Count Tyler Danish as one of those people who loves their job more than just about anything. Even if it’s been one of the biggest adjustments of his young life. Danish, 19, was just promoted to a higher level of competition for the second time since the Chicago White Sox drafted him 55th overall last […]
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WHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? A few thoughts following spring ball
My favorite thing to hear when the Plant City Times & Observer staff has its weekly meeting is, “Justin, go cover football.” It’s not quite June yet, and I had been itching to get back onto the football sidelines with my camera and iPhone in hand for quite some time. Really, because Plant City’s playoff […]
Continue ReadingPHOTO GALLERY: Durant Football Jamboree
Plant City-area football fans were in for a treat on Thursday evening, as Durant High School hosted a four-team football jamboree. The games were well-attended, as fans of all four teams poured in to pack the house. There were also several college scouts prowling the sideline – hailing from Florida, Duke, Iowa State, Bowling Green […]
Continue ReadingPlant City-area spring football practice has begun
It wouldn’t be the month of May without three things: sunny days, Florida love bugs and spring football practice. All three Plant City-area high schools — Plant City, Durant and Strawberry Crest — are returning to the gridiron, shaking off the rust and, in some cases, carving out new identities. Annual intrasquad games aside, these […]
Continue ReadingFINAL INNINGS: Plant City baseball and softball
It’s been a good year for many of our area’s prep baseball and softball teams, but the 2014 season has come to a close in both sports. There were plenty of pleasant surprises along the way, and there will be plenty for these teams to look forward to in the future. So, what happened this […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Jessica McClernan
Durant’s flag football team lost a tight, 6-0 district championship game to Bloomingdale April 30, but the team still enjoyed a historically good regular season. And, after that game, senior captain Jessica McClernan will graduate as the holder of many single-season school records: passing yards (1,853), touchdowns (28), rushing yards (531), and rushing touchdowns (12). […]
Continue ReadingBASEBALL: Sickles at Durant
Sometimes, all it takes is one half-inning to change the course of an entire baseball game. That’s exactly what happened to Durant High School on Wednesday night, as a 5-3 loss to Sickles knocked the Cougars out of the postseason. Things were going well for the Cougars for a little while, though: starter Bryce Gainer […]
Continue ReadingDurant’s Craig Shimkus runs 2014 Boston Marathon
When Craig Shimkus came home from Boston last week, he was exhausted. His legs, worn out by the rigorous Boston Marathon, needed some convincing to do what he wanted them to. And, on top of that, he developed a cold. But Shimkus isn’t complaining. Monday, April 21, marked the second time that the Durant High […]
Continue ReadingSIDELINES
BASEBALL + Durant repeats as district champs Any speculation about Durant’s district title chances at the beginning of the season was quashed April 25. The Cougars proved they didn’t need former star Tyler Danish to win a district title, squeezing out a 1-0 win over Brandon. But, it wasn’t easy. A pitchers’ duel between Durant’s Bryce […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Luke Heyer
It was the bottom of the seventh inning, and Durant needed to get one out to win the district title. Starter Bryce Gainer had only given up three hits, but one man was on third. Luke Heyer took the mound, recognized Brandon’s squeeze play and helped get the final out, giving the Cougars their second […]
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