Area parks hosting events
This weekend, Florida Premier League will host a youth soccer showcase at Ellis-Methvin Park from Saturday through Sunday with start times between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. This tournament is for boys and girls teams in U15 through U19 age groups.
GSA Baseball is back with its March Madness Super Regional tournament, which will use fields at Ellis-Methvin Park, the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex and Snowden Park from Saturday through Sunday. Games start between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Finally, the National Club Baseball Association and National Club Softball Association will start their annual Spring Training Showcase tournaments at Mike Sansone Park and the MLK ball field. More than 70 college club teams from around the country will come through town over the course of four weeks. Visit ncbaspringtraining.weebly.com/ for baseball schedules, team information and more, and visit ncsaspringtraining.weebly.com/ for softball schedules, team information and more.
Next weekend, the Plant City Dolphins will host Youth Spring Football League 8-on-8 tackle league play. Games start between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. March 7 at the Otis M. Andrews Sports Complex.
Greater Orlando Baseball/USA Travel Ball will host its Baseball Lessons 101 tournament at Ellis-Methvin Park on March 7 and 8. Games start between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in this 11U and 12U tournament.
GSA Baseball will use fields at the Randy L. Larson Softball Four-Plex for league play on March 7 and 8, with games starting between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
District wrestling tourneys
Durant wrestler Hendon Haley is once again bound for regionals after winning the 138-pound bracket in the Feb. 22 3A-District 6 tournament.
Haley beat East Bay’s Elijah Ketchup Jr. and Newsome’s Devan Belcher by fall in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds to set up a championship match against Armwood’s Hamzah Mohamad. But Mohamad, who made it to the finale with a 10-5 semifinal decision over Bloomingdale’s Chase Richie, was injured, giving Haley the championship.
Teammate Josh Cannon, wrestling at 182 pounds, also made it to the championship round after beating Lennard’s Benjamin Carranza by fall and East Bay’s Ivan Rusado by decision, but lost to Newsome’s Michael Nunn by an 8-4 decision. Austin Bovee, who earned a first-round bye in the 195-pound bracket, beat Lennard’s Anthony Cruz by fall in the semifinal but then lost to Riverview’s Josh Francavilla by fall in the championship round.
Strawberry Crest wrestler Aaron Ortiz now has two district championships to his name after winning the 3A-6 113-pound bracket.
Ortiz got the job done this year by beating Bloomingdale’s Zach Allison by 12-5 decision in the championship round. It was his only win by decision of the tournament, as he previously beat Newsome’s Cam Valenti and Lennard’s Yaideliz Lorenzo by falls.
Several of Ortiz’s teammates also got to championship rounds. Carter Willis made it to the championship round at 120 pounds by beating Durant’s Chris Perez in the semifinal, but lost by fall to Luke Allison of Bloomingdale. Jarrett Affronti made it to the 132-pound championship but lost by 9-3 decision to Lennard’s Daegan Buzbee. Jacive Sheppard made it to the 145-pound finale but lost by fall to Newsome’s Parker Drake.
Plant City competed in the 3A-District 5 tournament on Feb. 22 and two Raiders won titles. Brent Ruedeman walked away a district champion at 132 pounds after his championship opponent, Osceola’s Jaekus Hines, had to forfeit the finale. Jermarian Jackson, on the other hand, quickly beat Celebration’s Joshua Lizano by fall after a first-round bye and followed it up with another win by fall over George Jenkins’ Jalen Williams for the 145-pound title.
Jeremiah Smith and Celebration’s Kyler Peraza, the only two wrestlers in the 113-pound bracket, duked it out for the championship but Peraza picked up the win by fall. Blake Johnson got to the end of the 126-pound bracket with a first-round bye and a win over Celebration’s Kaluv Peterson by fall, but then lost to Winter Haven’s Deaven Sinnett by 14-10 decision. Caleb Turner made it to the 195-pound final round with wins over Ridge Community’s Nathan Walsh and Jenkins’ Nathan Peoples, but Bartow’s Colby Trudeau ended Turner’s win streak in the championship match.
All three schools will compete at regionals this weekend at Osceola High School.
Knotts shoots up state javelin rankings
Plant City High School’s success with the javelin continued at the Feb. 22 Steinbrenner Invite, which senior Jackson Knotts won in that event.
Knotts recorded a 44.45-meter throw that day, which secured him first-place honors at the invite by a margin of 1.9 points. That also helped him climb up to second place in the Class 4A state rankings.