Prep baseball: Milledge designated for assignment

(photo by Chicago Tribune)

The Chicago White Sox have designated Lastings Milledge for assignment, according to a story on MLB.com.

The Palmetto native and Lakewood Ranch grad made the team after a strong spring. He appeared in two games for the White Sox and went 1-4 with a double and a run scored. The White Sox will replace him on the roster with relief pitcher Jeff Gray.

If Milledge makes it through waivers, he can either sign with another team or return to the White Sox as a minor-leaguer.

"Personally, it was very hard for me to do it," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said in a story by ESPNChicago.com's Doug Padilla, adding the decision was based less on Milledge's performance and more on Chicago's need for depth in the bullpen. "He handled it very well. I talked to Milledge about the problem we have. Unfortunately, that's part of the game. It's one of the hardest talks I've ever had with any of the players."

A first-round pick of the New York Mets in 2003, Milledge has also played with the Mets, Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Boys weightlifting: State qualifers

Four area lifters qualified for the boys state weightlifting meet, scheduled for Friday, April 15 (Class 2A) and Saturday, April 16 (Class 1A) at the Kissimmee Civic Center.
In Class 2A, Braden River's Nathan Kirkman is seeded 10th at 219 pounds, and Manatee's Drakkar Wilson is 14th at heavyweight.
There are 18 qualifiers in each weight class, and rankings are determined by each lifter's total during the district meets.
In Class 1A, Southeast's David Pascual is 11th at 119 pounds, and Cardinal Mooney's Alex Nugent is fifth at 169 pounds.
Nugent placed first during last week's Class 1A-District 8 meet, earning him an automatic berth to state.
Kirkman, Pascual and Wilson earned at-large bids.
The top six finishers in each weight class at state earn a medal.

Prep tennis: Flying blind in Class 1A-District 10

When the district tournament rolls around, Out-of-Door Academy's girls tennis coach, Noel Dougherty, has no idea what's coming her way.
The same can be said for the coaches at Saint Stephen's, Cardinal Mooney and Bradenton Christian, all of whom join ODA in Class 1A-District 10.
It's a unique batch of teams - aside from the locals, the league is rounded out by Cape Coral Oasis, Community School of Naples, Fort Myers Canterbury, Fort Myers Evangelical Christian, Naples First Baptist, Naples St. John Neumann and Naples Seacrest Country Day.
That's a lot of miles to cover. Consequently, the area teams never see the Naples/Fort Myers schools until the postseason.
"It's like a horse race - you're walking into it blind," said Dougherty, whose team won the district last season and trails first-place Saint Stephen's in this year's tournament, which resumes this morning at ODA. "You have no idea what they're bringing up...It makes for interesting seeding meetings, but everybody is so professional and it really works smoothly, which is delightful. In the same breath, you absolutely wish you were being exposed to some of the schools down there."
Long bus rides, the mid-season time change and the fact that few courts have lights make it hard for the teams to meet during the regular season. ODA, for example, wouldn't get to a school in Fort Myers or Naples until around 5:30 p.m. during a typical school day.
That would leave about 90 minutes of light to play five singles and two doubles matches, which are best-two-out-of-three affairs.
"We used to play Canterbury and make the trip - every other year, we'd switch on and off," Dougherty said. "But by the time we'd get down there...(and) you're driving all that distance for an eight-match pro set..."
The Thunder faced Mooney, Saint Stephen's and BCS during the regular season and filled the rest of the schedule with teams such as Braden River, Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota.
Dougherty would rather see more of her district foes, especially those are the players the Thunder need to beat.
"Maybe there will come a time when somebody will get lights, and maybe we could hold a tournament," Dougherty said.

Prep softball: Braden River keeps rolling

(photo from Braden River High School Athletic Boosters)

Braden River's dominance on the softball diamond continues.
The Pirates, powered by the two-pronged pitching attack of Courtney Mirabella and Hannah Loyer, won the Diamondback Division's Gold Championship during this weekend's 11th Annual Doc4Life Varsity Showdown in Ocala.
The Pirates didn't allow a run in four games and capped their run with a 4-0 win over Dunnellon in the championship game.
Mirabella allowed four hits, struck out 13 and didn't issue a walk in the final. She began the tournament by tossing a perfect game against Satellite, striking out 15.
Mirabella also pitched 3-plus innings of perfect relief against Arch Bishop McCarthy, striking out eight.
Loyer was nearly as good, tossing a two-hit shutout and striking out 12 against Vanguard, and striking out nine, walking one and yielding three hits against Arch Bishop.
Offensively, Kenya Yancy homered and scored five runs, Jessica Cadorette homered and Jada Schopfer drove in four runs for the Pirates, who improved to 19-2.
Braden River, which won a regional playoff game for the first time in program history last year, is hoping to take the momentum into the Class 4A-District 10 tournament, which gets underway Monday, April 18.

Prep tennis: Postseason is here

(image from FHSAA.org)

Just another reminder the 2010-11 prep season is almost complete - here come the spring playoffs.
District tennis begins Monday, with area teams playing in tournaments around Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties.
The No. 1 singles and doubles champions advance to the state tournament,which begins the week of April 18.
The top two overall teams advance to regional play, which begins Tuesday, April 12.

Class 4A-District 7 at Sarasota
When: Monday (8 a.m.) and Tuesday (8:30 a.m.)
Locals: Manatee
Others: North Port, Plant City, Sarasota, Riverview

Class 3A-District 10 at Punta Gorda Charlotte
When: Tuesday (8 a.m.) and Wednesday (9 a.m.)
Locals: Braden River, Lakewood Ranch, Palmetto
Others: Punta Gorda Charlotte, Port Charlotte, Venice

Class 2A-District 9 at Bayshore
When: Monday (10 a.m.) and Tuesday (TBA)
Locals: Bayshore, Southeast
Others: Arcadia DeSoto, Booker, Englewood Lemon Bay, St. Petersburg Lakewood, Seminole Osceola

Class 1A-District 10 at Saint Stephen's (girls) and Out-of-Door Academy (boys)
Note: Out-of-Door Academy hosts boys and girls Tuesday
When: Monday (9 a.m.) and Tuesday (TBA)
Locals: Bradenton Christian, Cardinal Mooney, Out-of-Door Academy, Saint Stephen's
Others: Cape Coral Oasis, Community School of Naples, Fort Myers Canterbury (girls only), Fort Myers Evangelical Christian, Naples First Baptist, Naples Seacrest Country Day

Prep football: Your vote counts in my poll

You may notice something different on the right side of Prep Rally - our first poll.
Since the 2011 prep football schedules were unveiled today, we are asking you which school has the toughest road to hoe next fall. And since next year marks the first of the new district cycle, you will notice all of the teams are squaring off with some new opponents, so take a hard look at each team's schedule before making your choice.
You can vote for any of the 10 schools in our coverage area, and all voting is anonymous, so even if you don't think your favorite team has the roughest schedule, nobody has to know.
Not even me.

Prep football: 2011 schedules unveiled

(baynews9.com)

The Florida High School Athletic Association unveiled the 2011 football schedules Friday - roughly a month before the start of spring practice.
Here are schedules for the area teams, all of whom are looking to finish their season at the Florida Citrus Bowl - cite of the this year's state championship games.
Each school is responsible for the accuracy of each schedule.
Home games are in caps.
*-district game

BAYSHORE
Sept. 2 at Tampa Catholic
Sept. 9 at Port Charlotte
Sept. 16 vs. LAKEWOOD RANCH
Sept. 23 vs. WAUCHULA HARDEE*
Sept. 30 vs. CYPRESS
Oct. 7 at Palmetto*
Oct. 14 at Braden River
Oct. 21 vs. SOUTHEAST*
Oct. 28 at Arcadia DeSoto*
Nov. 11 vs. SARASOTA

BRADEN RIVER
Sept. 2 vs. LAKEWOOD RANCH
Sept. 9 at North Port
Sept. 16 vs. PALMETTO
Sept. 23 at Riverview
Sept. 30 at Port Charlotte
Oct. 7 at Manatee*
Oct. 14 vs. BAYSHORE
Oct. 21 vs. SARASOTA*
Nov. 4 vs. VENICE*
Nov. 11 at Palmetto Ridge

BRADENTON CHRISTIAN
Sept. 2 at Lakeland Christian
Sept. 9 at St. Petersburg Northside Christian
Sept. 16 vs. TAMPA CAMBRIDGE*
Sept. 23 vs. LARGO INDIAN ROCKS CHRISTIAN*
Sept. 30 at. St. Petersburg Canterbury*
Oct. 14 at. Tampa Carrollwood*
Oct. 21 at. St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut*
Oct. 28 vs. CLEARWATER CALVARY CHRISTIAN*
Nov. 4 vs. ST. PETERSBURG KEWSWICK*

CARDINAL MOONEY
Sept. 2 vs. LABELLE
Sept. 9 vs. FORT MYERS BISHOP VEROT
Sept. 16 at Lake Placid
Sept. 23 vs. ENGLEWOOD LEMON BAY
Sept. 30 at Clearwater Central Catholic
Oct. 7 vs. LAKELAND CHRISTIAN*
Oct. 14 at St. Petersburg Catholic
Oct. 21 at Frostproof*
Nov. 4 at Fort Meade*
Nov. 11 vs. OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY

LAKEWOOD RANCH
Sept. 2 at Braden River
Sept. 9 vs. SOUTHEAST
Sept. 16 at Bayshore
Sept. 23 at Gulfport Boca Ciega*
Sept. 30 at Palmetto
Oct. 7 vs. TARPON SPRINGS*
Oct. 21 vs. ST. PETERSBURG DIXIE HOLLINS*
Oct. 28 at Largo*
Nov. 4 at Seminole Osceola*
Nov. 11 MANATEE

MANATEE
Sept. 2 at Our Lady of Good Counsel (Md.)
Sept. 9 vs. RIVERVIEW
Sept. 16 vs. DON BOSCO PREP (N.J.)
Sept. 30 vs. SOUTHEAST
Oct. 7 vs. BRADEN RIVER*
Oct. 14 vs. CYPRESS BAY
Oct. 21 vs. VENICE*
Oct. 28 at Palmetto
Nov. 4 at Sarasota*
Nov. 11 at Lakewood Ranch

OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY
Sept. 2 vs. ST. PETERSBURG CATHOLIC
Sept. 9 vs. COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF NAPLES*
Sept. 16 vs. MOORE HAVEN*
Sept. 23 at Naples St. John Neumann*
Sept. 30 vs. FORT MYERS EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN*
Oct. 21 at Southwest Florida Christian*
Oct. 28 at First Baptist Academy*
Nov. 4 at Saint Stephen's*
Nov. 11 at Cardinal Mooney

PALMETTO
Sept. 2 vs. RIVERVIEW
Sept. 9 at Sarasota
Sept. 16 at Braden River
Sept. 23 at Arcadia DeSoto*
Sept. 30 vs. LAKEWOOD RANCH
Oct. 7 vs. BAYSHORE*
Oct. 21 vs. WAUCHULA HARDEE*
Oct. 28 vs. MANATEE
Nov. 4 at Southeast*
Nov. 11 at Trinity Catholic

SAINT STEPHEN'S
Sept. 2 at Naples St. John Neumann*
Sept. 9 vs. FIRST BAPTIST ACADEMY*
Sept. 16 vs. SOUTHWEST FLORIDA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY*
Sept. 30 at. St. Petersburg Shorecrest Prep
Oct. 7 at Moore Haven*
Oct. 21 at Fort Myers Evangelical Christian*
Oct. 28 at Community School of Naples*
Nov. 4 vs. OUT-OF-DOOR ACADEMY*
Nov. 11 vs. ST. PETERSBURG NORTHSIDE CHRISTIAN

SOUTHEAST
Sept. 2 vs. LARGO
Sept. 9 at Lakewood Ranch
Sept. 16 at Booker
Sept. 23 vs. SARASOTA
Sept. 30 at Manatee
Oct. 7 vs. ARCADIA DESOTO*
Oct. 14 at Riverview
Oct. 21 at Bayshore*
Oct. 28 at Wauchula Hardee*
Nov. 4 vs. PALMETTO*