Do you have a good sports scoop for us? Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com. SOFTBALL + Slow start for area teams Many of the Plant City-area prep softball teams have had to deal with losing several key players to graduation, and it appears those losses are being felt early in the season. From the Feb. […]
Continue ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? Let’s do youth sports the right way
There’s no doubt that Plant City lost a great man last week, when Buddy Bennett died. Many who spoke of Bennett, whether on the phone, in email or on the Internet, found dozens of ways to say the same thing about the longtime Plant City Dolphins president’s commitment to the program: He was in it […]
Continue ReadingBuddy Bennett: For the love of the game
In youth football and cheerleading, as in many sports, parents, coaches and volunteers often get into the game for their children. And once the kids age out of the program, the parents follow suit. Buddy Bennett was not one of those people. No one can accuse the longtime Plant City Dolphins president of sticking with […]
Continue ReadingWard resigns from PCHS football
At the Plant City High School National Signing Day ceremony, football head coach Wayne Ward was there to speak highly of his senior class. When he was done, he walked off the stage to a round of applause and left the Raider fans in good spirits. So when he announced his resignation just a few […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Baylee Cauwels
In the first home game of the 2015 season, the Durant Lady Cougars picked up a solid win, 17-2, over Tampa Bay Tech. One of the team’s driving forces is senior Baylee Cauwels, who has helped keep the entire Durant machine working. “She’s an all-around athlete,” head coach Kiara Klingler says. “She has the skill […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: KASEY LOCKE
Strawberry Crest’s softball team is getting over the loss of several important seniors, and junior shortstop Kasey Locke has been tabbed to play one of the key roles in the team’s youth movement. “Kasey had a really good preseason, and a really good game against Bloomingdale,” head coach Mindy Miltner says. “She’s a powerful, strong, […]
Continue ReadingCrest cheerleading makes history with state championship
Boxing legend Muhammad Ali once said, “A true champion can adapt to anything.” That’s what Strawberry Crest head coach Loveny Rivas told her cheerleaders this season, and it looks like the words of wisdom paid off better than expected. In a 2014-15 season riddled with injuries and a few other bumps in the road, Strawberry […]
Continue ReadingSidelines 2.13.15
Do you have a good sports scoop for us? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com. FOOTBALL + Beloved PCD president Bennett dies Buddy Bennett, president of the Plant City Dolphins football and cheerleading organization, died Tuesday morning, team sources confirmed. Bennett, who worked tirelessly with the Dolphins for 21 years, was diagnosed with colon cancer in […]
Continue ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND – Picking up the ‘sticks’ - Try these sports titles
One of my favorite questions to ask for our Athlete of the Week feature is, “What video games are you playing?” Why? Well, more often than not, this is the non-sports question that kids normally open up to first, and I’ve gotten some very good answers from some of the more competitive ones. This even […]
Continue ReadingPCHS senior turns outdoor sports passion into project
Most fishermen have at least a few tall tales up their sleeves. But Plant City High School junior Chase Lott catches all of his outdoor adventures on video. He found his calling last summer at Captiva Island just north of Sanibel in the Gulf of Mexico. But he didn’t get the idea to start […]
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