1. Plant City Football
In 2015, the Raiders had to deal with a surprise coaching change, a move to a new (tougher) district and several key roster losses. After Armwood kicked its butt in the season opener, Plant City looked vulnerable.
But that was misleading. Since losing to the Hawks, Plant City ripped off an 11-game win streak through the playoffs, won the district before almost any other team in the county won theirs and made it further than any team in Raider history. The team proved that, even when dealing with season-ending injuries at key positions, the roster was deep and talented enough to make up for it.
On behalf of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Greg Meyer won a couple of awards: Coach of the Week and Coach of the Year. He’s up for the NFL’s Don Shula Coach of the Year award.
Meyer was also named Western Conference Coach of the Year, and 11 of his players were named county all-stars. Markese Hargrove, T.J. Chase, James Alexander, Cory Cotnoir, Steven Ogletree and Antoine Thompson were first-team Western Conference All-Stars, and Jamal Savage, Corey King, Kwest Fluitt, Chase Lott and Tydre Ward got second-team honors.
2. Plant City Dolphins Mighty Mites
Plant City’s 5- and 6-year olds went 15-0 in 2015 action, from the TCYFCC regular season all the way to the United Youth Football League National Championship. They averaged well over 20 points per game in TCYFCC action, nearly doubled that in the playoffs and held steady to win the Superbowl over the rival Brandon Lions.
In the UYFL, they outscored opponents, including the Lions, by a total of 67-0 to win the UYFL title and rings.
Led by a rock-solid ground game, starring Derrick McBride and Ty’one Cooper, the Mighty Mites established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
3. Strawberry Crest Cheerleading
The cheer team became the first program in school history to win a state championship and became the first in Hillsborough County history to sweep the district, regional and state competitions.
Head coach Loveny Rivas and her team had many problems to deal with throughout the season, with several key injuries and several dismissals from the team. There were even times when Crest had to compete without a full team.
The team didn’t win a single competition throughout the regular season, normally finishing second or third.
But, in the end, the Chargers’ hard work paid off. The squad won districts while shorthanded and unveiled its full routine for the first time all year at regionals. The team dominated the Western Conference competition, winning by 38 points. The team ended the state competition as the only team in program history to finish a postseason competition without having any points deducted.
4. Durant Baseball
The Cougars went 23-7 in 2015, including a perfect 10-0 run through the district gamut. The team made a run through the FHSAA playoffs, with three close wins, to go as far as the state Final Four before taking a 12-0 loss to Oviedo.
The Cougars were led on the mound by fearsome pitching duo Bryce Gainer and Jonah Scolaro, and the team posted an ERA of 1.91. The team’s “Dingers for Days” motto wasn’t totally on the money, as it slugged a total of five home runs on the season, but the team did post a .292 batting average. Of the 13 players who appeared in 10 or more games, 12 batted over .270.
5. Durant Volleyball
The Lady Cougars turned to its sophomores and juniors, such as Emma Rustenberghe, for leadership in 2015. Things weren’t going so well early on, as the Cougars’ 2-3 start made them look inexperienced. But things turned around Sept. 21.
The team went 11-3 down the stretch. They posted a perfect 6-0 record in the district, scoring a 3-1 win over a tough Strawberry Crest team in the district championship game, and made it to the regional semifinals after a 3-1 win over St. Petersburg High.
The district championship game was especially great for head coach Brittany Wade: it was her 100th win as Durant’s head coach, as well as her third district title.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.