Prep football: Calloway commits to Louisville



photo by Tiffany Tompkins-Condie

Manatee defensive lineman Derrick Calloway has committed to Louisville, according to Hurricanes defensive line coach Steve Gulash. Gulash said he received a text from Calloway on Sunday night from Texas, where Calloway is participating in the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl.
Rivals ranks Calloway, a senior, as the nation's 18th-best defensive tackle.
Calloway had three sacks, 13 quarterback hurries, 68 tackles, two passes defended, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal this season for the Hurricanes. In three seasons at Manatee, two as a full-time starter, Calloway finished 13 sacks and 143 tackles and helped the Canes win three regional titles and the Class 7A state title in 2011.
He is the third Canes linemen to commit to a Division I program: Defensive end Blake Keller, a senior, chose UCF over the summer; tackle Demarcus Christmas, a junior, committed to Florida State during the season.

Prep football: FHSAA releases tentative districts

photo by John Lembo

The Florida High School Athletic Association has unveiled the tentative districts for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.
The schools have until Jan. 18 to appeal their new classification and district.

Listed below are the new districts involving area teams.
The full list can be found here.

CLASS 8A-DISTRICT 7
Manatee, Palm Harbor University, St. Petersburg, Sarasota Riverview.
CLASS 7A-DISTRICT 10
Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, North Port, Sarasota.
CLASS 6A-DISTRICT 7
Palmetto, Largo, St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins, Seminole Osceola, Venice.
CLASS 5A-DISTRICT 12
Bayshore, Southeast, Arcadia DeSoto, Wauchula Hardee.
CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 6
Cardinal Mooney, Saint Stephen's, Out-of-Door Academy, Community School of Naples, Fort Myers Bishop Verot, Moore Haven.
CLASS 2A-DISTRICT 5
Bradenton Christian, Tampa Cambridge, Tampa Carrollwood, St. Petersburg Canterbury, Largo Indian Rocks Christian, St. Petersburg Keswick Christian.

Prep baseball: Manatee's Cord Sandberg now in baseball mode



photo by John Lembo

 Welcome back Cord Sandberg, baseball player.
After putting the wraps on his final season quarterbacking Manatee's football team, Sandberg, a senior, is now readying himself for baseball.
It's a big year - Sandberg is considered a top prospect and could be a high pick during summer's amateur baseball draft, and he has already earned an invite to work out for the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie during the first weekend in January.
During the football season, Sandberg said he worked out a few times at The Sandlot @ 5 Tools, a baseball facility in downtown Bradenton operated by Manatee baseball coach Dwayne Strong.
"The past couple of years, I didn't really do any baseball during the football season," Sandberg said. "But this year is a little different."
A centerfielder, Sandberg is trying to get his arm back in baseball shape after spending the last four months throwing a football.
"It's different arm motions," he said. "Football is a quick release. With baseball, I'm trying to get long and get some carry on the ball."
Sandberg had a meet-and-greet with the Tampa Bay Rays and has also had visits with the Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks. It's nothling like college football recruiting, which the Mississippi State commit knows well.
"College football, the coaches are coming in and telling you what they have and trying to get you to go there," Sandberg said. "With this, I have no say where I'm going. It's going to be kind of exciting when draft day comes, not knowing where I'm going to be for the next couple of years.
"I'd be glad to be part of any major league organization."

Prep girls basketball: Southeast's schedule gets tougher

photo by Grant Jefferies

Southeast girls basketball coach John Harder considers Class 5A-District 12 the toughest in the state.
Consequently, he has scheduled some tough opponents in the hopes of steeling his girls for the postseason.
The Seminoles, who are 10-1 overall and 2-1 in the district following Tuesday's loss to St. Petersburg Lakewood, host undefeated Sarasota on Thursday and meet Lakeland Kathleen on Wednesday in the first round of their own Willie Clemons tournament.
Kathleen went to the second round of last year's Class 6A state tournament.
Southeast then heads to Fort Myers Dunbar for Tiger Classic on Jan. 4 and 5. The Seminoles play host Dunbar, the defending Class 4A state champion, Jan. 4.
"I built the schedule knowing I was in the toughest district in the state," Harder said. "It's not we've ever ducked anybody, it's about getting better. And that's my job - I've got to help them get better."

Prep basketball: Five boys teams in Riverview tournament



photo by Paul Videla
Raleigh Alexander and the Seminoles will be in action during next week's Suncoast Holiday Tournament at Riverview

 Southeast and Palmetto face off in the first round of the Suncoast Holiday Tournament at Riverview High in Sarasota.
The tournament begins Wednesday, Dec. 26 and wraps Saturday with the championship game, slated for 7:30 p.m.
Listed below are Wednesday's first-round pairings with local teams in bold.

Southeast vs. Palmetto, 3 p.m.
Cardinal Mooney vs. Carol City, 4:30 p.m.
Booker vs. Braden River, 6 p.m.
Manatee vs. Sarasota Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Riverview, Fort Myers, South Fort Myers and Tampa Sickles all received first-round byes.

Prep football: Manatee's Dawsey, Miller picked for FACA All-Star Game



photo by Grant Jefferies

 Manatee defensive tackle Marquis Dawsey and offensive lineman Thor Miller have been selected for the Florida Athletic Coaches Association All-Star Classic, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Firemen's Field in Sebring.
It's the 58th edition of the game.
Dawsey and Miller will be suiting up for the South team, which will be coached by Lake Wales' Rod Shafer.
Dawsey had 89 tackles, 14 1/2 sacks, two fumble recoveries, five caused fumbles and 22 hurries for Manatee. He also lined up at fullback and scored four touchdowns.
Miller is a two-year starter and the only senior on Manatee's line this year.

Prep baseball: Manatee alum Lance Carter named USF pitching coach

Manatee alum and Bradenton resident Lance Carter is back with another area baseball team.
USF announced on its website, gousfbulls.com, the school has hired Carter as the school's new pitching coach.
Carter also pitched at Manatee Community College (now State College of Florida) and spent six seasons in the big leagues after he was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1994.
Carter spent four seasons with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Rays) and was an All-Star in 2003 when he was seventh in the American League in saves (26) and fifth in games finished (55).
Carter, who also joins in on the radio broadcast for Manatee's football games, spent last season as the pitching coach for the Philadelphia Phillies' New York-Penn League team in Williamsport, Pa.