Prep football: Palmetto being cautious with Kevin O'Brien

(photo by Grant Jefferies)

As much as Kevin O'Brien wants to get back into Palmetto's lineup, the Tigers' coaching staff is taking its time with the senior offensive lineman.

O'Brien, who needed season-ending surgery after breaking his leg last October against Charlotte and tweaked a knee during fall practice, won't play Friday when Palmetto opens the regular season against Riverview.

In fact, he may not play until the Tigers begin their Class 5A-District 10 schedule Sept. 23 at Arcadia DeSoto.

"We rushed him back in preseason, and he took a step backwards," Palmetto coach Dave Marino said following Friday's 33-10 win over Venice in a Kickoff Classic, which O'Brien, wearing a jersey and a pair of shorts, watched from the sideline. "We want to win the district. We're going to focus on making sure he's 100 percent and ready to go when we begin our district schedule."

O'Brien is a Division I-caliber talent and a two-year starter and when he returns, he'll be in charge of protecting quarterback Trent Miller's blindside.

"He's working real hard at his rehab. He's getting better, he's getting stronger," Marino said. "We want to make sure there's no doubt he's 100 percent ready for the long haul.

"We're going to take our time with him...No doubt, (O'Brien will be back for) that first district game. But if he progresses the way we feel he can and keeps working as hard as has been in his rehab, maybe sooner."

Dante Logan, who spent all of last year playing JV, started in O'Brien's place Friday against Venice and during the spring game against Booker.

"He's done a good job," Marino said. "He's really improved."

The line looked good Friday, when it gave Miller ample time to complete 11 of 14 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns.

"They were giving me three, four, five seconds back there," Miller said. "If they do that, and with the receivers we have, somebody's going to be open."

Prep football: Manatee's Kickoff Classic moved to Wednesday

Another Kickoff Classic football game has been rescheduled.

Because of the potential ramifications of Hurricane Irene, Manatee's game with Delray Beach American Heritage has been moved to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hawkins Stadium.

It was originally scheduled for Friday.

Palmetto's Kickoff Classic with Venice was also moved to Wednesday. The Tigers and Indians will kick off 6:30 p.m. at Harllee Stadium.

Prep football: Canes, Tigers, Noles crack Freeman's top 10

(photo by Grant Jefferies)

Another day, another ranking.

This ones comes courtesy of MaxPreps, which unveiled its Freeman football rankings earlier this week.

Three area teams made the top 10 of their respective classifications: Manatee is third in Class 7A, while Southeast is fourth and Palmetto, coached by Dave Marino, above, is ninth in Class 5A.

MaxPreps also ranked Manatee 16th overall the state, the highest of the 10 area teams.

Southeast is 31st, while Palmetto is 60th.

Listed below are the rankings for the area's other schools.

BAYSHORE - 36th in Class 5A, 209th overall.

BRADEN RIVER - 30th in Class 7A, 159th overall.

BRADENTON CHRISTIAN - 26th in Class 2A, 424th overall.

CARDINAL MOONEY - 32nd in Class 3A, 419th overall.

LAKEWOOD RANCH - 40th in Class 6A, 146th overall.

OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY - 15th in Class 2A, 331st overall.

SAINT STEPHEN'S - 48th in Class 2A, 526th overall.

Want to know how MaxPreps came up with these rankings?

Click here.

Prep football poll: Vote on your favorite game this season

(pagemoorephoto.com)

Football season officially gets underway in less than a month, when teams can start their preseason workouts.

So what game are you most looking forward to this year?

Is it the age-old rivalry between Southeast and Manatee, featuring Southeast's Brian Poole and Manatee's Rhoshaun Goff, pictured above? Or how about Palmetto and Southeast playing a district game?

How about the battle for East Manatee bragging rights - Lakewood Ranch and Braden River?

Check out the poll on the right side of the page and take your pick. I listed 10 games and a vote for other, just in case you don't see a game you like.

And as always, feel free to shoot me an email at jlembo@bradenton.com.

Listed below are the nominess and a little on each game:

DON BOSCO PREP (N.J.) AT MANATEE, 9/16

The Jersey-based Ironmen are ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps and have won 35 straight games.

MANATEE AT OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL (Md.), 9/2

Ranked 15th in the nation by MaxPreps, Good Counsel should challenge a Hurricanes team that plays outside the state for the second straight year.

SOUTHEAST AT MANATEE, 9/30

The perennial classic turns 30 this year. The Noles were up 24-7 at the half last year before the Canes rallied for a 31-24 win, so this year's game has plenty to live up to.

PALMETTO AT SOUTHEAST, 11/4

This neighborhood rivalry got a jolt in 2007, when the Tigers beat Southeast for the first time. It will be even bigger this year - the teams are now Class 5A-District 10 foes, and this marks the final game of district play for each team.

VENICE AT MANATEE, 10/21

The Hurricanes beat the Indians twice last year - once for the district title, and then again in the Class 5A-Region 3 semifinals. District realignments had no effect on this rivalry, as Manatee and Venice moved to Class 7A-District 10.

LAKEWOOD RANCH AT BRADEN RIVER, 9/2

It's not quite at the same level as Manatee-Southeast, but this backyard battle in East Manatee county was ratcheted up a notch last fall when the Mustangs beat the Pirates for the first time.

WAUCHULA HARDEE AT PALMETTO, 10/21

One of the state's most historic rivalries now has playoff implications - both teams compete in Class 5A-District 10.

OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY AT SAINT STEPHEN'S, 11/4

With Bradenton Christian in its own district, this game will decide small-school area bragging rights, as well as who takes home the Headmaster's Cup.

BAYSHORE AT PALMETTO, 10/7

Another local rivalry that means a little more now that both teams are district foes.

RIVERVIEW AT MANATEE, 9/9

It's no longer a district game. But it will be interesting watching someone other than John Sprague lead the Rams into Hawkins Stadium.

Prep football: 15 teams confirmed for FCA Air Assault

(photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie)

Southeast's Paul Maechtle is one of seven area coaches slated to lead his team into The Third Annual 7-0n-7 Air Assault presented by the Gulf Coast Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

This year's tournament is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 26 at Braden River.

Bayshore, Braden River, Bradenton Christian, Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy, Palmetto and Southeast are scheduled to attend.

Arcadia DeSoto, Booker, Plant City, Sarasota, Tampa Gaither, Tampa Robinson, Tampa Wharton and Venice round out the field.

Jason Golden, director of coaches ministries for the Gulf Coast FCA, said he is waiting on the confirmation of one other team.

The event is free and open to the public and is scheduled to run until 2 p.m.

Former Florida Gator Ernie Dubois will be this year's guest speaker, and will address the tournament's players and coaches.

Prep baseball: Goetzman a MaxPreps All-America

(photo by Paul Videla)

Palmetto grad Granden Goetzman has made MaxPreps All-America First Team.

An outfielder, Goetzman batted .413 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 25 games for the Tigers, stealing 14 bases.

He was taken in the second round (the 75th pick overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in the June's amateur draft. Goetzman is currently with the Rays' Gulf Coast League team in Port Charlotte.

Prep baseball: Plenty of locals on FACA all-state team

(photo from Paul Videla)

Manatee catcher Bryan Voelkl was one of a number of area baseball players named to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association's all-state teams.

Voelkl made the Class 5A team.

Lakewood Ranch's Andrew McNett, Shane Davidson, Phil Dilandro, Zach Larson and Seth McGarry made the Class 4A team. Palmetto's Granden Goetzman also made the 4A team.

Southeast's Joseph Muldoon, Michael Suchy, Cameron Cox and Andy Ramirez made the team for Class 3A.

And The Pendleton School's Brandon Bonilla and Matt Martin made the Class 2A team.

Prep baseball: Rays take Goetzman

The Tampa Bay Rays chose Palmetto High's Granden Goetzman in the second round with the 75th overall selection during Major League Baseball's 2011 First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday.

Goetzman played shortstop primarily this season, but is projected as an outfield prospect. He previously signed to play college baseball at Florida Gulf Coast University.

Goetzman was recently selected as the Herald's All-Area Player of the Year for a season that included a .413 batting average, .526 on-base percentage and .950 slugging percentage in 25 games.

For more on this story, check out Wednesday's edition of the Bradenton Herald.

- Jason Dill, Bradenton Herald sports reporter.

Prep sports: FHSAA releases final district alignments

The Florida High School Athletic Association announced the final district alignments Thursday for boys weightlifting, tennis, track and field and wrestling.

The alignments are listed below with local teams in bold.

BOYS WEIGHTLIFTING

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 7 - Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Manatee, Palmetto, Charlotte, North Port, Port Charlotte, Riverview, Sarasota, Venice.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 8 - Bayshore, Cardinal Mooney, Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Auburndale, Avon Park, Booker, Englewood Lemon Bay, Frostproof, Kissimmee Poinciana, Lake Placid, Lake Wales, Lake Wales Vanguard, Lakeland Tenoroc, Mulberry.

TENNIS

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 8 - Manatee, North Port, Riverview, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Seminole.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 12 - Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Charlotte, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, Venice.

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 11 - Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Booker, Cape Coral Mariner, Englewood Lemon Bay, Fort Myers Dunbar, Lehigh Acres.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 9 - Bradenton Christian, Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy, Saint Stephen's, Clearwater Central Catholic, Largo Indian Rocks Christian, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut, St. Petersburg Northside Christian, St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep, St. Petersburg Canterbury, St. Petersburg Catholic.

TRACK AND FIELD

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 7 - Manatee, Lithia Newsome, North Port, Riverview, Tampa Riverview, Valrico Bloomingdale.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 11 - Palmetto, Cape Coral Island Coast, Charlotte, Estero, Fort Myers Cypress Lake, Port Charlotte, Sarasota, South Fort Myers, Venice.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 9 - Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Brandon, Dover Strawberry Crest, Gibsontown East Bay, Ruskin Lennard, Seffner Armwood.

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 10 - Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Booker, Lehigh, Riverview Spoto, St. Petersburg Lakewood, Wauchula Hardee.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 11 - Bradenton Christian, Cape Coral Oasis (boys only), Fort Myers Canterbury, Fort Myers Evangelical Christian, Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian, Moore Haven, Naples Community School, Naples First Baptist, Naples Seacrest Country Day, Naples St. John Neumann.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 10 - Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy, Saint Stephen's, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut, St. Petersburg Catholic, St. Petersburg Keswick Christian, St. Petersburg Northside Christian, St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep, Sarasota Christian.

WRESTLING

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 8 -Manatee, Largo Pinellas Park, Naples Gulf Coast, North Port, Riverview, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Northeast, Sarasota.

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 11 -Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Cape Coral, Cape Coral Ida Baker, Cape Coral Island Coast, Cape Coral Mariner, Charlotte, Port Charlotte, Venice.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 11 - Saint Stephen's, Southeast, Booker, Cape Coral Oasis, Englewood Lemon Bay, Fort Myers Dunbar, Fort Myers Gateway Charter.

Prep baseball: Palmetto's Collis off to SCF

Joe Collis, who has coached Palmetto's baseball team the last three years, said he has taken an assistant job with the State College of Florida.

Collis played at SCF, formerly known as Manatee Community College, in 1994-95, and was a member of the '94 state championship team that finished sixth at the JUCO World Series.

Palmetto athletic director Kenny Ansbro said the school hopes to have a new head coach in place prior to the start of summer workouts.

For more on this story, check out Wednesday's edition of The Bradenton Herald.

Prep sports: FHSAA unveils more district alingments

(fhsaa.org) The Florida High School Athletic Association released tentative alignments for tennis, track and field, wrestling and boys weightlifting Wednesday.
The alignments are for the 2011-12 and 2012-2013 school years.
Schools have until 5 p.m. Friday, May 27 to appeal their classifications.
The proposed districts are listed below with local teams in bold.

TENNIS
CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 8 - Manatee, North Port, Riverview, St. Petersburg, Seminole.
CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 12 - Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda Charlotte, Sarasota, Venice.
CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 11 - Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Booker, Cape Coral Mariner, Englewood Lemon Bay, Fort Myers Dunbar, Lehigh Acres Lehigh.
CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 9 - Bradenton Christian, Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy, Saint Stephen's, Clearwater Central Catholic, Largo Indian Rocks Christian, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut, St. Petersburg Catholic, St. Petersburg Northside Christian, St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep.

TRACK AND FIELD
CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 7 - Manatee, Lithia Newsome, Plant City Durant, North Port, Sarasota Riverview, Tampa Riverview.
CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 9 - Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Brandon, Dover Strawberry Crest, Tampa Chamberlain, Tampa Gaither, Tampa Leto, Tampa Sickles.
CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 11 - Palmetto, Cape Coral Island Coast, Charlotte, Estero, Fort Myers Cypress Lake, Port Charlotte, Venice.
CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 10 - Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Booker, Lehigh Acres Lehigh, Riverview Spoto, St. Petersburg Lakewood, Wauchula Hardee.
CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 10 - Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy, Saint Stephen's, Fort Meade, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut, St. Petersburg Catholic, St. Petersburg Keswick Christian, St. Petersburg Northside Christian, St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep (girls only), Sarasota Christian.
CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 11 - Bradenton Christian, Cape Coral Oasis (boys only), Fort Myers Canterbury, Fort Myers Southwest Florida Christian, Moore Haven, Naples Community School, Naples First Baptist, Naples St. John Neumann, Naples Seacrest Country Day.

WEIGHTLIFTING (BOYS)
CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 7 - Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Manatee, Palmetto, Charlotte, North Port, Port Charlotte, Riverview, Sarasota, Venice.
CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 8 - Bayshore, Cardinal Mooney, Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Auburndale, Avon Park, Booker, Englewood Lemon Bay, Frostproof, Kissimmee Poinciana, Lakeland Tenoroc, Lake Wales Vanguard, Lake Wales, Lake Placid, Wauchula Hardee.

WRESTLING
CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 8 - Manatee, Largo Pinellas Park, Naples Gulf Coast, North Port, Riverview, St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg Northeast, Sarasota.
CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 11 - Bayshore, Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto, Cape Coral, Cape Coral Ida Baker, Cape Coral Island Coast, Cape Coral Mariner, Charlotte, Port Charlotte, Venice.
CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 11 - Saint Stephen's, Southeast, Booker, Cape Coral Oasis, Englewood Lemon Bay, Fort Myers Dunbar, Fort Myers Gateway Charter.

Prep football: Tigers scrimmaging every Saturday

Palmetto's spring game with Booker isn't scheduled until May 27. So with only 20 practices permitted to each team, coach Dave Marino said the Tigers will take every Wednesday off and use Saturday to scrimmage.
Aside from breaking up the monotony of the spring, the Saturday scrimmages will give parents a chance to their sons in action.
The first two scrimmages will be controlled, Marino said. But the Saturday before hosting the Tornadoes, the Tigers will play their Red and Black Game, complete with referees and team colors.
"That will give all of our kids a chance to put on our uniform," Marino said, "and give them motivation when they're going through the hard work."
Optimism is rippling throughout Tigers camp, especially after last season's run to the Class 4A playoffs. And of Palmetto's four regular-season losses, three came to teams who played for regional titles - Manatee, Punta Gorda Charlotte, and Southeast.
The Tigers' other loss came to Class 5A Riverview.
"It was really a statement to our kids about what they really accomplished last year," Marino said. "You look at our record, and 6-4, it doesn't really stand out. But what we did was amazing."

Prep baseball: Locals moving on

(logo from FHSAA.org)Bradenton Christian, Cardinal Mooney, Manatee and Southeast are playing for district championships.

Braden River, Lakewood Ranch and Palmetto are still in the hunt, as well.

Listed below are the district baseball matchups after Tuesday's results.

CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 10

Championship - Venice at Manatee, 7 p.m. Thursday.

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 10

Semifinals - Braden River at Lakewood Ranch, 7 p.m. Wednesday; Palmetto at Seminole Osceola, 7 p.m. Wednesday.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 11

Championship - Cardinal Mooney at Southeast, 7 p.m, Thursday.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 8

Championship - Bradenton Christian at Seffner Christian, 4:30 p.m. Friday.

Prep baseball: Manatee will host Gulf Coast

Manatee, the top seed in the Class 5A-District 10 baseball tournament, finally knows its semifinal opponent.

The Hurricanes host Naples Gulf Coast at 7 p.m. tonight at G.T. Bray after the Sharks, the tournament's No. 4 seed, defeated No. 5 Port Charlotte on Monday in a game delayed roughly two hours by rain.

Gulf Coast beat the Pirates 6-0. Manatee, meanwhile, earned a bye.

Manatee defeated Gulf Coast twice this season, winning by scores of 7-4 and 7-5. Tonight's winner meets either Venice or Punta Gorda Charlotte in Thursday's final, and also clinches a berth in the regional playoffs, which get underway next week.

In other district baseball action tonight:

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 10

Quarterfinals - St. Petersburg Lakewood at Palmetto, 7 p.m.; Bayshore at Lakewood Ranch, 7 p.m.; St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins at Braden River, 7 p.m.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 11 AT SOUTHEAST

Semifinals - Booker/Arcadia DeSoto vs. Cardinal Mooney, 4:30 p.m.; Wauchula Hardee vs. Southeast, 7:30 p.m.

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 11 AT OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY

Semifinals - Saint Stephen's vs. Out-of-Door Academy, 7 p.m.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 10 AT SARASOTA CHRISTIAN

Semifinals - Sarasota Christian vs. Manatee HEAT, 7 p.m.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 8 AT SEFFNER CHRISTIAN

Semifinals - Seffner Christian vs. Bradenton Christian, 1 p.m.

Prep football: Spring game matchups

(pagemoorephoto.com)

Cord Sandberg and the Manatee Hurricanes were the last locals standing last season before falling to Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas in a Class 5A state semifinal.

That's Palmetto's Quinten Bostic in pursuit of Sandberg during last fall's game at Hawkins Stadium.

The march to next season begins a week from today, when football teams are permitted to conduct their first official practice of the spring.

The games are listed below.

Friday, May 13

St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut at Braden River, 7 p.m.

Thursday, May 19

St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep at Bradenton Christian, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 20

Tampa Berkeley Prep at Bayshore, 7:30 p.m.

Tampa Carrollwood Day School at Cardinal Mooney, 7 p.m.

Out-of-Door Academy at St. Petersburg Keswick, 7:30 p.m.

Friday, May 27

North Port at Lakewood Ranch, 7:30 p.m.

St. Petersburg Gibbs at Manatee, 7:30 p.m.

Booker at Palmetto, 7 p.m.

Venice at Southeast, 7:30 p.m.

NOTE: Saint Stephen's is not playing a spring game, and Braden River heads back to Raymond James Stadium on 10 a.m. Saturday, May 21 for the Pirate Bowl.

Prep baseball: Local district pairings

(logo from FHSAA.org)

Posteason baseball begins next week with the district tournaments, and the local pairings are listed below.

The top two teams in each district advance to the regional tournament, which begins Tuesday, May 3.

Seeds are in parentheses.

CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 10
Semifinals - (5)Port Charlotte/(4) Naples Gulf Coast winner at (1) Manatee, 7 p.m. Tuesday

Championship - 7 p.m. Thursday at highest seed.

CLASS 4A-DISTRICT 10

Quarterfinals - (5) St. Petersburg Lakewood at (4) Palmetto 7 p.m. Tuesday; (6) St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins at (3) Braden River, 7 p.m. Tuesday; (7) Bayshore at (2) Lakewood Ranch, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Semifinals - Lakewood/Palmetto winner at (1) Seminole Osceola, 7 p.m. Wednesday; Braden River/Dixie Hollins winner vs. Bayshore/Lakewood Ranch winnter, 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Championship - 7 p.m. Friday at highest seed.

CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 11 AT SOUTHEAST

Semifinals - (5) Booker/(4) Arcadia DeSoto winner vs. (1) Cardinal Mooney, 4:30 p.m., Tuesday; (3) Wauchula Hardee vs. (2) Southeast, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

Championship - 7 p.m. Thursday

CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 11 AT OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY

Semifinals - (3) Saint Stephen's vs. (2) Out-of-Door Academy, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Championship - 7 p.m. Thursday.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 10 AT SARASOTA CHRISTIAN

Semifinals - (3) Sarasota Christian vs. (2) Manatee HEAT, 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Championship - 7 p.m. Thursday.

CLASS 1A-DISTRICT 8 AT SEFFNER CHRISTIAN

Semifinals - (3) Seffner Christian vs. (2) Bradenton Christian, 1 p.m. Tuesday.

Championship - 7 p.m. Thursday.

Prep football: Tigers ready for a night at the movies

Members of Palmetto's football team are headed to the Sarasota Film Festival on Thursday to take in a screening of "Through The Tunnel," a documentary about Lincoln Memorial High's football team and its role during the dawning of integration in Manatee County.

The film is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House. It will be followed by discussion featuring local football legend Henry Lawrence, a standout player at Lincoln who appears in the film.

"Through The Tunnel" was produced and directed by Charles Clapsaddle, Charles Williams and Durand Adams, and was named Best Historical Documentary at the docMiami International Film Festival. The movie was also selected for screenings at festivals in Clearwater and Atlanta.

Prep baseball: Lots of locals on Classic's all-tourney team

(baseballgloves.us)

The county's strong showing at last week's Sarasota Baseball Classic is evident in the all-tournament team, which was unveiled today.
Lakewood Ranch placed third in the Elite Bracket, while Manatee was third in the Premeir Bracket and Palmetto finished fourth. All three teams made each bracket's semifinal round.
Here are the local players who made each of the bracket's all-tournament teams:
ELITE BRACKET
Brett Hanewich, Lakewood Ranch
Seth McGarry, Lakewood Ranch
Zack Larson, Lakewood Ranch
PREMEIR BRACKET
Tyler Beeman, Manatee
Nick Nolting, Palmetto
Kevin Phillips, Cardinal Mooney
MOST OUTSTANDING PITCHER, PREMEIR BRACKET
Correlle Prime, Manatee

Prep baseball: Final pairings for Sarasota Baseball Classic

(baseballgloves.us)

There won't be a local champion at the Sarasota Baseball Classic after Lakewood Ranch, Manatee and Palmetto fell in the semifinals Wednesday.
But there will be baseball, as the tournament wraps today.
Here are the local pairings.

ELITE BRACKET - CONSOLATION
Lakewood Ranch vs. Sarasota at Sarasota, 5 p.m.
The Pendleton School vs. Fort Myers Bishop Verot at Ed Smith Complex, field 3, 5:15 p.m.

PREMIER BRACKET - CONSOLATION
Manatee vs. Palmetto at Ed Smith Complex, field 1, 5:15 p.m.
Braden River vs. Dwyer at Buck O'Neil Baseball Complex, field 4, 5:15 p.m.
Cardinal Mooney vs. Punta Gorda Charlotte at Ed Smith Complex, field 1, 5:15 p.m.

Prep baseball: ...and the Mustangs make three.

(baseballgloves.us)

SARASOTA - Lakewood Ranch became the lastest local team to advance at the Sarasota Baseball Classic on Tuesday.
The Mustangs needed just five innings to beat Fort Myers Bishop Verot, 11-1, to qualify for the semifinals of the Elite Bracket. They will face Naples Barron Collier on Wednesday at a site and time to be determined.
Manatee and Palmetto also won Tuesday, and will play in the semifinals Wednesday of the Premier Bracket.
Manatee meets Miami Sunset and Palmetto plays Royal Palm Beach.
Not a bad showing for Manatee County, which hasn't crowned a champion at the Sarasota Baseball Classic since the Hurricanes won in 2001.
This is the tournament's 26th season and the second time it has been split into two brackets.
Check back with Prep Rally later tonight for Wednesday's updated schedule, and check out Wednesday's edition of The Bradenton Herald for stories on today's games.