BASKETBALL
+ Lady Raiders make 7A Top 10
The Plant City Lady Raiders have overtaken Strawberry Crest and also gained some statewide recognition.
The Jan. 7 Florida Association of Basketball Coaches/SourceHoops.com rankings named Plant City (then 14-2) the 10th-best team in Class 7A, with a one-game difference between the Lady Raiders and top-ranked Nova (then 13-2).
This is likely due to a great December, in which the team lost only two games by a combined 18 points (including a 13-point tournament loss to Palm Harbor University), and in their wins, held all but two opponents to less than 40 points per game.
Recent losses to Newsome and Crest got January off to a rough start, but this remains a team to be reckoned with in the upcoming district tournament.
SOCCER
+ Youth League registration open
Sign-ups for the Plant City Recreation and Parks Department/Optimist Youth Soccer Program are underway as the league prepares for its 39th season.
The league is open to all youths 4 to 18, with ages determined as of June 1, 2015. It consists of 11 different age groups: co-ed 4, co-ed 5, co-ed 6, co-ed 7, boys 8-9, girls 8 and 9, boys 10 and 11, girls 10 and 11, boys 12 to 14, girls 12 to 14 and co-ed 15 to 18. The season lasts from late March until late May, with games played on Saturdays for ages 4 to 11 and weeknights for ages 12 to 18.
Parents have until Wednesday, Feb. 11, to register their children for the league. The $35 registration fee covers the cost of one child’s jersey and accident insurance. Online registration and credit/debit card payments are not available at this time, so registration may be done in person at the Rec & Parks administration office, 1904 S. Park Road, or the registration form and payment may be mailed to that address.
For additional information, visit plantcitygov.com, contact Tim Hanlon at thanlon@plantcity.gov or Danny Smith at dsmith@plantcity.gov, or call the administration office at (813) 659-4255.
LITTLE LEAGUE
+ PCLL registration ends Saturday
There are two more days to register for the upcoming Plant City Little League baseball and softball seasons.
Children 4 to 15 can be registered to play on the Plant City Little League website, ETeamz.com/PlantCityLL. After registration, tryouts will be held Saturday, Jan. 24 and Monday, Jan. 26. Players who want to play up in a higher age group must try out with teams from both their league age and the next-higher league age.