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 […]
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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 […]
Continue ReadingSWING KING: Cody Colding
Cody Colding would live in the Mike E. Sansone Park batting cage, if his parents let him. Colding, 17, says his entire world has revolved around the game of baseball from a young age, and his fifteen years of dedication are paying off. The Plant City High School junior was named to the Baseball Factory’s […]
Continue ReadingDurant flag football sets sights on perfect season
At the end of overtime April 17, coach Brad Brunson and the Lady Cougars knew they had something special. Durant’s flag football team had just come out on top of a clash of the titans, beating Bloomingdale by one point — 21-20. After the Lady Bulls whiffed on a two-point conversion, the pass sailing over […]
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SOFTBALL + Lady Cougars claim district title The fans at Brandon High almost saw both high seeds get knocked out in a pair of softball district semifinal games, but Plant City scraped its way into the championship game. Strawberry Crest, on the other hand, was shocked by Durant. The Lady Raiders held a 1-0 lead for […]
Continue ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? Winning is sweeter for underdogs
Who was expecting Durant softball to do what it did last weekend? The third-seeded team in the Class 7A-District 7 tournament played like a top seed all week, trampling both Strawberry Crest and Plant City in the process. The Lady Cougars and Lady Raiders were previously the only two teams in the district that had […]
Continue ReadingSOFTBALL: Durant Stuns Plant City in Five for District Crown
Another day, another great underdog story at Brandon High School. But, last night, the Durant Lady Cougars didn’t play like they were seeded lower than Plant City. They stunned the Lady Raiders, 11-0, in five innings to win the 7A-District 7 title. Although the Lady Raiders’ offense was able to come through late in their […]
Continue ReadingPHOTO GALLERY: 7A District 7 Softball Semi-Finals
They say that conventional wisdom gets thrown out the window when it’s playoff time, and that was the case in both of Wednesday’s district matchups. The fans at Brandon High School almost saw both high seeds get knocked out in a pair of intense games, but Plant City just managed to scrape its way into […]
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BASKETBALL + Tigers win in second tourney Once again, the Plant City Tigers’ 10th-graders are champs. They played in a tournament last weekend in Auburndale, and nearly swept the competition. They started April 12, with a loss, 84-64, to the Auburndale Hoops 11th-graders, but that was the only mishap. They then snuck past the Plant City […]
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