Category: Sports

Freedom & Wharton Both Have High Boys Basketball Hopes

Wharton senior Chase Litton puts in a layup during the Wildcats’ 46-40 loss to Plant High on November 21, the team’s first District 8A-7 loss in more than two seasons.

By Matt Wiley

The season has only recently begun, but both the Freedom High Patriots and Wharton High Wildcats have their eyes set on their respective District tournaments.

Cedric Smith’s Patriots started the season strong at 3-0 (1-0 in District 7A-8) going into the Fall break, with their most recent victory against District rival Gaither High (0-2, 0-1), along with non-District wins against Middleton High (2-1) and the season opener against Robinson (2-1).

“Middleton was a lot better than when we played them last season,” Smith said of the Patriots’ narrow 53-50 home-opener win. “Gaither was good, too.”

The Pats were down 3 points at the half against Gaither, but rallied with 21 fourth-quarter points to seal the 60-47 victory over the Cowboys. Senior shooting guard Michael Keller and sophomore winger Sheldon Odunna led the way with 12 and 13 points, respectively.

“We’ve got a young team,” Smith said. “Our District looks strong. (Despite a slow start), Wiregrass Ranch (1-2, 0-1) always is strong. We’re going to have our hands full this season.”

Although Freedom is off to a solid start, the Pats have managed to do so without key veteran contributors Scott Patchan, the junior center, and sophomore winger Quenden James, who are both out with in- juries until at least late December.

“They’re both key players for us,” Smith explained. “They both have experience and have played under me for two years. These younger guys are having to step up.” Smith said that his point guards and other wingers have to to play well through- out the season, especially junior winger Miguel Rojas (averaging 13 ppg) and Odunna (averaging 12.3 ppg).

At our press time, Smith said that the Pats were gearing up for an Orlando tournament Thanksgiving weekend, where they would face Winter Park. “This is going to be our first real test,” Smith said.

Wharton Looks To Get Wild Meanwhile, coach Tommy Tonelli’s Wharton Wildcats (1-1, 0-1 in District 8A- 7) have a reputation to live up to, after making it all the way to the State Semifinals last season and going undefeated in District play the past two seasons. That streak came to an end quickly this season, however, in the ‘Cats’ second game, a tough 46-40 loss to District rival Plant High (3-2, 1-0) on November 21.

“I was pleased with the season opener against Sickles (a 58-43 non-District win), but disappointed against Plant,” Tonelli said. “(Plant) played well and I give them credit. Our defense was good, but we struggled offensively.”

However, Tonelli said that he is still optimistic about the season.

“We’ve only had two practices with the whole team,” he said. “Chase Litton and Auden Tate just finished up football. Once everyone is on the same page, we’ll do well.”

Litton and Tate combined for just 11 points against Plant, while junior John Christian stepped up with 13 points.

Tonelli said district games are always his biggest concern, but that he looks forward to the annual showdown against New Tampa rival Freedom High, which will be on Friday, January 24, at Freedom.

“Freedom has improved a lot,” he said. “They’ve made strides each year. We expect it to be a dogfight.”

Freedom High Swimmers Advance To Regional Championships!

By Benjamin Carter,

Freedom High senior Marc Berson won the District title in the 100-yd. butterfly after winning the event on Senior Day against Wharton at the West Meadows pool.

The Freedom High boys and girls swim teams has turned the heat up to boiling levels, as 11 athletes qualified for the Class 3A, Region 3 Championships on November 9 at the Class 3A District 7 meet on Oct. 30. The Freedom girls came in second overall in the District, behind Sickles High, while the boy’s team finished third behind King and Hillsborough High.Continue reading

Wildcats Football In Control Of District After Beating Newsome!

The varsity Wharton Wildcats celebrate after their victory over Newsome. Photo: Ben Carter — The varsity Wharton Wildcats celebrate after their victory over Newsome. *Photo: Benjamin Carter*

By Benjamin Carter

Past the halfway point and looking down the stretch, the Wildcats of Paul R. Wharton High find themselves in a dogfight for a District title.

After a hard-fought, impressive 21-20 victory over the Newsome High Wolves (at Newsome) on Oct. 4, the Wildcats moved into a first place tie with Plant High in the State Class 8A, District 6 standings, with an overall record of 4-1, including 2-0 in the District.

Wharton To Host Annual Harvest Volleyball Tourney & Food Drive

By Matt Wiley | September 14

The Wharton Wildcats volleyball team has hosted & won each of the first two Harvest Tournaments.

With the changing of the seasons comes the annual Harvest Volleyball Tournament at New Tampa’s Paul R. Wharton High, along with its accompanying food drive.

For the third consecutive year, Wharton High will welcome Brandon, Clearwater, Freedom, King, Riverview, Strawberry Crest and Wiregrass Ranch high schools to its Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. campus to compete in the annual girls volleyball tournament on Friday-Saturday, September 20-21. But the battle won’t be completely on the court, as each team participating also is being challenged to collect the most donated canned and boxed food items. Wharton has won the tourney each of the first two years.

“(Wharton) started the Harvest Tournament for two reasons,” explains volleyball coach Eric Barber. “To provide a tournament in the north Tampa area that these schools could attend, as well as provide a way for high school volleyball programs to directly impact their communities in a positive way.”

Barber says that the schools that he thinks will pose the biggest threat to Wharton’s “three-peat” are Wiregrass Ranch, Clearwater, and New Tampa rival Freedom. However, Barber adds that he thinks that Wharton still might have an advantage over the competition.

“We have been fortunate to win the last two, so I think a certain level of confidence comes with that,” Barber explains. “We are also working on being more diverse in our offense this year.”

Anyone planning to attend the tournament who is interested in donating cans/boxes of food is encouraged to do so, as a box will be set up in front of the gym for any donations. Wharton would like to send a big “Thank You” to the event’s sponsors: Marco’s Pizza, Bagels Plus, Dunkin’ Donuts, Rent King and RPM Physical Therapy.

New Tampa Teen To Tee Off At Pebble Beach During PGA Event

Terese Romeo, 16, practices her putting at the Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club.

By Matt Wiley | September 14

Terese Romeo looks down at the tee box on the signature par-3 17th hole at Tampa Palms Golf & County Club. After judging the distance and deciding her plan of attack to stay out of the hole’s large water hazard, she adjusts her stance, pulls her Ping club back, swings and watches her ball land safely on the green, just feet from the hole.

In just a few weeks, Romeo will be repeating the same process alongside a PGA Champions (formerly “Senior PGA”) Tour pro and in front of an international audience on one of the country’s most prestigious courses, the Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, CA.

At just 16 years old, Romeo, a Freedom High student and Tampa Palms resident, will be playing in front of the entire world during the 2013 Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, which will be held September 27-29 and televised on the Golf Channel.