Plant City Little League’s Akin & Porter Produce team is having a good year, with a 7-2 record. One of the reasons for this solid season, according to coach Steven Hill, has been versatile leadoff hitter Ryan Robinson. The lefty leadoff hitter has had little trouble getting on base lately, and is picking up playing […]
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WHAT’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 […]
Continue ReadingBudding career steers local racer Aidan Keel overseas
One of the great things about sports is the ability for young athletes to use it as a ticket to another city, state or even a continent. Aidan Keel found out for himself earlier this month. Keel, 12, was invited to compete in Race 1 of the 2014 Rotax Max Euro Challenge — part of […]
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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 […]
Continue ReadingWHAT’S ON KLINE’S MIND? Baseball pranks
Part of the reason I love baseball is that no other sport gives you as much freedom for goofing around with teammates. Pranks and baseball go together like peanut butter and jelly, which is why you’ll often catch some if you pay attention. On Sunday morning, I went to Deadspin.com and immediately saw the headline, […]
Continue ReadingATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Jordan Jolly
Durant High School’s boys lacrosse team didn’t exactly go out the way it wanted to, following up a 13-7 win over Robinson April 9, with a 13-10 loss to Alonso two days later. But, there were a few bright spots in that stretch, one of them being Jordan Jolly’s performance. The junior midfielder contributed seven […]
Continue ReadingPHOTO GALLERY: RICOH Children’s Golf Classic
Friday’s weather was ideal for golfing, and golfers who participated in the RICOH Children’s Golf Classic at Walden Lake took full advantage of it. The charity tournament, sponsored by South Florida Baptist Hospital, followed a four-person scramble format and featured some tasty barbecue for guests to snack on.
Continue ReadingMeet Durant’s Miss Cougar, Payton Astin
Few people know the meaning of the phrase, “Hard work pays off,” quite like athletes do — especially the ones recovering from an injury. Don’t try to tell Payton Astin anything different. Astin, 16, entered Durant High School’s “Miss Cougar” competition and, on March 28, won both her division (lightweight) and the overall title. This […]
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