Do you have a good sports scoop for us? Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com, or Tweet us at @PCTOSports.
BASEBALL
+ PCLL holding sign-ups
Plant City Little League is bringing back Senior and Big League Baseball for boys age 15 to 18.
Anyone who wishes to play must be registered by Saturday, March 7. Contact Jeffrey Jacobsen for registration information at (813) 468-9362 or email jakesteraider@yahoo.com.
+ Area teams start strong in district
None of the Plant City-area high school baseball teams got off to a particularly hot start, but all three seem to be getting back on track now that district play has begun.
Going into the Feb. 24 games, Durant and Plant City each won their first two games against 7A-7 opponents, while Strawberry Crest went .500.
Durant (4-1; 3-0 district) held a 4-0 lead over Tampa Bay Tech Feb. 17 until the fifth inning, when starter Jonah Scolaro allowed three runs. Colyn White and Bryce Gainer came in afterward to relieve Scolaro, and ended up preserving Durant’s lead through the next two innings. Hosting Brandon Feb. 20, Durant picked up a 9-2 win after maintaining an 8-0 lead through six innings of play.
Plant City (2-4; 2-1 district) crushed East Bay on the road in a 9-3 win Feb. 17, and then followed it up with another slim victory over Tampa Bay Tech: this one was a 3-2 win, in which no team scored until the Raiders drove in two in the fifth inning and kept the Indians in check in the seventh to hang on.
Strawberry Crest (3-2, 2-1 district) took a 2-0 loss at Brandon Feb. 17, but followed up with a 3-1 win at East Bay Feb. 20. In that one, the team took advantage of four defensive errors as Jeff Murray, Tyler Chancey and McKenzie Wheeler each scored runs.
All three teams play Friday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m.: Durant will play at Strawberry Crest, and Plant City will travel to Brandon.
WRESTLING
+ SCHS places at championships
The Strawberry Crest wrestling team made some noise at the Hillsborough County Championships Saturday, Feb. 21.
The Chargers placed third in the competition, including three individual champions.
SWIMMING
+ Plant City YMCA to host “SPLASH! Week”
Parents who wish to teach their children how to swim and stay safe in the water will be in luck next month.
Tampa Bay-area YMCA facilities are hosting “SPLASH! Week” from March 9 to 12, and accepting pre-registrations now. The weeklong event will cover the areas of water familiarization, pool rules, water safety procedures and more for kids aged 3-12.
“SPLASH! Week is a community outreach program that focuses on teaching children how to be safe in and around the water, particularly for youth from underserved communities who might otherwise not have access to swim lessons,” Tampa Y Aquatics Executive Amanda Walker says. “The Tampa YMCA is committed to providing this free program annually in the spring to help keep kids safe at the beach, the pool, the lake and while boating. We want to raise awareness about the importance of swimming as not only a fun way to stay fit, but as a critical safety skill.”
To register, call the Plant City Family YMCA at (813) 757-6677.