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 […]
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Durant’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 ReadingPlant City set to tee off with Smart Start program
Remember those days of throwing a football or baseball around in the yard, or shooting hoops in the driveway? That’s how many young athletes were introduced to those sports, because it’s fun and easy to do at home. Golf, on the other hand, is not so easy to teach at home. Fortunately for Plant City-area […]
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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 ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? Favorite sports movies
One thing I sometimes like to do when I talk to high school baseball players is ask about their favorite baseball movie. The only other sport with a high volume of quality movies is football, so many people tend to latch onto a movie and defend it to the death. I want to see where […]
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 ReadingPHOTO GALLERY: Tri-Star Soccer Skills Competition
The Optimist Club hosted its 17th annual Tri-Star Soccer Skills Competition on Saturday at Otis M. Andrews Park. Dozens of kids came before or after their soccer games to test their skills, and the top three finishers in each age group got big trophies to take home. Drills included dribbling around a series of flags, […]
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 […]
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