 2007

CAPE CORAL — The Ida Baker High School mascot is "The Bulldogs," but after Friday's romp of Lake Placid, they might as well be "The Thieves." The host school picked the pockets of the Lake Placid basketball squad so much that they should have been handcuffed in downing the Green Dragons 70-43 in the opening round of the two-day Turkey Shootout on Friday. The loss had LP head coach Levi Williams shaking his head, knowing that his team didn't play at their best. "We're still trying to find what kind of team we have here," Williams said. "I keep telling these kids that they have to compete for the whole 32 minutes. You can't take quarters or even one play off. You have to come out and compete on every play." ...more

November 25, 2007

Pick the winners of Friday's area state playoff games. ...more

November 24, 2007

In a battle of star running backs pitting Largo's Brynn Harvey and Dunedin's Adaris Bellamy, it was the legs of Largo quarterback Leonard Johnson that stole the show. ...more

November 24, 2007

They might not have won their events, but it was impossible to put a down note on what Stephanie Barker and Anna Palermo accomplished. ...more

November 1, 2007

I am writing in response to your Oct. 24 editorial on the proposed special taxing district for canal dredging. ...more

October 30, 2007