For weeks, the anticipation and buildup have been almost palpable. It finally happened Thursday. ...more

January 15, 2008

LAKE PLACID — A holiday hangover — and the lack of personnel — hit the Lake Placid girls basketball team hard on Monday night. The Avon Park Red Devils showed no mercy for the depleted Green Dragons, taking a six-point lead after the first quarter, and using superb defense to ignite their fast break, holding Lake Placid scoreless for two-plus quarters en route to a 54-8 thumping. ...more

January 9, 2008

Tampa Prep's girls soccer team looked sluggish after two weeks off practice, and it resulted in the Terrapins' record getting its first blemish at Mitchell as a 67th-minute goal from Morgan Shellenberger earned the Mustangs a 1-1 tie on Friday. ...more

January 5, 2008

Four years ago, a shy, timid Deana Rossi earned her first starting position for the River Ridge girls soccer team. Not many involved would have expected her and the team to come so far, so quickly. ...more

January 1, 2008

The Bishop McLaughlin girls soccer team is nearing the end of practice on a hot and humid afternoon. After more than an hour of conditioning exercises and simulated matches, some of the team members are slowing down. ...more

December 30, 2007

AVON PARK –– For the first four games of the season, the Avon Park girls soccer team's offensive output was downright offensive. A doughnut hole for goals and wins was all that was shown for the effort, as the Red Devil offense lacked the right amount of drive and focus needed to find the net. Enter senior Missy Lander, a defensive specialist who's as physical a defender as anyone in the Heartland. Just before the Nov. 13 game against Hardee, AP head coach Greg Thacker made the move to send Lander to the offensive unit, and the results were immediate. ...more

December 25, 2007

Tampa Prep's girls soccer team has heard talk that it is a small team in a small class - 2A. The team has heard the talk that its schedule doesn't stand up against some of the teams in 5A or 6A. Two matches into the Sarasota Holiday Classic, Tampa Prep remains undefeated at 15-0, with two tough opponents behind it and maybe some talk put to bed. ...more

December 22, 2007

LAKE PLACID — Antonio Santana scored two goals and captain Hugo Medina netted two goals — including the game-winner — as Lake Placid rallied to beat McKeel Academy 5-4 in boys soccer on Friday night at rain-soaked Roger Scarborough Memorial Field. The Class 3A Green Dragons trailed for most of the match, but refused to quit to improve to 1-4 in District 10 action. "This was a brave win," said Lake Placid coach Josh Virkler. "We were down two goals at two different points in the match, and it would have been easy for the guys to quit because the conditions were pretty severe." McKeel took a 2-0 lead just seven minutes into the match on the rain-slicked field. ...more

December 16, 2007

WAUCHULA — The Avon Park girls soccer team tallied its second win of the season against the Hardee Wildcats in a Class 4A-District 10 match-up at Wildcat Stadium on Thursday, winning 3-0. Missy Lander, who has been a vocal leader on the field for Avon Park, was one of three that scored for the Red Devils, who have earned both victories this season against the 'Cats. "We are passing the ball so much better now," said AP head coach Greg Thacker. "I finally have a squad that will stick with the program, and are working hard." Thacker moved Lander to the forward position and has been pleased with the decision. ...more

December 8, 2007

LAKE PLACID — Scoring chances in soccer are hard to come by, and when opportunity comes knocking, you have to be there to answer the door. The Lake Placid Green Dragons girls soccer team let a gift-wrapped opportunity slip away in a 0-0 tie with the Class 3A-District 8 foe McKeel Academy of Lakeland at Roger Scarborough Stadium on Tuesday. Christmas came early for the Green Dragons at the 60 minute mark of the match, when a hand ball inside the box penalty by McKeel Academy set up a penalty kick for the Lake Placid. ...more

December 6, 2007