With apologies to Durant High football fans, I have to take a quick break from Friday Night Notes. This is just too good to not share. I’m used to getting emails from local parents who want to tell me about how great their kids are — and why they should be named Athlete of the […]
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T.J. Chase named Semper Fi All-American
Note: this post has been updated from the print version to reflect the most accurate 2015 stats, which have changed since press time. At 8 a.m. on a Friday morning, T.J. Chase stands tall in front of a packed Plant City High School auditorium. He and his teammates, all seated in the middle rows, couldn’t […]
Continue ReadingSidelines 11.13.15
Do you have a good Sports scoop for us? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcity observer.com, or Tweet us at @PCTOSports. FOOTBALL + Dolphins set for Superbowl Of the five Plant City Dolphins teams that made the playoffs, four are advancing to the Nov. 21 Superbowl. The Mighty Mites, Midgets, Junior Varsity and Varsity teams each […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Drew Knotts
The Plant City High girls soccer team started its season 2-0, with a pair of 8-0 wins, picking up where it left off last season. Leading the charge is junior captain Drew Knotts, who scored five goals and recorded an assist over the course of those games. You all are off to a hot start. […]
Continue Reading2015 Gridiron Report: Playoffs
The Plant City Times & Observer brings you another installment of our 2015 weekly podcast, the Plant City Times & Observer Gridiron Report, breaking down high school football match-ups in the Plant City area for the entire 2015 season. Sports Editor Justin Kline is the host of the podcast, which features a weekly “Game of […]
Continue ReadingFOOTBALL: King 16, Durant 13
Try as they might, the Durant Cougars just couldn’t make enough things happen on offense to end the season at 7-3. Durant finished its season with a 6-4 record thanks to Friday night’s 16-13 overtime loss against King, though the fans were left with some nice moments. It was a particularly good night for running […]
Continue ReadingKing at Durant: Looking ahead
Mike Gottman has never been one to sugar-coat an opinion about his football team. So for the Durant High head coach to speak highly of the future at the end of this season is telling for Cougar fans. The Cougars missed out on the playoff picture with last week’s 28-0 loss to Tampa Bay Tech, […]
Continue ReadingJohnson caps career with solo states shot
Plant City’s 2015 state championship story doesn’t look like last year’s: a feel-good tale of a team bonding together. The 2015 story is Kendall Johnson’s to tell — and hers alone. Johnson, a senior, was the only Lady Raider to make the cut for this year’s FHSAA state championship tournament, held Tuesday, Nov. 3, and […]
Continue ReadingSidelines 11.06.15
Do you have a good Sports scoop for us? Email Justin Kline at jkline@plantcity observer.com, or Tweet us at @PCTOSports. Volleyball Area teams eliminated Durant and Strawberry Crest once again made the playoffs in 2015, but both have seen early exits at the hands of Palm Harbor University. On Oct. 27, the Lady Chargers were […]
Continue ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? Friday Night Notes
Somehow, some way, the Plant City Raiders emerged from the chaotic 7A-9 district gauntlet untouched. I know that I picked the Raiders to win the district before this season began, but if you had told me that they’d come out of this district with a perfect record, I’d have called you crazy. It didn’t seem […]
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