When golfers tee off at at Bloomingdale Golfers Club’s 17th hole par-3 April 20, they won’t hear chirping birds, a gentle breeze and an occasional golf cart passing by. Instead, they will have to deal with the sounds of trumpets, clarinets and drums. The 17th hole will be the “distraction hole” at this year’s 11th […]
Continue ReadingHigh Schools
YMCA swim team preps for third season
Although the team may be smaller than other YMCA teams in the area, the Tampa YMCA Swimming team at the Plant City YMCA makes up for it in talent. Coach Craig Hilgenberg helped resurrect the longstanding swim club at Walden Lake in 2008, before merging that team with an existing swim club at the Plant […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Ali Grimmel
Wide receiver and captain Ali Grimmel has been a leader for the Plant City High flag football team in more ways than one. The four-year starter has 33 catches on the year for 312 yards, but it is her vocal leadership that stands out. Grimmel, also a competitive cheerleader at PCHS, uses her outgoing personality […]
Continue ReadingLegislation dangerous for high school sports
Do you have or will you have a son or daughter who participates in high school athletics in Florida? You may want to pay attention. There is a piece of legislation that, if passed, could send Florida high school sports into an era of free agency. The legislation — House Bill 1279 — would allow […]
Continue ReadingDurant bests Plant City in diamond rivalry
The Durant High School softball and baseball teams picked up big wins over rival Plant City High April 11, at home. Durant’s Paige Davis gave up just one hit in a 6-0 win against the Lady Raiders, in the non-district season finale for both softball teams. Chaz Fowler also threw a one-hitter for Durant’s baseball […]
Continue ReadingStrawberry Queen, three others ink with colleges
Four Plant City High School student-athletes made their college choices official Wednesday with a signing ceremony held at the school. Kelsey Fry (West Florida, swimming), Seth Crowell (Florida Tech, football), Joe Davis (Webber, football) and Keven Long (Three Rivers College, baseball) will all play their respective sports at the next level after graduating from PCHS […]
Continue ReadingBaseball: Fowler leads Durant past Plant City
Chaz Fowler had a no-hitter broken up in the ninth inning, but it wasn’t enough for Plant City, as Fowler’s one-hitter led Durant to a 1-0 win over the Raiders Thursday in a non-district game. “This was the Chaz Fowler of old,” said Durant head coach Butch Valdes. “He’s had some rough spots this season, […]
Continue ReadingSoftball: Durant blanks Plant City 6-0
Durant’s Paige Davis gave up just one hit in a 6-0 win against Plant City Thursday in the non-district season finale. Davis, a senior who has been stellar on the mound for the Lady Cougars this season, didn’t walk any Plant City batters in the complete-game shutout. “She did a solid job again tonight,” said […]
Continue ReadingWinning Attitude
The baseball program at Plant City High School dates back decades before Durant began its program in the mid-1990s, but the Cougars have had more success in recent years and have grown into a perennial power. That’s something new PCHS head coach Mike Fryrear, a Durant alumnus and former player, hopes to achieve with the […]
Continue ReadingArea softball teams poised for districts
If the cards fall the way coach Mindy Miltner expects, her Strawberry Crest team will get a much anticipated rematch with Leto in the Class 6A District 11 tournament. “The girls are hungry for that one,” she said. That’s because Leto upset Strawberry Crest last season in the district tournament, putting a halt to the […]
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