Prep sports: Pick your top Manatee County prep sports moment in 2011

(photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie)

As 2011 comes to a close, it's time to look back at that the year that was in Manatee County high school sports.

And what a year. From Manatee's football team climbing back on top to Lakewood Ranch's fabulous fall to Saint Stephen's boys soccer team making a return trip to the final four, there were plenty of thrills to go around during this calendar year.

So tell us your favorite. Glance at the poll on the right-hand side of the page and vote on the top high school sports moment in Manatee County for 2011.

Prep baseball: Lastings Milledge signs with Tokyo Swallows

(photo from ESPN)Lastings Milledge has found a new baseball team - albeit, one in a different league, country and continent.
The Palmetto native and Lakewood Ranch alum has signed with the Tokyo Swallows of Japan's Central League, according to the team's website.
It's another chapter in Milledge's strange and tumultuous life in professional baseball, which began when the New York Mets made him the 12th overall pick of the 2003 draft.
He was called up to the Mets in 2006 and again in '07, appearing in 115 games with the team before he was traded to Washington prior to the '08 season.
The move initially paid off for Milledge, who hit 14 home runs, swiped 24 bases and batted .261 for Washington in '08. But he was traded yet again to Pittsburgh in early '09, and he hit .281 in 171 games with the Pirates during in '09-'10.
Milledge latched on with Chicago White Sox in 2011 and made the team out of spring training. But the White Sox, in need of bullpen help, released Milledge after just two games in order to add another reliever to the 25-man roster.
The Swallows have been in existence since 1950 and went 70-59-15 last year.

Prep basketball: Southeast, Lakewood Ranch win on first day of Clemons Classic

Southeast and Lakewood Ranch's girls basketball teams scored victories during the first day of the 8th Annual Wille Clemons Holiday Basketball Classic on Monday at Southeast.
Returning to Seminole Alley for the first time in over a decade, Southeast (10-3) throttled St. Petersburg Northeast 55-26 in the opening round of the Seminole Division.
The Noles return to the newer Narbut Gymnasium 1 p.m. Tuesday to meet St. Petersburg Gibbs in a semifinal.
The Mustangs (8-5) outlasted Mitchell 28-25 in the opening round of the Gators Division and face Gulfport Boca Ciega 4 p.m. Tuesday in a semifinal.
Championship games are scheduled for Wednesday, with the Seminole Division final tipping off at 4 p.m. and the Gators Division final going at 5:30.

Prep baseball: Bradenton's J.R. Murphy ranked Yankees' 9th-best prospect

(photo from riveraveblues.com)

Bradenton native and IMG graduate J.R. Murphy has been named the New York Yankees' ninth-best prospect in the latest issue of Baseball America.

"A solid athlete and average runner, Murphy has improved defensively," the magazine writes about Murphy, a catcher who was chosen by the Yankees during the second round of the 2009 draft. "He has gained average arm strength through better mechanics and a long-toss program and quicker release."

Murphy, 20, began last season with the Yankees low Single-A affiliate in Charleston and was a South Atlantic League before a mid-season promotion to the team's high Single-A club in Tampa.

Murphy batted .259 with a home run and 14 RBIs with the Tampa Yankees before a foul ball broke his left foot, according to Baseball America.

In 86 games in Charlestown and Tampa, Murphy batted .287 with seven home runs and 46 RBIs, and he threw out 24 percent of attempted basestealers. He also saw time at third base, too.

Baseball America expects Murphy to return to Tampa next season.

Prep football: Manatee's 7A state final to be re-aired tonight on Sun Sports

In case you missed it - or if you just want to re-live it - Manatee's Class 7A state football final win over Jacksonville First Coast will be replayed 6:30 p.m. tonight on Sun Sports.

The Canes beat the Buccaneers 40-0 to claim their first state title since 1992 and fifth overall.

The game will be shown again 6:30 p.m. Christmas Eve.

Prep basketball: Willie Clemons Classic pairings

Here are the first-round brackets for the Willie Clemons Girls Holiday Basketball Classic, which runs from Dec. 26-28 at Southeast.

GATORS DIVISION (NEW GYM)

Lakeland Kathleen vs. Gulfport Boca Ciega, noon

Lakewood Ranch vs. Mitchell, 2:30 p.m.

Riverview vs. Coral Gables, 4 p.m.

Seminole vs. Parkway Academy, 5:30 p.m.

SEMINOLE DIVISION (FIRST-ROUND GAMES WILL BE IN OLD GYM)

Southeast vs. St. Petersburg Northeast, 1 p.m.

Cape Coral Mariner vs. St. Petersburg Gibbs, 2:30 p.m.

Punta Gorda Charlotte vs. Tampa Sickles, 4 p.m.

Tampa Catholic vs. Venice, 5:30 p.m.

Prep football; Joe Pinkos' rating declares Manatee tops in Florida; Palmetto sixth

Joe Kinnan considers his Manatee Hurricanes the best football team in Florida.

And he's not alone.

The Hurricanes were ranked first overall in the final Joe Pinkos' Power Rating, which are determined by a team's strength of schedule as well as its margin of victory.

Manatee, which went 13-2 and defeated Jacksonville First Coast 40-0 in the Class 7A state final, finished first with a rating of 210.6, beating 5A champ Miami Norland (206.8) and Class 6A champ Seffner Armwood (206).

Palmetto was sixth with a rating of 202.4 after going 12-2 and reaching the Class 5A state semifinal. The Tigers lost to Manatee by three points and Norland by eight.

The Hurricanes finished the year third in the Flavarsity.com top 25 behind top-ranked Armwood and runner-up Norland.

Palmetto placed 18th in that poll.